Getting Everything Done – 3 Pitfalls to Social Media – Part 1

If you’re using social media for business then you probably already know that sites like Twitter and Facebook contain tons of resources and potential networking opportunities.  And if you have the time to really dive into all the sites and tools available to you then you know there are endless opportunities to create more profitable relationships.

A strong social media plan involves not only sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, it also includes video, mobile marketing, article marketing, blogging and much, much more!  The problem is that very few people (other than the social media gurus) really have the time to engage in all these activities and still run their business.

If you’re considering social media for your business then the first step is to understand what isn’t going to work.

Here are three of the pitfalls I’ve found with many people using social media for business.  Here are three of the reasons why many people throw in the towel and give up without achieving any results:

Not definining goals

If you don’t know what you want then you definitely aren’t going to get it.  Think about why you’re using sites like Twitter and Facebook.  Consider what you want to achieve and how you intend to achieve it.  If you’re uncertain how to do this then find someone who can help.  Look around for someone else who is using social media effectively and pay attention to what they’re doing.  Ask questions, seek out quality connections and really consider what you are hoping to accomplish.

Thinking social media is free

This is one of the biggest misconceptions about social media.  Social media is not free.  It takes your valuable time and it can take a lot of it! Plan for how much time you can spend on your social media strategy each week.  Just like your financial budget, you want to make sure your time budget is affordable and realistic.

Thinking you have to do it all

So many people come to me and ask how I find the time to do EVERYTHING!  I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  I don’t.  I don’t do everything.  I have a business to run, a child, a husband, a house and a life (ok, after the baby, husband, business and house there’s not much of a life but, hey, I’ve got one!).  I spend my days working hard for my clients.  Using social media is simply a part of what I do.  I created a plan for myself, I put together a real life strategy and I stick to my time budget.  I don’t feel the need to do it all – I just decide what I can realistically do and I do it.

Next week I’ll be discussing the average social media plan my clients use and how they manage to do EVERYTHING in a minimal amount of time.

What are your challenges with social media?  Share your questions, comments and strategies for how you manage your social media plan! You may be chosen as an example for next week’s blog!