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A 3-Step Social Media Reality Check

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Are We Listening to Conversations about Us?

The Living Web

We’ve had some time to learn the social media tool kit — sort the hammers from the levels, figure out which goes with which . . . People who’ve been watching are getting curious.

But don’t get confused. The folks from outside the social media fish bowl aren’t using the same yardstick to decide who knows what and what they need to know for their business.

Ever notice how human it is to forget to follow the same rules that we teach? We might be singing to the choir while we’re networking on the web, but are we practicing what we preach when we’re working with folks who want to join in?

In deliciously ironic way, the best example of customer conversation not being listened to might be those of customers WE are looking to serve. How do WE check?

We can’t Google folks who are talking about us offline.

A 3-Step Social-Media Reality Check

Everyone needs a reality check to stay on track. In a new industry, where the standards are being set and credibility is still a question, it’s vital to keep our game at its best. Here’s a simple way to ensure that we’re in touch with the world and not only hearing what bounces back. I’ve named it a 3-Step Social-Media Reality Check.

Make a point to have regular conversation with friends, acquaintances, and people you’ve just met. Plan to ask these questions and actively listen.

  • Three Buzz Words — Offer three buzz words that you use every day on social networking sites. Ask your conversation partners what each word means.
  • One tool — Name one social media tool that you use daily. Ask each person to say everything he or she knows about it and how it’s used. Then ask about the web tool he or she uses most.
  • The Internet — Ask each person to describe what the Internet is, how it works, and what it’s biggest impact is on the world.

If you made it this far only listening, you’ve got a wealth of information about how the rest of the world thinks.

If you didn’t, . . .

If you couldn’t resist telling folks about what the words really mean, what the tool really is, how the Internet is changing the world . . . hmmmm . . . I suspect you’re might have trouble explaining how social media is different from traditional push marketing.

Reality check: We tell people to listen first. Do we do that?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!