Social Media, Are You Ready For The Future?

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2010 is almost here and yet so many online marketers haven’t tapped into the power of Social Media

Perhaps it’s fear or they still think it’s a fad, yet this is one of the most powerful relationship building mediums to ever hit the internet. If you aren’t yet using Social Media in your online marketing, consider this:

  • » By 2010 Gen Y will outnumber Baby Boomers
  • » 96% of them have joined a social network
  • » If Facebook were a country, it would be the world‘s 4th largest
  • » The fastest growing segment on Facebook is 55-65 year-old females
  • » Generation Y and Z consider e-mail pass
  • » In 2009 Boston College stopped distributing e-mail addresses to incoming freshmen
  • » The #2 largest search engine in the world is YouTube
  • » Because of the speed in which social media enables communication, word of mouth now becomes world of mouth
  • » 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations…Only 14% trust advertisements
  • » 24 of the 25 largest newspapers are experiencing record declines in circulation because we no longer search for the news, the news finds us.

If some of those stats surprised you its gets better, Social Media has now overtaken porn as the number 1 activity on the web.

This is probably one of the most profound developments in business since email and what’s exciting, is it has completely leveled the communication playing field. Never before is history, have we seen Joe Citizen having the ability to connect directly with Authors, Celebrities, Politicians and influencers in our niche. Social Media gives us the opportunity to create powerful relationships FAST.

These days our potential prospects and customers are not only being met through traditional channels like work, hobbies and business networking events, they’re hanging out at places like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube, in their hundreds of millions! With Facebook surpassing 350 million users, do you think some of these people might be interested in working with you? I thought so!

The big question is, can any of these millions of people find you right now? People are out there every day having conversations about your company, your products and your industry, Doesn’t it make sense to join in on these conversations?   After all, they are happening -with or without you!

In the near future we will no longer search for products and services they will find us via social media

The most powerful way to create relationships and increase your warm market through the Social Networking sites is to remember it’s not about you; it’s about providing value to the world so that people are drawn to connect with you. Although you already know you have the most amazing home business opportunity on the planet, people aren’t interested in your opportunity, they’re interested in how you can solve the current problems they face.

Most people don’t yet understand how powerful it is to add Social Media as a business strategy.   This is largely because they fail to understand the time it takes to build relationships.   It’s not a Spam fest!   Your success on the social sites will be directly related to how much value you bring to the table and how many people you help.

A well-known online marketer gave a great analogy using the  €œParty Principle . When you go to a party, do you meet someone for the first time and the moment you’re introduced say Hey, I have this amazing opportunity and we‘re currently looking for people just like you, here‘s my card, when can we talk . If you did, you’d probably be looked at as a raving lunatic and the chances of that person ever wanting to speak to you again just went out the door.   Hmm, a free lifetime entry into the NFL (No Friends Left) is a likely outcome of that strategy!    Think of dating.   If you suggested it was time to meet your parent’s after a first date, you’d likely send the person running a mile!

The same applies to the social networking sites, people are primarily there to socialize, make genuine connections and find useful information.   They might be open to hearing about what you do once they  know, like and trust  you.    We’re in a relationship marketing business, so if your not skilled at building relationships first offline, then this is going to show up online. In fact, your lack of skill will be magnified due to the larger audience.

You can’t just jump onto Twitter and Facebook and hunt down people to Spam your opportunity link to, yet thousands of Network Marketers are out there every day doing exactly that. If you haven’t spent time building the relationship, you haven’t yet earned’ the right to market to that person.

Successful companies in social media act more like Dale Carnegie, Listening first, selling second

Your success in Social Media will be directly proportionate to the amount of time you’ve spent on developing your people skills offline.

How about you, do you think Social Media will change the way we market and communicate? Do you think there is really any difference in the way we should market online vs offline?  I’d love you to join in on the conversation and post your thoughts in the comments below.

P.S. Many thanks to @equalman for permission to use the stats from his awesome video.

Follow Michaele_H on Twitter

Michaelé

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18 thoughts on “Social Media, Are You Ready For The Future?”

  1. Hi Michaele!

    Social media can be a blast indeed…
    but without those people skills and
    the ability to take the conversation
    off line, I think people will see
    limited long-term results.

    How often do you get on Skype of the
    phone with someone you meet in social
    media?

    Remember, it’s all about them not you.

    Kary

    • Spot on Kary! I totally agree that you need to have the ability to move people offline to really build the relationship. Having said that, I do love Skype. I usually move over there pretty quickly if I’m enjoying a conversation or can help someone with something. The Skype screen sharing option is awesome for helping people through the techy stuff.

  2. Wow those are some INCREDIBLE stats! Its kinda mind-boggling! Its really incredible to be part of this change in culture. Today you cant afford to not be involved unless you want assigned to the dinosaur realm. We live in a fast paced, hyper connected world that is only getting faster. We live in a society that expects our brains to be able to intake data at the rapid rate of twitter streams. The world is changing, thank you for being there to lend a hand to those changing with it!
    .-= Kimberly Castleberry´s last blog ..How to Fix Facebook Live Feed =-.

    • I don’t know about you Kim but the first time I saw the stats I got goosebumps! It will be interesting to see what technology brings out fast paced, hyper connected world in 2010. Great to know, whatever comes our way, you’ll be one of the first to work it out :)

    • Hey Kellie,

      I agree the stats are mind boggling! Even since writing that post, so much has changed and continues to change at lightening speed!
      And yeah, Gary Vanerchuck is one of my favs. He is a total nut in the best way possible :)

      Hugs Michaelé

  7. You have to wonder sometimes that the world is now changing so fast around you, in few years one might look back and think how we ever managed without facebook (or whatever is the killer social media network at that time). It has been less than a decade since I stopped writing real letters (you know, pen and paper stuff) in favor of email, and now we are discussing even email getting supplanted!

    • Hi Arohan,

      Yes its absolutely mind boggling watching how quickly things are changing on the internet.
      Talk about email being passe, I already don’t know what I did without skype!
      One wonders what the next ‘couldn’t do without’ tech invention will be…

      Michaelé

  8. Another very strong and powerful post. I’ve been reading through some of your previous posts and finally decided to drop a comment on this one. I signed up for your newsletter, so please keep up the informative posts!

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    • Hey Dino,

      Great to see you here.
      I spent some time on your blog today and you have some really great information.
      Keep up the great work!

      Michaelé

  9. Michaele… Your blog is always so insightful!

    How many opportunities do we overlook as we pass through the crowds we meet online and off, everyday?

    Developing relationships takes ones’s interest in continued communication and awareness…hopefully enjoying the process, or it’s not authentic. I think it’s a skill we should regard as an art.

    As it emerges and we can begin to watch it grow, there’s nothing so sweet as being party to new connections that arise from introductions we’ve nurtured.

    …and thanks for the stats – there’s no shortage of social activity to hone our skills!

  10. Chris,

    I don’t know why Akismet does this randomly but I just found your comment in the spam folder. Grr!

    I agree re authenticity. It’s a funny thing but I’ve always maintained that you can’t hide energy or ulterior motives.
    Intuitively people pick up on it.

    Building genuine relationships online is no different to offline and so many people seem to overlook this.

    I love the grounded insight that you bring to our community Chris.

    Michaelé

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