The Social Media Doh! Moment

I spend a good amount of my time reading, learning and in my personal life practicing social media. I have also spent a good amount of time explaining my definition of social media to friends, colleagues, etc. I have found that almost all presentations you find, blog posts, article in MSM attempt to explain social media in the context of what it means as a "revolutionary" change in how people interact and how it is going to turn the world of marketing upside down. Explaining that communication is now bi-directional and "It's a conversation" can be met with furrowed eyebrows. Usually what can ensue is an explanation of your explanation that really doesn't answer the original question.

That is all fine and dandy but when explaining it to marketing people in Rx/Dx where change is slow and the tried and true is safer than something new social media, which is the new kid on the marketing block can get a stunned look and something like, "big ships don't turn easily" or "that's boiling the ocean" or "that's eating the elephant in one bite." All of that may be true if you understand that you just explained to someone that social media is going to change the world and marketing as we know it.

Instead of explaining how the proverbial watch is made, why not just explain what time it is? How about explaining social media as a new outlet to send your marketing message? How about explaining that you want to go fishing where the fish are? Or strategy is aligning your message with your customers interests. Sure, you may believe it will change the world of marketing and I personally do, but isn't easier to explain something in bite sized way?

Wrap it up as a strategic initiative that puts you message where people are spending more of their time, which is online and I bet you'll get more heads nodding.

Speaking of revolutions. I like the video, but let's try to tone down the hype a bit.