How You Can Use And Abuse Social Media

Every now and then I hear a presentation that is spot on and extremely valuable.

This week I saw Mark Lee do a talk titled “How Accountants Can Use And Abuse Social Media”. But the talk could easily have been for anyone in business.

He looked at three leading US-based worldwide systems (LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter) plus Ecademy based in the UK. He made a number of excellent observations from a business standpoint:

1.  Understand where existing and potential customers, clients and partners “hang out”

• Forums
• LinkedIn etc

2. Social Media is about building relationships, over time

• Firstly know,
• Then like (preferably),
• Then trust,
• Only then do business

3. So social media is unlikely to provide a quick business return, but can do sooner or later if used well. It’s easy to expect too much and give up too soon.

4. Social media is a “con”

• CONversation
• CONtent
• CONsistency
• CONnecting
• CONsideration
• CONgratulating

5. To that end:

• Enlighten,
• Educate
• Entertain

and

• Ask questions
• Answer questions on forums
• Reply to what you are sent

6. Bear in mind that people:

• “Use” LinkedIn for professional purposes
• “Play on” Facebook principally for friendship and fun, so more suitable for marketing B2C than B2B
• “Tweet on” Twitter for personal or business through separate accounts (though some  people are successful doing  both on one account)
• “Belong to” eCademy, typically if they are small businesses or solopreneurs

There are a lot more in the talk, and he is giving another talk focusing on LinkedIn this next Thursday 28th near Regent’s Park, London. I'm sure it will be well worth attending.

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