Time To Get All Rocky Balboa On Social Media

For some reason Americans love an underdog.  Sure, we throw our support behind the biggest names, those with the most power and prestige (yes, I am talking to all you Yankee fans out there.  You know who you are) then cheer on the underfunded, undersized, underdog who wins it all.  We are a nation in love with the Rocky Balboa types, the ones who work harder and smarter in order to prevail.

If you own a small business or run a non-profit you probably know what it feels like to be the underdog.  You are dedicated, passionate, hard working and keenly aware that there are bigger and better funded organizations out there.  They are not evil (well, not all of them) but they have significant advantages that you have to overcome if you are to be successful.  This includes the world or social media, where the big boys and girls have established brand identities, paid social media staff, and big budgets.

So, what are you gonna do about it, Champ?  Throw in the towel and give up?  Of course not!  Your gonna gulp down your glass full of raw eggs and start getting ready to rumble.  It is time to get all Rocky Balboa on social media.

The first thing you need to do is find a good trainer, someone who can give you the advice you need to take advantage of all those powerful social media tools.  Find someone with experience in both social media and the real world (and if possible is easier on the eye and ear than old Mickey).  There are professionals out there who can help you understand what the various social media platforms do and how best to use them.  Make them part of your team.

Then be dedicated and disciplined.  Develop a strategic plan and stick to it.  Building strong communities is a process not an event.  Make no mistake, there will be days when you feel like you are running through the streets of Philadelphia all by yourself.  It will take time to see a ROI but if you stay focused and committed you will see results.  Your "likes" and "followers" will become clients and volunteers, running with you as you make the world a better place.

Finally, and this may be the most crucial point, remember what your true goal is.  Believe in what your organization is trying to accomplish, why you got started in the first place.  Social media platforms can help you get there, but don't lose focus.  You did not start your business or non-profit so that you could get 3459 followers on Twitter.  You got 3459 followers on Twitter so you could fulfill your vision for your organization.  Keep your eyes on the real prize and let these tools hep you become the heavyweight champion of your world.

And Yo, Adrian! if you need a social media trainer I am here to help.  My language may not be as colorful as Mickey's, but I founded Rubate Consulting for all the underdogs out there.  You can contact me at http://www.rubateconsulting.com/ or roger@rubateconsulting.com. 

©2012 Roger Burns-Watson, All Rights Reserved

Return on Relationship (ROR)

ROI - Return on Investment.  It factors into how much you spend (or don't spend) on a product or service for your small business or non-profit.  Will you get more out than you invested?  And if so, how much more?  And how will you know?

ROI is a difficult subject when it comes to social media because you are trying to measure relationships.  Building and nurturing relationships is what social media is all about.  Those relationships can led to new customers, donors or volunteers.  Yet, social media platforms can also help your current clients and supporters to develop a deeper and more meaningful relationship with your business or organization.  That is why social media is so critical and creating ways to measure not just ROI but also Return on Relationship (ROR) is very important.

Here are a few ideas about how to measure ROR:

- Know what types of relationships you HAVE with your current customers or supporters and what type of relationship you WANT to have with these folks.  This will help you establish goals or markers so you can determine if your social media strategy is giving you a healthy ROR.

- Create opportunities for interaction.  Too often small businesses and non-profits use social media for one-way communication, a sort of cyberspace bulletin board.  Relationships require give and take.  Your posts and feeds and tweets should be designed to encourage interaction.  The number of "likes," comments or retweets can tell you if you are starting a conversation or doing all of the talking.

- Having said that, set realistic goals for interaction.  It is unlikely that 80% of your Facebook fans are going to respond to any given post.  That is OK, since not ever post or tweet or link is going to connect with all of your supporters or clients.  Think about your relationships and who you are really trying to reach with your messages (a fraction of your total audience) and then work towards 5-10% interaction from that group.

- Ask for feedback.  Talk to your customers or volunteers.  Find out if they are connecting with you via social media.  If so, are they reading your posts, tweets, blog or links?  If not, take a deep breath, put your ego on hold, and ask the right questions.  It is not a good idea to ask them why they don't pay attention to you.  That will just put them on the defensive.  Rather, ask what types of posts or blogs or tweets they do interact with.  What peaks their interest?  Keep it simple and direct and think about a way you can reward them for taking the time to share their insights with you.

ROR is a vital part of your social media strategy.  Don't overlook it when you are planning how to use social media to grow your small business or non-profit.  Questions? Need some more ideas about how to factor in ROR? Visit me at www.rubateconsutling.com or e-mail me at roger@rubateconsulting.com.

©2011 Roger Burns-Watson, All Rights Reserved