How to avoid the biggest mistake most people make using online social media marketing

We are all selling something. A product, a service, or an idea. When we engage in the marketing process whether it be in advertising or creating word of mouth buzz, we are trying to sell or persuade people to either use or recommend our product or service. When we’re not selling, we’re buying.

Social media is just another form of media. The only difference between it and the local chamber of commerce gathering is that it is online and it is constant and it has a much broader reach. If you plan on using it to market and ultimately sell your product, learn a little about it before you jump in. This is wise business advice in any new undertaking.

The biggest mistake most people make when they go online is that they start posting their personal and business profiles and immediately start blasting out “in your face” advertising. They have confused “social media” with the “new media”. I like to refer to the technology of Web 2.0 as new media with many different applications of which social media is just one.

The ultimate goal of using the new media is to be found when your prospective customers are searching for what ever it is that you offer. Then, after you have been found, it should be used to help set you apart from your competition. Your website, blog, and online activity contribute to this goal. You can harm your business reputation if you do not participate in the social media part with a common sense approach.

I once read a book that convinced me that all I ever needed to know in life, I learned in kindergarten. The social skills necessary to get along in society are pretty much the same rules that apply while participating in the online social world. Be nice, be considerate of others, don’t dominate the conversation, say thank you, and always ask permission.

If you first create an efficient online presence through a well-designed and optimized blog site that focuses on conversion, you can then enter the world of social media and drive traffic to your site.

Can this be considered a Social Media Sales Strategy?

I think so. It can be a great way to “cold call” in the new media reality we live in today.

Your sales objective is to get your message out to as many of your target market you can with the least amount of expense. Your message needs to resonate with your audience enough to create conversions or sales of your product or service. Social media should be included in your marketing plan along with understanding the sales process that puts the customer in control of more of the process than the sales rep.

Yes, a social media sales strategy should be a part of your business plan. It is not just posting a profile on a social media site. If you are interested in learning about my personal 4 step Social Media Sales Strategy, I will present a complimentary webcast next week on Weekly Sales Call .com and share how I use social networking to attract customers and clients.