If Social Media is a Party...

March 09, 2009

Posted in Marketing and Web Industry.

It’s more important that you fit into the party than it is to get in the door.

Perry Belcher uses the metaphor of social media as a series of parties. (Aside: This guy makes me want to grill some barbecue.) How to Make Money with Social Media

So social media is a big party. And at a party, you can’t just waltz in and make a sales pitch. You have to build relationships and do your networking. It’s a two-way street. And if you’re not interesting, then nobody talks to you.

Now imagine how most companies are trying to use social media: they dump press releases, spam their “friends” and followers, and spew noise into the party. They’re not cool, and eventually nobody wants to talk to them.

Is your brand a 60-year-old at a frat party? Are you dressed in a toga at a black-tie gala? Or are you standing in the corner afraid to talk to anyone?

It’s more important that you fit into the party than it is to get in the door. As with any marketing effort, you have to know your strategy, know your audience, and commit yourself.