Ben Brugler: I’ve Ben Thinking...

Doesn't seem too hard, right? Well, when you're a social media enthusiast (notice I didn't say expert) it's hard to come up with any negatives. I say this not because i don't think that negative perceptions exist - instead, I say it because if you truly believe social media (or any marketing tool) is worth the time and investment, you can turn almost any negative into a pro.

For example, some might say "anyone can say anything they want about you - and you can't control it."

I would say, the reverse is actually true - if you see what they're saying you have a better chance to control it. Think about it like this - if you were in high school and someone was making fun of your pegged pants at a party, wouldn't you want to know so you could either 1.) defend your decision or 2.) never wear pegged pants again?

At any rate, I was able to come up with a few negatives, listed here for your review and opinion. Now, I know (and hope) this opens up a can of worms as I think that most of the negatives are the result of people's opinions or perceptions. Hopefully here we can discuss them openly and see who is making fun of my pegged pants.

Pro's

Connect. A low-risk, low-cost way to connect with people who share interests similar to yours (or in your product!).

Community. Create a group of advocates that are loyal to your product while acting as opinion leaders.

Networking. Develop relationships that previously were unattainable or had long lead times tied to them.

Content. Have control over the distribution of your message.

Frequency. While content should be relevant, social media is more informal than other communications channel. A conversation can be long or short, but it’s more about the nature of it than following any type of process/etiquette.

Speed. Take advantage of the immediacy of the online community; they not only want information quickly, they expect it.

Credibility. By becoming visible and vocal, people will begin to think of you as the expert in your area.

Selection. Not on your part, but your community’s—if they follow you it’s because they have a sincere interest in your product.