Do You Have a "Social Media Strategy?" ... It's Kind of a BIG DEAL!

Thanks Lanre!

Yes, I think we all have "jumped" before we looked in a lot of instances with Social Media, and are back paddling to get on the course that we should have CHOSEN first before we "set sail" so to speak!

Your post will have a lot of us thinking about our strategy, or lack thereof. ActiveRain has done well for us but I have failed to properly position Twitter and Facebook to be business resources.

Hi Roy!

Yes... It's like getting all dressed up.... and no where to go!  Just like everything else... planning is key!

Wendy...

This is a wonderful post. It goes well with "Be Unique Or Be Forgotten" :)

TLW...ROAR!

Great post.  i think you are right we most likely need to think about what we want people to think about us and strategy on more then just social media but i 100% agree as i think social media is one of the places we can be likely to let our guard down on and sometimes i think that is a bad thing.  Ei complaining on a social media site about work.  might lead a lead to ask for help elsewhere. 

If a man knows not what harbor he seeks, any wind is the right wind.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Great Points! When I am developing a Social Networking Marketing plan for my clients, I try to view the entire picture. Some of the things to consider are:  Where do they need to be seen? What info in those markets are their readers interested in? What are some of the groups they should belong to? How often should they post/blog, etc.? These are all things to take into consideration when you are developing a Social Networking strategy and it certainly doesn't hurt to plan ahead!

Ohhhhh....I hate it when things are THIS self-serving, but I have to chime in. First, by saying that I TOTALLY, 100% AGREE with everything you've written!!

But I also have to take it one step further...and state my beliefs in terms of branding that strategy too! More than ever before, we're now being asked to customize Twitter Pages...or AR Blog Headers and Profiles...and the agents are happy with the "look and feel" of their social networking sites finally matching their well-though out content.

Here is example (I know this seems "spammy", but it's ultra-pertinent to this blog post I think). Please forgive me in advance, but whether we do it or someone else does doesn't matter. Just make sure the image you project is equally as professional as the content and strategy behind it.

Dave

Good post.

I think it's important to focus on your strategy with social media.

Otherwise, your just basically wandering aimlessly.

I appreciate very much the points you've made about choosing a direction for the social media. Another thing to remember is that once the direction is chosen, try to stay on point and not be sidetracked.

Instead of thinking in terms of social media, start thinking in terms of "Social Influence".

This mindset will create more value when putting together a business plan via social networking.

~Harrison Painter

P.S. Don't worry about your competition, they do not matter. The key to social media is about letting them get to know who YOU are. So in theory, you have no competition, as there is only one you!

Wow! Im I becoming good at spotting good features or what? This is my 2nd recommended featured post today alone and it got featured again. Active Rain is finally listening to me-LOL. Congratulations on your Featured post(Gold star). Great post.

Well stated.  Ya gotta have some clue as to why you are doing anything.  Most don't.....most don't don anything.....and most quit.

TLW - Just like you!  Love the Avatar!

Marcus - We always have to be professional as Real Estate pros... kinda like beauty queens always have to look beautiful!!

Daren - Love the analogy!

Kathy - Brain work BEFORE creativity... good combination always!

David - Thanks for the GREAT visual!  You said it very well with your pictures!

Ralph - Don't have time for aimless actions... do we?

Samantha - Easier said than done ( not getting side tracked) ... but true!

Harrison - "Social Influence" ... I like it!  That's what you'll achieve with a strategy in place!  It's not easy to be unique... we are all too afraid!

Lanre - You have a gift!  Please... comment on all my posts from now on... OK?  LOL!

Wendy, the audience and the result questions are very key, which I don't think a lot of people think through and even attempt to answer.

You are so right about needing a strategy.  Here is what I decided my personal one was going to be: ActiveRain- business blogging; Facebook- I'll be friends with anyone but I mostly post personal stuff, i use FBmostly because I just personally enjoyed it; Twitter- 95% business posting.  For the most part I only follow real estate professionals; and LinkedIn- I limit those I connect with to people I know well enough to actually recommend. 

This is a personal plan that works for me.  Before I had it, I felt my SMM was too scattered and I didn't know what to post when and where.  Thinking it through helped a lot. 

My strategy is just to connect (especially with friends and SOI) in a much more efficient way. I'm not sure if that's the strategy you are referring to. I use it just like it's meant to: to connect - instead of looking at it in terms of more avenues for business opportunities.

My strategy has been evolving over time.  I will have to go back and tweak it a little bit as I have learned more and more about the various social networking possibilities.

Blogging in my #1 priority for business.  With that said I do believe that we also need to have a strategy in participating and connecting on the other social networking sites out there and if business comes my way because of it, then it's the icing on the cake. :)

I think I'm using the shotgun approach - if I use enough ammo, I'll be sure to hit something.

