My neighbor is an artist, and I really like her paintings. When I was walking past her house the other day, she yelled from her porch, “I’m having a private show next month and you’re invited.” I stopped and talked with her, and by doing so, I found out the date, time, and location of the show. I also found out that there would be other artists there and what kind of art will be showing. She told me about drink specials, the hors d’oeuvres, and the catering company that was doing it all too.

In those 10 minutes, I asked questions, she gave answers, and I found out a lot of information that sold me on the idea of going.
 
What do you think would have happened if she yelled out to invite me to the party but then went inside her house? What if we did not have that “back and forth?” Maybe I would have gotten an invite in the mail but perhaps not found out about the Jamaican caterer that is making the food and drinks… and that’s really why I go to art shows anyway.
 
A lot of business owners don’t grasp this concept in their marketing. They may be social in person but they lose that talent, for some reason, when it comes to social media.
 
The social part is the give and take and having online conversations. These conversations are not just about you or what you are selling – they are the engagement part of social media that endears you to others. Too many marketers and business owners think social media is just another tool to ‘get the word out.’ That is simply incorrect thinking.
 
Remember this…the conversation between you and your audience should be the ‘be all, end all.’ Not only does that give you a positive presentation but it also may lead to your audience interacting amongst themselves and create more opportunity for you.
 
This is why it is important NOT to throw up a post and then walk away. It is important to check your social media outlets routinely and engage anyone who may have made a comment or left a question, and develop a conversation when the opportunity presents itself.
 
For example, using social media to hold “customer meetings” where they can give you feedback about a product or service – or using surveys and questionnaires – are a great way to encourage give and take. They give you an opportunity to make comments or ask questions to create a real conversation.
 
As I ended my last blog post, and I’ll end every blog post – if you don’t have the time to maintain your social media presence in a consistent manner, then it is best to leave it to the professionals who can. Knowing that your time is money, you should also know that there is no shame in outsourcing such an important responsibility.