Social media isn't everything

At work I wear several hats, but I’m generally known as either the “wiki guy,” the “social media guy,” or the “community guy.” Mom just calls me Matthew.

I spend quite a bit of time using newer forms of social media, which I define as everything from Twitter to wikis to online customer communities. Yes, I check Twitter and Web 2.0 blog feeds on my iPhone every day. I even contribute to this blog (sometimes). I’m always thinking about how we can use social media in better ways to better serve our customers. It’s really a labor of love.

But I have a confession to make: Even I have to choose my battles. Some weeks I spend a lot of time on Twitter or our wiki, but other weeks my various other duties limit my tweeting. It’s all about priorities – what’s hot at the moment.

Given the state of the economy, many organizations today are hopping from project to project like a barefoot beachcomber walking across broken shells. They need to identify and press those projects – sometimes on a daily or weekly basis – that will bring in much-needed revenue. Sometimes that means there’s less time for Twitter because more client calls or new marketing materials are much more vital at the moment.

As I like to say, any method you use to reach out to customers and prospects is, in a very real sense, an exercise in social media. Sure, you might be talking on the phone or doing videoconferences with customers instead of spending time on Facebook. But you know what? You’re probably doing the right thing under the circumstances. The other stuff can wait.

There has to be a balance. We shouldn’t neglect the newer forms of social media or walk away from our current investments in new media, but sometimes we have to be realistic and focus on the proverbial low-hanging fruit. Of course that low-hanging fruit could be leads generated by social media, but it might also be meeting with current customers for lunch and restating how your company can help them. Sometimes lunch trumps LinkedIn.

So don’t feel guilty about not using a particular form of social media today, at this moment, just because the cool kids seem to be on it 24/7. Feel guilty if you’re not showing value to your customers and giving them a reason to continue to do business with you. Just do what you need to do for your customers in today's shaky economy, and you’ll live to tweet another day.