photo by assbach

Social Media. Yeah, we talk about it a ton here (that’s what you get with a site called Social Media Marketing, right?) It’s the latest trend, the newest fad, and it’s extremely buzz-worthy. Next week I’ll be speaking at a large retail conference – the topic? Marketing to Millennials. We’ll be sitting around a table chatting about how big companies out there should be selling there stuff to folks my age – the twenty-somethings of the world who, by the way, have completely different buying habits than you’re used to.

And the one thing I’m going to preach – the one thing I’m going to hammer in more than anything else? Transparency.

It’s not rocket science – anyone who’s willing to invest the time and effort can “win” at this Social Media “game”. It’s a lot easier than you might think to jump right in and start swimming with the online big-wigs and influencers.

But at the end of the day – it IS about time – it DOES involve effort – and the return on investment isn’t as fast as what you, as a marketer, are used to. Sure there’s a lot you can measure – a ton you can correlate – but proving “X” number of “Tweets” will lead to “X” number of bottom line sales just isn’t in the cards.

Once you get that it takes REAL time – there’s one point, above all, that you have to understand. Transparency

As a company, as an individual, people connect with “real” – they connect with genuine and open. That’s where you come in. Gone are the days of selling to someone – say goodbye to the old-school sales pitch. The dawn of being a friend FIRST and a seller second is upon us – and that’s why so many small businesses are truly thriving in this space.

They understand that people are more willing to buy from those they trust – from those who take the time to make them feel valued as a customer. The entire concept of Social Media is to be heard, is to be recognized, is to become a trusted resource and to be valuable to a community. Before you focus on making YOURSELF valuable, focus on making others feel valued and appreciated – because – without them – you don’t have a lot going for you.

It’s not about laying all your chips on the table, it’s not about saying TOO much – but as your communicating and interacting with the online world, remember that you’re a real person, a human being with emotions, thoughts, and opinions – THAT’S what people want to see – THAT’S what’s interesting and compelling. Sell that – and the rest will fall into place.

Matt Cheuvront is the mastermind behind Life Without Pants. Take the next step by saying hello on Twitter and subscribing to his blog today!

Tags: community, conversation, Marketing, relationships, Social Media, transparency