On Marketing
❖ dave bodle
Are Social Media Fears Founded ? I’VE DREADED THIS MOMENT. I knew it couldn’t be avoided. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. However, today’s subject has become part of our social culture and now permeates the business world. Although most of you know considerably more about social media, I’m ready to tackle the subject. Let’s be straightforward. I am not a social media fan for business. I just don’t get how it works for my interest. As a writer am I supposed to post on my Facebook page everything that’s published? I guess that makes some sense, but everyone I care about (that’s you!) is already reading my stuff. How about my little tour & receptive business? Should David’s Tour Connections have a Facebook page? Probably that’s a good idea, but where do I get friends/fans? My website that’s under
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66 April 2011
construction? Maybe I can put a Facebook link there when it’s completed. I know how to drive traffic to my website, so maybe the interested viewers will link to my Facebook page. Then there’s Bodle Communications. This small company helps both tour & travel and golf suppliers package and promote their products to the appropriate markets. Surely, there’s a place for social media in this venture as well. You can see where I’m going. I have a vague sense of social media’s value, but I’m just not ready to race full steam ahead. My guess is that you might be feeling the same way about your business. One of the challenges with understanding social media is it constantly changes. An article titled “Social media here now, gone tomorrow” by Julie Hatfield in SATW Traveler December 2009/ January 2010 issue was not announcing the demise of social media. Ms. Hatfield was simply stating that social media is changing and evolving everyday. Even with all that change there are a few basic principles regarding social media. More than 85 percent of Americans who use social media sites say a company should be present and interact with its customers via social media. This September 2008 information from Opinion Research also reports that more than 40 percent of those surveyed said companies should use social media to solve customer problems and solicit product and services feedback. On the other hand, in a Knowledge Networks report from May 2009 there appears that social network users do not have a strong association with business sites and their own purchase decisions. Although 83 percent of the Internet
population (ages 13-54) participates in social media, less than 6 percent look to social media sites for purchasing decision guidance. Throughout this article I’ve used the terms social media and Facebook almost interchangeably. Surely, social media encompasses Facebook, but it also includes SMS/TXT, Twitter, blog sites and many others. They all share one common element. At the risk of oversimplification all social media are web-logs, short for blogs. So, what does that mean? Although still less than 100 percent sold on social media for business, I’m willing to give it serious consideration for my business. First, I’m going to have my 15-year-old grandson help me set up Facebook accounts for each of my small business ventures. Next, I’m going to treat each like a blog and dedicate a minimum of 45 minutes each week to post content. I’m going to keep a notebook handy to record blog subjects and ideas. I’m going to post comments on other industry blogs hoping to stay connected. Social media can be challenging, especially as our time becomes more and more restricted. We all are assuming more and more responsibilities in our businesses. However, one thing I know and fully accept is that more than 80 percent of marketers in 2011 will be using social media, up from 42 percent in 2008. In 2010 more than 82 percent of these marketers were increasing their social media budgets. Obviously, these people know more than I do. Maybe it’s time for me to test the waters. Contact Dave at 843-712-1140 or email dbodle@sc.rr.com.
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