Really Bad Stuff About Social Media

Social Media continues down a frenetic pace and can do an effective job in engaging people. I do get frustrated (as I am sure many of you do too) when I hear experts speak without any expertise. What is worse is that some of these experts are listened to and give us all a bad name.

A very big corporations, very senior person was asked, ‘How are you focusing on Social Media?’ His answer, ‘To continue to strive, to meet, and to exceed my customer’s expectations in a dynamic economy, with a focus on values about our core customer and recognition of evolving demographics.’ Deep, profound, and hard to comprehend. This is the vision that has stalled this corporations endeavor into the next step.

Another big corporation showed me their Social Media statement, ‘Our focus is to enrich our customers’ personal lives and to make them more successful by bringing to market exciting and useful products & services, empowering our employees & shareholders, & stakeholders in the process…

Social Media continues down a frenetic pace and can do an effective job in engaging people. I do get frustrated (as I am sure many of you do too) when I hear experts speak without any expertise. What is worse is that some of these experts are listened to and give us all a bad name.

A very big corporations, very senior person was asked, ‘How are you focusing on Social Media?’ His answer, ‘To continue to strive, to meet, and to exceed my customer’s expectations in a dynamic economy, with a focus on values about our core customer and recognition of evolving demographics.’ Deep, profound, and hard to comprehend. This is the vision that has stalled this corporations endeavor into the next step.

Another big corporation showed me their Social Media statement, ‘Our focus is to enrich our customers’ personal lives and to make them more successful by bringing to market exciting and useful products & services, empowering our employees & shareholders, & stakeholders in the process.’ I bobbled my head in awe!

A CEO of an online retail software company made a statement in January 2009, ‘Social Media will be gone in 2010!’ Of course, he had a bias – his software allowed you to invest in search marketing and he was concerned that he would be cutting into his margins.

A learned & esteemed internet consultant made a statement in January 2010, ‘Social Media is too expensive, too hard, and almost impossible to justify!’ What was his bias? He was a very intelligent guy and explained that by partnering with him he would break down the hard part for you. He still charges a pretty penny and knows how to justify his invoice.

A VP of marketing spoke to people last week and told people that they should hold back their investment in social media. Her rationale was that it was still emerging, still evolving, and left a lot of questions about how it could replace advertising in print or on TV. Of course, her bias was that she was in charge of promoting her Direct Response Marketing company that focused on direct mail & TV advertising.

A business owner hired a social media consultant. Six days and $45K later, the proposal was a Social Media Playbook. Rohit Bhargava, Augie Ray, Jason Baer, & Shiv Singh – you folks would be proud to know that your work was quoted in this consultants playbook. Six months later, this business is still figuring out how to implement what the consultant ordered.

(By the way Rohit, Augie, Jason, & Shiv are outstanding writers on Social Media, you can actually read about some great social media articles at Social Media Today.

Do join our Service in Action call on Friday March 26, as we focus on some very practical examples of social media – with a focus on simplicity, practicality, & driving ROI.

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