Time and Fear Are Artificial Constructs

This came back to me full force yesterday at a networking meeting.

The conversation centered around the failure of so many small businesses to utilize social media.  There were a lot of reasons but the two most offered were time and fear.

There is absolutely no question that marketing takes time.  Marketing is a strategy to make or keep a brand top of mind.  It can’t be accomplished without a strategy and ongoing effort.

Many business owners believe they can’t devote time to any type of marketing because they’re so busy working.  I get that. Every dentist knows when there’s no drilling there’s no billing.  Still there had to be a way to get that person with the aching tooth in the door.

Every entrepreneur is an optimist.  You have to be.  That’s different from believing your product is so incredibly useful/innovative/time-saving/fill in the blank that people will come rushing to you.  Money in hand. Screaming for your product.  Without you lifting a finger to promote it.

Another comment was fear.  The online world doesn’t support ongoing B2C efforts at least not for long (spam filter anyone?).  The online world is C2B©.  Customers are in charge here.  They search for what they want when they want.   If you happen to have what they want when they want it everybody wins! You’re not online? Well somebody wins just not you.

It’s scary to put yourself out there.  Have you really considered what would happen if you became extremely successful?  It changes your life.  Maybe that’s way scarier than commiserating with others who are “doing okay, surviving, keep their heads above water”.

How do we support small business owners to get past these false reasons for not taking advantage of the opportunities of social media?

Accountability – It’s Not Just For Finance Experts

We seem to be moving into a new era: Accountability for everyone in the business world.  No longer are we allowing advertising and marketing to take our dollars in exchange for hope.

I love internet marketing, search and social media optimization.  I take the greatest pleasure in helping business owners increase their exposure →their business→their sales→their profits.  If I can’t do that I am just another consultant, another person who took money in exchange for nothing.

I can’t work like that.  I have a pay for performance philosophy now.  I am going to start demanding it of the vendors and suppliers who work for me.