We have been thinking a lot about "social media strategy development" lately, and it feels like a short moment of reflection is in order...
2009 was all about preaching the values of social media. We attended a lot of social "meetups" to meet peers in the industry and learn how people were using social networks in new and interesting ways. We pitched grand social engagement strategies to potential clients.
What did we learn? Convincing people that the social web was the new frontier was not difficult. We had examples, case studies and passion for the cause. But once we had the converts, how could we help them learn to help themselves? I often felt like the proverbial fishing teacher...I wanted to teach my clients to fish on their own, to see them take control of their own online communities and blog with fervor! But at the end of the day, after hearing all of the typical excuses ("we don't have the time" or "we don't know what to say") I was reluctantly handing out the fish.
As those types of clients gradually drifted away, we began concentrating more on our own social media presence. Our blog was becoming a valuable resource for developers and small business owners looking to learn about social media and implement their ideas themselves. We were practicing what we had preached: giving our audience something of value, listening to what they were asking us, and answering their questions. Our Facebook page has blossomed into a large international community of people looking for help implementing Static FBML pages, their blogs and websites, their Twitter accounts and even with social engagement strategies. I started spending more time with clients in social media training sessions, or hourly consulting that would reap huge benefits for them after a mere hour, compared to the clients who used to hire me to manage their networks for them. I was helping people learn to fish!
Someone pointed out to me recently that at HyperArts we seem to be building more than evangelizing. It's pretty common to see companies claiming to be "social media agencies" out there, but how many of them are actually walking the walk, instead of just talking? That observation stuck with me, and made me proud. Yes, we have stopped trying to convince people with our words. Instead, we are showing them with our behavior and the positive results that social media can really turn your business into a community.
If you are interested in finding out more about our social media consulting services, please give me a call. Sometimes just 30 minutes on the phone can really make a difference. Check out our reviews from previous clients who have benefited from our services.
Analisa
HyperArts Social Media Manager
(510) 339-6084
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