Your brand is either social or its anti-social, there’s no third option

Wondering whether or not your company should be using social media, but you’re just not comfortable enough to pull the trigger?  If so, you’re probably practicing “anti-social” marketing.

Oh, you probably have a ton of good reasons why you aren’t yet ready to move into social.  I don’t want to spend a lot of time telling you why your reasons suck, but for the most part they do and they’re going to cripple your brand over the next few years if you don’t find ways to move past them.  Blunt, but its time for some bluntness on this topic.

Your customers are talking about you.  They’re doing it openly and in places that you can respond.  It’s not like they’re whispering behind your back.  They’re using social networks to discuss your company with their friends and connections.

Ask yourself what could be more important than being a part of conversations about your brand.  What, you can reach more people through traditional methods?  400 million Facebook users isn’t enough for you?  Rethink that excuse.

And you’ll want to say things like, “until I can measure it effectively I won’t spend more of my budget on it.”  Wake up folks, don’t let analytics cripple your common sense.  You can’t measure word of mouth and personal referrals.  But you know they’re the most powerful form of marketing a brand could have.

If you spend this time, this era of social, on the sidelines, you’re going to have a hard time catching up when you realize how important this is.  Think about this, if your competition “gets it” and they’re involved in social marketing, then you’re behind the ball already.  If they aren’t in social yet, what an amazing advantage you could have over them!

Get in the game folks.  It’s not too late…but its close.