Thanks for a great post Wendy!  It really made me stop and re-evaluate my social networking.  I don't think I really had a strategy that was anything like the 6 step program you talked about.  It really made me focus on where I want to go. Your guidelines are simple and straight forward. 

Great post!!

It reminds me of the goals and plan for the new year.... if you don't write it down, it doesn't happen.  Clarity is important, gosh do I sturggle with this one.

It is good to know that others are also evaluating their progress and fine tuning social networking to work for them in the right way.

Always good to have a strategy !  Social media is good to incorporate in your business plan and then to have a strategy within that... ultimately as a way to connect with clients and consumers to increase your client base and to make some friends too !

I have a strategy. Be nice, have everybody that is my client or friend on facebook see that I am a successful real estate agent yet be more personal than business. 

I agree with you 100%, but you can start with some notion of a strategy, but you may refine it or totally revamp it as you learn... the key is to do something rather than do nothing.

I hate to be the lone dissenter here, but I don't think a strategy is as important as you indicated here.  I found that it was more important to actually start using the tools consistently, and learning the protocol for each site quickly.  If I had spent too much time analyzing each site, I might not have written as much as I did in the beginning, and I think that experience made me a better blogger.

My strategy has developed as I blog. I'm definitely improving my writing skills and acumen for what will attract readers.

Sharon

Thanks for the timely advice.  As we all strive to make our business better during this time, this is great thinking.

Wendy,

Conratulations on the feature, but after reading your post and all the comments, I have to go along with Jason. Just be true to yourself is the biggest key. :)

Steve

Serena group, thank you for bringing up this important topic.  Strategy is the most important key for EVERYTHING, not just for blogging and social media!

I have to agree with Jason.  So many of us are just getting acquainted with the various aspects of social networking--blogging, Twitter, FB, etc.  It's more important to just "play" with each one. respond to a few posts, find your voice ...and very soon you'll be able to focus on strategy?  Strategy?  Heck...I just learned how to send a DM today!

Knowing your audience is huge, not just with social media, but everything related to people and real estate.

This is really something to think about.. I'm one who may need to go back and make changes and update.

Yes, very good advice. I believe I am learning and improving as I go. I am grateful for posts like this that HELP!

I wish I'd known I needed a strategy when I got started on all of this ; ) This is the second time today I've heard very similar information; I bet there's something to it.

Gary - Yes, it helps to identify & relate... in order to connect!

Sara - It's really interesting to see what strategies others are using... thanks for sharing yours!

Loreena - Good goal to have... connecting... but how do you do that?  THAT is the strategy!

Joan - "Tweaking" is good... less "tweeking" will be necessary with a good plan in advance, though.

Donna - Blogging IS key... we were ALL aftraid of doing it at first, but now ... those of us who do it, love it, don't we?  And... I LOVE the icing!

Georgina - I think the "shot gun strategy" is on that a LOT of people are using, however, with this approach...a lot of AMMO is wasted, don't you think?

Ronda - Where you WANT to go... that's the idea!  A vision of the END result!

An - Clarity is hard to achieve... these types of discussions always help me though, how about you?  Thanks for your contribution!

Sabrina - I agree!  Thanks for commenting!

Christopher & Stephanie - Having a strategy is worth the effort!

Russ - personalizing your public persona!  THAT is a strategy!

Dora  & Vincent - I agree, something rather than nothing is the lesser of 2 evils... but why not put some thought into it first?

Jason - AHHH!  The devil's advocate.... bound to appear!  Writing for the sake of writing is fine... if you enjoy it & you have no particular agenda for doing it.  But brain work IS needed, in advance, to achieve a targeted result!

Frank & Sharon - I think we all get better at something that we do a lot... and that includes strategic planning!

Rhonda - You're welcome!  thanks to everyone here for helping me "write" this post!  Social media IS key right now for a LOT of reasons:  It's a cost effective, personal, far reaching way to network & connect!

Steve - Thank you!  Individualism is VERY important and, sometimes, under rated!  It IS the thing that will get you noticed!

Regina - I'm with you on that!

Marie - Good for you!  And... yes... your strategy will evolve along the way, but take a moment to visualize the end... FIRST... then you will have a clearer view of the path you need to follow!  Good Luck!

Chris - I agree!  We don't take enough time to determine who will be observing our online activities... or target our activities towards the people we WANT to see us!

Roland - Good for you!  Let us know how it helps you!

Kathryn - Thanks!  I learn a LOT... every day on Active Rain!

Christine - Maybe this post will shed some light for the "new participants"... the rest of us will just have to play "catch up!"

