I have been researching, reading, and listening for awhile now to the small business world in regards to social media and blogging. There are plenty of business owners and professionals in the world who accept social media as a new form of communications… and plenty who do not.
I decided to write a small guide for business owners to gauge whether or not they should be in social media.
10 Reasons You Should Not Be on Social Media As a Business
1. You would rather not change your business model of communication. You are content with direct mail and email marketing. You are right, they will be around in 5 years.
2. The only computer you have in your office is the black and green screen MAC.
3. You purchased a dial-up modem to “save money.”
4. You are still struggling with the reply and forward functions in e-mail.
5. You are convinced that the only people using social media are college kids and pot smokers.
6. You feel that the newspaper is still a valuable form of advertising.
7. You designed your logo in powerpoint or publisher and all brochures were designed in the same programs.
8. When asked about time commitment you whine about an extra 30 mins a day to grow your business.
9. Your website was designed pre-2005 and has not been updated.
10. You find that building “trust” in a marketplace is a waste of time.
If you fit any of the following criteria… do me a favor and stay off social media.
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I think the funniest part of this article is that I've seen most of these out in the real world. I've also heard the "dial up to save money" line.
Great stuff Kyle…sharing now.
"5. You are convinced that the only people using social media are college kids and pot smokers." –> I know people who think that!
I got a good laugh out of this.
Thanks for posting!
Pure. Genius. I wish there were a giant "I like this!" button that I could mash.
Actually, BRB. I'm going to go make that.
Re: #9 … Met a guy today who doesn't have a website "My business grew without have one, but I guess I should at least have a presence." Do ya think? Great post, Kyle!
When you get that I like this button done.. let me know.
Kyle – great list! I'm gonna have to disagree with you on #6 though. While it's a dead tree to us, there are still fiercely loyal newspaper readers in certain demographics with money to spend. How about this one?
I am not disagreeing that there are readers of newspapers but the form of advertising a graphic ad in a newspaper is a dying art. I am sure there are studies that show it still works but why not communicate instead of broadcast? It will be dead in the next couple of years.
Great post! Can I add #11: Social media? Oh yeah my sisters son knows how to Facebook. I'll have him build my brand online!
Hi, Kyle. Good thoughts! There are many jurassic minds around us. If I found someone with this way of thinking, I cross-and-garlic them! As you said: stay off! Hugs from São Paulo, Brazil.
Yep. That's an immediate sign of serious trouble to come. Along with that, you'll end up with a slew of other questions and comments that ought to alert you to find another client before the one-legged ass kicking match begins.
While there may be some holdout segments of society who render news print-only marketing campaigns valid, such thinking is left to peril once many of these holdouts have nothing left to wipe their rear ends while sitting on the can in the next few years.
*giggle* This is so true. We are not the same world we were even 10 years ago, let alone 20 or 30 years ago. Relying on the information highway of those days will not move you forward today.
Well said my friend.. Well said.
And we are moving at a faster pace than ever before… we will not be the same world in 6 months to a year. Time to adapt or die.
Kyle:
I really enjoyed this. You have a great sense of humor. Unfortunately, I hear many of these things said when I talk with folks about the need to take advantage of social media. Just this week, I was sharing with someone how they could use a blog and all they could think about was what would happen if someone actually commented on what they wrote. They weren’t sure it was a good idea for people to be able to talk back.
You know, I skimmed your points and was about to post a comment calling for a little more understanding of people who a) feel challenged by it all and b) don't get its relevance to them right now. Just because someone doesn't subscribe to your belief set or fit in with your place on the adoption curve, they don't deserve contempt or laughter – if you can't get across to 'em, after all, it's your failure and not theirs.
Then I read Jim Price's comment and thought 'Nah. Fuck 'em'…
One might argue that, depending on the business model, a marketing program should both broadcast and communicate. Online and print sources consistently rank as the top two sources consumers turn to for shopping information. No questioning the value of the digital media, but the reach and recall of print advertising in particular is beyond "valuable"
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