The Myth of Social Media Success

by dawn billings
Filed under: Business for Women, Marketing Tips, Networking, Social Media

Hey Women Entrepreneurs, Have you ever wondered, “ Why do people think I need a Facebook presence, or a Twitter account or LinkedIn account? I know people who have been doing the crazy social media thing for months – with not much to show for it.”

There is definitely a great deal of chatter and confusion around social media.

There is no question social media really can help you build your business, and increase your income. We have all witnessed how connections can be formed for joint ventures and collaborative projects, and how customers find businesses through social networking. So we know income can be generated as a direct result of social media. But it doesn’t happen instantly.

Anyone who thinks that Social Media is a Quick-Fix, or immediate marketing magic bullet, needs to clean and reload their gun. Social media isn’t about creating a few accounts on various social media sites and then sitting back to watch the customers you are looking for, race to spend money in your business. Social media isn’t that simplistic.

Social media is an investment in a process that works over time. All marketing is about consistency. Marketing focuses on “marketing touches”. This is how many businesses used to design their marketing campaigns with repetitive commercials. There is no question that the Internet is taking over where commercials are leaving off. Even Pepsi gave up their advertising coveted spot on the Super Bowl, in favor of a new social media campaign.

So how do businesses use social media in more productive systematic ways?

First, businesses not only need to create a myriad of ways to stay front of the people they are looking to do business with, they need to optimize their time and link their social media. Each business needs to find ways that they can get in the middle of the Internet traffic highway inexpensively, but effectively.

One effective way is to make sure their websites are linked and optimized. There are two new online business directories that can help for just pennies a day. Trova Business Directory and Trova Women Business Directory provide their Platinum and Elite members with optimized mini-sites on their directories. When you are looking for business and type in women business directory it is important that you are connected with a small business directory that shows up on the first or second page of a search engine. Trova Business directories are there.

Social media and social networking, like face to face networking, is not only about marketing touches, it is about building relationships, finding ways to give back and developing trust. Customers don’t choose to do business with people they do not trust. Earning trust and building trusting relationships take time.

Social media isn’t a magic bullet, instead think of social media as practice at the firing range. It is in the shooting repetitively that you become an excellent shot.

Social media is a process. It is a tool that only works when you use it consistently and participate.

Social media works because you plant the seeds. It works because you show up and participate. It works because you take the steps to build relationships and trust. It works because you optimize your time and your links. It works because even when it looks like nothing is happening, you trust the process and continue building relationships.

Join. Build relationships. Link. Establish trust. Contribute your expertise. Trust the process. Your efforts will have you consistently hitting the mark.

Dawn L Billings is an the author of hundreds of articles on parenting, relationships, entitlement and networking, and over 20 books Dawn is an active advocate for children’s issues. As the CEO and Founder of The Heart Link Women’s Network, Trova Women Business Directory and Trova Small Business Directory and The Heart Alliance.com international women’s networking organizations , Dawn is a great supporter of women in business.