Thanks for the reminder. I would have to say my social media strategy is to build my brand and position  myself as the go-to guy for honest advice. I really don't expect business online (in fact, I've never received any). Rather it allows me another way to be visible in this wired world. Thanks for the post!

My strategy is that I'm adding my 18 year old daughter to our team !!! She'll make us "rock & roll"

Paul - good goal... but again, how do you intend to achieve it?  That will be your strategy!  And, if you are spending time connecting online... you SHOULD expect to get business!  and you will!

Michael - YOUTH... always brings a fresh perspective and is truly inspiring!

There is a lot to do with Social Media.  Other than AR I am on 3 sites.  I will not add other sites until I have the 3 I am using working as I want.  There is always more to do in a day than is possible.

Great Post - We have a strategy for how to use all these different sites to help us sell homes too.

I still disagree, frankly.  I have coached dozens of agents and small businesses on this, and the first step is usually to just DO IT.  I am not advocating writing completely blindly, but the more planning you do on the front end to "prepare" to blog, the less likely you are to be truly creative.  I'm okay with agreeing to disagree.  :) 

Gene - I agree... wouldn't you like to be able to clone yourself sometimes!  Time challenges make strategic moves even more important, don't you think?

Kasey Group... Bravo!

Jason - I defer to your experience, and agree with you that you shouldn't fall prey to "paralysis of the analysis" and that is NOT what I am suggesting.  Just a little thoughful planning.   Creativity is not stiffled by strategy, in my opinion, ... it is further enhanced by it due to exploration of the ENTIRE scope of the project at hand.  I'm not only OK with disagreeing... I am energized by discussion with someone on the opposite side... thanks for that! 

Wendy - I think that's really what I was cautioning against ("the paralysis of analysis").  If you read my latest post, you will see a question that I hear all the time, "What should I blog about?".  I have seen too many people get tied up worrying about their target audience, or the SEO value, or offending someone with their opinions.  The key to becoming a good blogger is to read a lot and write a lot.  Writing skills are like anything else - they improve with experience.  Thanks for being a good sport and allowing me to disagree a bit with you here.

I am the number one sufferer of Paralysis of Analysis - I constantly suffer from inaction due to over analyzation - I am the figurehead for the "Jack of all trades, master of none" - Each day I try to learn something new, but fret about the time I am wasting on something that is not making my business any better.  Today I spent about two hours just reading blog posts, learning what people had to say and what their thoughts on succeeding in this business takes.  I have come to the realization that there are a ton of different people out there and no one strategy will make you attractive to everyone!  You have to focus on doing business with people you like.  Social media is here to stay - why would anyone think that an entire industry devoted to gossip and providing people a platform to give their opinions not last?  I personally think that there are more negatives than positives with web 2.0 (more social issues like sex-ting and platforms to express insults) but also think that the absorption rate of the consumer will reach overload, much like caller id to avoid telemarketers and pop-up blockers.  Your post is dead on - you have to have a plan and stick to it.  Part of that plan is you have to focus on people you want to work with and ignore the people you don't.  At the end of the day, your happiness in this business will be more important than any dollar you have ever made!  Now if I could only find that silver bullet to dominate my market...

Jimmy Mulhern

Shameless David above! But he is right on his perspective you must have a strategy on how you want to project yourself to others.  It is also all about professionalism as you want to be perceived as an expert in your field.  After all, a letter written to your client with a crayon comes across as totally different from a typed piece on letterhead!

There are so many different venues you must have a strategy or you can be wasting your time and also not tracking (or knowing!) your results!

Jason - I have checked out your profile and blog... if your "mentees" are as good at blogging as you are after you've coached them... they should be proud!  Practice and persistence are the keys to the kingdom for everything...I agree!

Jimmy - That's a great goal... do business with people you like & be happy!  What's your strategy for accomplishing that?   Good luck finding the silver bullet!

Lyn - I agree... and David's display was a very eloquent visual for all of us!

Great tips I am trying so hard to get on this social media stuff, but there is so much to know and to do. It can definitely be a full time job doing all that needs to be done.

Wendy,

Good points. I'm OK until I come to #6. That's where I'm having difficulty.

Brian

Tatyana - What I try to do is choose one platform to focus on per week for optimization, etc. and just do regular short posts to the others weekly.  That way each site gets my full attention at least once a month for additions/ revisions to content, seo, etc.  Never enough hours... yadda, yadda.. I agree!

Brian - Then you need to put more of your focus on analysis of your goals... I know... don't over-analyze!  But there has to be some planning to produce an above average result.

Great post. Many people are simply online to be online. They confuse activity with RESULTS.