People Interpret Your Message on Their Terms. Control It.

There is talk going around about how blogging, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites can help control your marketing message.   I completely agree with the assertion that you can help sway a particular message to the public but.. the world has a tendency to misunderstand where the CONTROL takes place.

It’s impossible to control HOW people interpret your message, but it IS possible to control WHERE the conversation takes place.

People will interpret your message in a way that is congruent with their beliefs and values.  You can’t change that.  When you start broadcasting your message through the social media sphere you will most certainly be misread, misinterpreted, misquoted, and you will be wrong… from time to time.  That’s fine.. it is all part of the game.  Don’t let that bother you.  Focus on the things you can control.

Where you have more control is the conversation.  If an unhappy customer is spouting bad news about your company on Twitter, you have the power to take the conversation offline… if you respond quickly.  If you’re using social media for lead generation, you have the power to lead prospects to your blog where you have the chance to convert them to customers.

Bad news can only hurt you if it stays on the social web.  Interested prospects are no good to you if you don’t lead them to your doorstep.  Your message will be warped by social media.  Spend your time thinking about where you want people to go and how to get them there.

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Social Media Selling to the New CEO

It is going to happen.

The Baby Boomer generation is going to slowly trickle out of the top spots in companies all over the world and Generation X is going to take thier place. How are you positioning your company to sell to the next CEO?

There are individuals who have different ideas on how to market directly to leaders of companies. There are direct mail campaigns, email marketing, event marketing, and offline networking. However, the world is slowly changing.. let me rephrase that.. the world is fast approaching a digital community of business owners and entreprenuers who are creating content and communicating on a level that was never possible… until now.

LinkedIN is posting 5% growth in July. Facebook is growing at an exponential rate among men 26-34. Even Plaxo and Twitter are making strides into the world of B2B selling. Are you supporting your company to market to the next generation of CEOs?

The next generation of CEOs are going to connect on an entirely different level than their predecessors. Email and newsletters are going to be a thing of the past and the new social economy will welcome them with open arms.

We have a global community of people presenting ideas and content on a daily basis to help run businesses at a smoother, more profitable rate. Why are you not involved in this process? Is valuable content such a scary proposition?

Share your ideas on a blog. Start a LinkedIN group for young professionals. Invest in the 25-38 year old demographic (both male/female) and watch the leads start to generate as they take positions of power in the company.

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