Social Media Marketing and the Importance of Taking that First Step

“The beginning is the most important part of the work” (Plato)

I’m not sure that Plato was thinking about social media marketing when he uttered these words but they have an undeniable ring of truth about them when it comes to that subject because taking your first step into that world is the key.

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So many businesses are yet to experience the benefits of an online strategy that incorporates social media marketing because they have not had the confidence to start.

There can be a number of reasons for this but more often than not they fall into two categories.

They are not convinced that social media marketing is relevant to their individual business or market sector.
They see the benefits but do not understand the platforms and the processes involved.

In my experience the first group is typically characterised by B2B companies that underestimate the opportunities that this type of marketing provides. This is often based around the belief that they are unlikely to generate business directly in terms of traditional lead generation. This is very often the case, particularly with 1st and 2nd tier manufacturing businesses that are selling to other manufacturers. However, I have known many companies that have indeed generated enquiries and orders via direct interaction on social media. LinkedIn in particular has had a high success rate.

Lead generation is only one aspect to consider. I would urge business leaders not to neglect the impact that a successful social media marketing campaign can have on brand exposure, employee motivation and the generation of unexpected opportunities. It is far from uncommon for people to explain to me how staff have been empowered by seeing their business have greater exposure or that they have uncovered connections and diversification opportunities that would otherwise have been unknown to them.

The second group of people, those that understand the benefits but are unsure how to proceed, are in a position that many will be able to empathise with. However, in all areas of life it is not uncommon to overthink things and therefore inflate their complexity in our minds. That is why I agree with Plato and believe that the most important thing you can do is just begin.

Make a start and you will be amazed how quickly things that once seemed incomprehensible start to make sense. Over time the action of doing will soon bring about the clarity you desire and you will be well on the way to reaping the benefits that an active involvement in the online community can bring.