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Have you faced challenges when explaining to your senior management that social media is worth your time and effort? In this episode of the Weekly Marketing Cast, David Meerman Scott outlines a few ways to make this argument more convincing.
People Are Fearful of New Technology
David points out that people are often fearful of emerging technologies and of "investing time and money into something that is new." That has been the natural response of many companies when first PCs and then Email got introduced into office spaces. "The same thing is now happening with social media," notes David.
Marketing Takeaway: As an industry leader, you shouldn't fear new technology but figure out ways to leverage its power.
Follow the Steps of Your Customers
"If your existing and potential customers, and the media, and the analysts are using social networking, then you have to be using that too," says David. "So, it is a really easy decision." There are reports announcing not only the number of people using certain networks, but also the profiles of these audiences.
Marketing Takeaway: Research which platforms host your target audience and focus your engagement efforts there.
Share Examples of Success
There are tons of case studies from various industries and organizations that provide compelling examples of successful usage of social media for business. For instance, you can find a few on HubSpot's case studies page and on David's blog, Web Ink Now.
Marketing Takeaway: Pick a case study in your industry and share it with your boss.
These are just a few ways in which you can demonstrate the value of social media to your senior management and erase their doubts about emerging technologies. As David says, "Try to get your executives, board members, whoever is providing the push-back, to divorce their fear of this stuff from the reality of what people are using to communicate today."
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