I’m going to go a different route with today’s post. Social media is not meant to be a soapbox or a bullhorn. It’s a discussion. So let’s talk. I would venture to say that the two most important reasons for businesses to use social media are to grow their customer base or tribe and to sustain those who are already on the inside.
So my question to you is: How do you or should you use social media for growth/and or sustainability?
I’ll give you my answer as honestly as possible in the hopes that you will actually comment on this with your answer. When I use social media for my organization, I’d have to say it’s 95% sustainability and 5% growth. Hopefully everyone’s answer will be different. The factors that create this ratio are more than just location and the fact that I work for a church.
In my encounters with people through Facebook and Twitter, I find myself mostly continuing a relationship that has already been established in real life (not necessarily by me personally). First time guests commenting about how they enjoyed a service and people submitting prayer requests are a couple of the common situations that come to mind. A key in sustaining these relationships for me is getting church members who are active in social media involved with those who connect with our organization in that way. This key should be familiar to you. Your product or experience should foster a growing group of people (or a tribe) who want to evangelize for your company or product.
To explain the 5% growth in my context: more than likely, no one will be spiritually converted via twitter. Most of the situations I would put in the growth category involve people who are looking for a new church or who haven’t been to church in a while and are just starting back. And even in those cases I’m not doing anything pro active to cause growth because I can’t force them to come to our church. I can only honestly describe what our church is like, what we’re all about, and where they might fit in.
So tell me about you or your organization. What’s your ratio? What does sustainability and growth look like within social media for you?
2 Comments. Leave new
I completely agree with this Jared. So many people think that Social Media is the silver bullet to their marketing plan and harp WAY too much on the “growing” part. Their numbers are probably swapped from yours.
I would say my numbers for MyWants Inc. is more towards 80% sustainability and 20% growth. I say this because I am in a big growing phase with the business. When trying to grow, my goal is to bring in the “tribe members” and then from their sustain all new and old alike. Once our growth has taken us to the point where we feel we can slack a little, the numbers will change more in favor of sustaining.
I completely agree with this Jared. So many people think that Social Media is the silver bullet to their marketing plan and harp WAY too much on the “growing” part. Their numbers are probably swapped from yours.
I would say my numbers for MyWants Inc. is more towards 80% sustainability and 20% growth. I say this because I am in a big growing phase with the business. When trying to grow, my goal is to bring in the “tribe members” and then from their sustain all new and old alike. Once our growth has taken us to the point where we feel we can slack a little, the numbers will change more in favor of sustaining.