Perhaps you've heard this advice: Fail forward, fail fast, fail better. In the world of social media, as in many areas of life, failing isn't the challenge. Doing nothing is the real failure. Failing, learning, adjusting and trying again is totally acceptable in the new media.
I've failed a ton of times in my exploration of social media. Actually have made myself look foolish in a public forum. Lots. As I continue to learn, grow and experience success, those temporary stumbles are quickly forgotten. I have always told my sons that smart people learn from their mistakes, because experience really is the best teacher. But the wise person learns from the mistakes of others. Be wise.
If you're a small business owner looking to succeed with social media, consider these thoughts:
Don't reinvent the wheel. Examine the success of others, and copy them. One of my most successful ideas that I executed for a client's business was a totally original thought. Later, I discovered his competitor had executed a similar idea without my knowledge. By God's blessing, we actually performed better. I quickly realized that others have exceptional ideas, and I am passionate about learning from them for the advantage of my friends.
Decide specifically WHAT you are trying to accomplish through the use of social media, WHY you are doing it, and WHERE to best accomplish your goal and purpose. There are potentially infinite goals or objectives that can be accomplished, for any number of reasons or motives, through a vast variety of social media platforms (blogging, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.). You can not master every platform and accomplish all your goals and purposes at once. With a very specific goal (WHAT) and purpose (WHY), select a specific tool or platform (WHERE) and put your toe in the water.
Decide in advance what success will look like at the completion of your efforts and try to anticipate any potential challenges you may encounter along the way. It's difficult to hit a target if you don't know where you're aiming. Potential pitfalls may be avoided if you take the time to think prior to acting.
Listen, and then select a limited scope for an initial test. Explore the available social media tools or platforms, choose only one, and simply LISTEN. Don't say anything or try to sell your product or service, simply observe how others effectively communicate and behave within social media. Then try a test model or limited area for your ideas, and continue to listen and learn.
Do something. And do me the honor of learning from my mistakes. Be wise.
Thank you for sharing 109 seconds of your day,
Smitty
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