Okay, show of hands on who really uses social media to its fullest extent for their business? Not very many, frankly. And there’s a reason for that: it takes planning and diligence. Most businesses, especially small businesses, have their hands full just with day-to-day operations… taking the time for some Facebooking or Tweeting also takes on the appearance of slacking off.

But for a company to truly tap into the potential of social media the first thing that must be done is to evaluate which medium is the most relevant to the company. For instance, just because Twitter gives you a format that allows for a revelation one or two short sentences long does not mean that’s the most effective venue for a mobile dog grooming service. The medium has to “line up” with the company message and the intended audience.

The second thing is to have a plan of action. We all know the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and you can think you’re going to get around to posting a special on Facebook or doing a blog, but chances are you’re going to end up forgetting about it or just get too wrapped up in the day-to-day demands of work—especially if you are singularly responsible for social media (and marketing, and advertising et al).

Perhaps the most important thing to consider, though, is how much is enough? How much is too much? The last thing anyone wants is to be notified over and over that someone has posted something—and then to discover that the content is inane or irrelevant. In this day of information overload, it’s critical to keep your posts, blogs and Tweets focused on your message, make it relevant to your customers, informative, and (hopefully) entertaining to your audience… it is SOCIAL media, after all!

Social media has become an integral part of any marketing and advertising program. We can help you determine what will work best for your company, devise a plan of action, and help keep your message on target.