The #1 Thing Businesses Can Do To Get Involved In Social Media? Ask Your Spouse.
by Steve on 11/19/09 at 11:07 am
Businesses everywhere are grasping to find a place, a role, in social media. I am sure it is a topic in the board rooms, and marketing departments of some of the largest companies around. They are asking how they can get involved in social media and how it can help their businesses.
Perhaps they are asking the wrong questions. They are inquiring as to how much it will cost to have an online presence. They want to know what it can add to the company’s bottom line, and what is the time-frame for implementation and return on their investment in the medium. In other words, they are asking what it can do for them and their company.
But, these are all the wrong questions. We shouldn’t judge them too harshly, however. They were trained to analyze things this way. They have been taught, both in school and the business world, that these are the things that help a company grow and succeed in a competitive business market. Business managers are simply doing what they have been taught to do, whether it appropriately applies to this context or not.
Perhaps, though, this isn’t exactly the same business world they were trained for. Maybe the characteristics of commerce these days resemble something that they might not be as comfortable with – a relationship. And, if that is the case, it might be beneficial for them to ask their spouse what it is that they can do to build a presence in social media.
At its core all social media is about relationships. It might be a relationship between friends or family, or two individuals with similar interest. Or, perhaps the relationship is between a company and its customers. Or, maybe even between the research and development team of an innovative company and the consumers they are hoping to court. Regardless, it all comes down to relationships.
So, what is the #1 thing that businesses can do to get involved in Social Media? Practice one of the most fundamental relationship skills. As we all know, the key to any relationship is communication. And, the key to communication? Listening. There it is. Companies need to stop talking and start listening. This isn’t the media or advertising world that it used to be. It is a two way street, and every good conversation starts with someone listening.
