The Pros and Cons of DIY Social Media

A number of jobs our company receives are DIY social media and online marketing rescues that simply have not worked for the small business owner. It could be lack of new business, lack of cashflow, feeling lost with no business direction, whatever the reason suddenly time is critical to start attracting more leads and the business owner is lost as to how their business can be improved. Many business owners start out thinking social media makes marketing simple, a free and easy way of building their brand. After 6 months of no or little new business they start to wonder what went wrong.

As I tell our clients, I can drive a car however that does not mean I can fix my car. Because you can use a tool, software program or social network, does not mean you are equipped with the knowledge to get the best out of it.

Due to the expense, many small business owners end up becoming jack of all trades (master of none), and take on the task of social media marketer. Understandable yes, but is this the best move for a business? 

PRO'S OF DIY SOCIAL MEDIA

No-one knows your business better than you. I am a business analyst. I review and report on over a hundred small businesses every year, but I still do not know a business better than the owner themselves. I can locate a target market, report on target customer demographics from age to online habits, but I do not deal with your customers on a daily basis.

90% of social media is networking. Engaging your customers, responding to questions, promoting your business the way it should be promoted with the passion and energy you require and only you have for your business. When people ask questions, who better to respond that the person who has the answer!

By keeping your social media management and marketing inhouse, you have an eye on what is happening online and how you should respond to customer needs via social media. Not to mention the added bonus of saving money by not outsourcing to so called 'social media experts'. DIY sounds like the perfect solution, or is it?

CON'S OF DIY SOCIAL MEDIA

As mentioned earlier, just because I drive a car does not mean I have the ability to repair it. Simply because you can use Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin does not mean you have the skills to implement a successful social media campaign for your business.

Do you understand SEO? Are you a marketing professional with experience in creating, launching and measuring a variety of campaigns both on and off line? Do you have time in your busy schedule  to respond to customers with the immediacy social media requires?
Where it all goes wrong for business owners is a lack of indepth marketing knowledge and a severe lack of time.  Social Media success involves so much more than sending out a few tweets, constantly promoting your products on Facebook and connecting with people on Linkedin. Social media for business is strategic and involves time, strategy, measurement, commitment, persistence and patience. Before you apply a social media strategy decide if indeed you do have the time to make it successful.

The time has come where business owners must realise how important social media is to the growth and sustainability of a small business. However, if marketing is not your forte and time is scarce, there are cost effective outsourcing solutions available to assist you. This may be the best investment you have made in your business for some time.