Thursday, June 10, 2010

Social Media and Business - Have a Plan

I have been thinking a lot about how so many businesses today WANT to participate in social media, but don't know how to begin. My response - develop a plan first.

Think of it like developing a marketing plan or a business plan. There are so many factors involved, that, without a plan, execution will be chaos. You'll need to at least determine what social media you want to utilize, how you will communicate on the chosen media, who will maintain and monitor the chosen media, how the company will respond to positive and negative posts, and who will oversee and report to the plan you've developed.

Only then, after developing a clear, concise plan can you begin utilizing social media effectively. I also recommend meeting frequently to discuss content and plans moving forward. That will keep you on track and ensure a successful effort in the social marketing world.