Lies, Excuses and Jedi Mind Tricks Regarding Social Media and the Search for Time to Do it All!

“The illiterate of the 21^st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn” –Alvin Toffler

[Small Business Owner’s number one voiced concern about Social Media and Digital Marketing is the time and work that it takes to get results.]

How do you think of time?

Do you take a linear approach to it?

Is it a matter of productivity and efficiency?

Do you base time value mostly on quality or quantity?

When it comes to your business, what do you consider time well spent?

Regarding Quantity and Quality… I’m one of those people that believe that quantity leads to quality. The more you practice, fail and practice again the better you get!

Developing a social graph and identity is a process and it doesn't happen overnight. Be patient, think fast but do things at a confortable pace and very important, DO NOT compare yourself with anyone else!

I’ve had the privilege in the past few months to sit down on discovery and pre-consulting sessions with some pretty successful local folks.

The reason for the meetings was to consider digital marketing strategies as a means to better communicate and in essence create valued-based awareness and as a consequence increase sales. This in addition to auditing what’s already working for them, and what is not.

So the topics of Social Media Marketing and Management, Content marketing, email marketing, blogging, functional design, and creating media platforms were at hand.

Eight times out of ten, the main frustration and concern was not the technology, or the learning curve, or Facebook and Twitter, or I’m not a good writer… The main concern was:

Where am I going to find the time to do all this?

'I’m maxed out as it is, imagine if I take on the internet and social technology in addition to my current responsibilities!'

Their concerns are not only valid, they are REAL!

My contention is that confronting this reality head-on is futile… But repositioning priorities and reframing old thinking models and mental images with new ones is not!

So first on my Jedi mind trick agenda is:

Don’t look at it as technology, look at it as:  a more efficient and better way to communicate!

Social Media allows for any person or any business to create multiple access points and encounters throughout specific areas of the consumer cycle. But that’s not where its true value lies!

It lies in the way that it extends the conversation along a particular topic or insight to include not only the source but intended recipients and current consumers in real-time!… That’s priceless!

So yeah! I think you should consider devoting time, effort, and budget to creating a digital platform that can better augment and communicate your core values to the rest of us!

The better you communicate the more efficient the transfer of thoughts and ideas, therefore the better your ability to aid in the purchasing decision cycle.

And please don’t ask me to prove it. I don’t have to any more than I have to prove gravity.

Second:

Because you are now communicating better, you begin to actually educate and provide relevant and remarkable insight in the form of content. You now have an educated and agile consumer in your hands. The best kind of consumer!

If you still doubt this do a little experiment. Compare the sales cycle time between an educated buyer and one that is not. Email me your results!

Third:

This one is at best an excuse and at worse a blatant lie that we tell ourselves.

Not all the time but many times when someone says “I don’t have time” they really mean, “I don’t have the patience” or the will to change or learn something new. That’s has nothing to do with your business or the industry you are in and everything to do with you!

Very few habits will be as hard to break as those having to do with what you think are productive!

Here’s what I know guys!

The small businesses owner and armies-of-one consulting shops and unique product makers and producers are leveraging social technology to better communicate.

They are doing this by providing provide value in the form of applicable insight to their potential and current clients and customers in the form of relevant and targeted content.

As an inevitable result, they are smoking the competition and reaping the profits!

The large and well known brands that are leveraging Social Media as a means to provide better experiences, value and insight into how their product can help, are the ones dominating the market place and the attention space.

Yet when I show examples and case studies of these for both small businesses and larger businesses I get mixed reactions (aristotelian excuses actually):

• Circumstances are different for everyone. They are in a different industry than I am

• They are obviously doing well, so they can afford the time input

• They are natural writers, and understand technology

• They have a background in marketing

• They have a unique brand or business model

• Google likes them better!

• Can I pay someone to do it for me?

• What’s the ROI?

• My favorite! -What if it doesn't work?

You have to put in the time!

Realize that the linear and polarizing way that brands (big and small) used to communicate their message to us is decaying.

There was a time when you could get away with interrupting people with average ads about your average product. No more!

We are in a get rich slowly, put in the work and shortcuts-will-damage-not-only-your-long-term viability-but reputation-environment!

Fail fast and iterate faster. Get a minimum viable product out the door and test whether you should invest more time and resources into it.

What’s the ROI on Social Media?

According to Socialnomics –That you’ll have a business in 5 years 

My advice is to take a long hard look at how your business model gets in the way of the lifestyle you'd like to design or have for yourself and your family. 

Then start prioritizing what's productive vs. what's pseudo-productive.

We are in search of time right? Well then get down to the heart of it and see what's taking what out of your day when it comes to your business.

Remember this though when you feel headstrong about your process:

Very few habits will be as hard to break as those having to do with what you think are productive!

Good luck, and shoot me an email if you get stuck :-)