People Skills Required

BY Ree "CoachRee" Williams

By now, we all get it. Social media is not the fad that some thought it would be. It's pretty much a guarantee, that in some form, social media will forever be a part of our online experiences.

So, what does that mean? It means that business owners (for the great majority) are going to have to become well versed in social media. Learning social media is no longer just about the tool or the technology. With millions of people being on social media, if your business is going to benefit from using social media, then technology skills cannot be number one on your "must learn" list.

Don't get me wrong, technology is important, but when it comes to social media, what's more important are your people skills.

Over the last 10 years, I've coached hundreds of business owners who've found out (the costly way) that having the best social media teams and pretty and pricey social media marketing campaigns is just not enough to usher in sales success. People on social media are waiting to be courted by brands, your brand. Yes, they want to feel good about engaging with and ultimately buying from your brand. 

When using social media, you must factor in things such as: 

• Who are the people (that I'm desiring to reach) ? 
• Where do the people come from (that I'm desiring to reach)?
• What message do the people (that I'm desiring to reach) want and need to hear?
• How do the people (that I'm desiring to reach) feel about what my business offers? 
• Am I the right brand (voice) for the people (that I'm desiring to reach) ? 

Be intentional about creating sound marketing goals, strategies and plans, that help you reach the core of the need of your buyers. You have to know how to trigger their need and desire to buy. 

Be aware of what you want the people in your audience to ultimately do. Don't lie to your audience and don't set them up for a back door sale. Tell the people in your audience exactly what you want from them. They'll respect your brand more if you're just honest and upfront. 

Be a true brand. Be confident in what your brand represents. The essence of your brand will come through. If you're a duplicate of what you've seen from other brands, your audience will know and this will lead to them seeing your brand as inauthentic (in other words, fake and phony). Just keep it real so that your audience is getting the benefit of something real. 

Engage the people in your audience with a goal of ensuring they understand your brand and you understand their need. Your audience has a need and if your brand does not create consistent content that speaks to their need, you more than likely will not see sales success. 

Keep in mind, the technology just makes social media possible, it's the people that gets you the results you desire.