10 Questions to Help Guide your Social Media Strategy

Okay, you’re heeding my advice, and you’re ready to engage in social media. You read my earlier post about the simple steps to get your Twitter account set up, you’ve started a Facebook page, and you’re ready to go.

Not so fast.

First, I want you to sit down, turn off your computer and ask yourself a few questions about your business.

1. How does information flow in my industry?

a. Think about the biggest events in your industry? What are the largest trade publications? If you’ve just created a list, and you haven’t had a conversation with them about being an expert presenter at their next event, do so immediately

2. Where do people get their information?

a. Do key members in your industry all get their information from trades? Or do they follow trends in markets? Where do they look for authority figures? Wherever that is – you need to be there.

3. Does information flow in a centralized way?

a. Once that information is out, how do people share that information?

4. How do consumers interact in my industry?

a. Are consumers easily influenced by those figures of authority? Are they swayed by current economic conditions, if so – what can you do to counter that? Can you start to blog and take a contrarian point of view?

5. Do they hangout in networks?

a. Are they avid users of linkedin.com? Do they all leverage AIM as a manner to communication and conduct business? Is there once network that they call turn to do get the most up to date information?

6. How big are these networks?

a. Are they invitation only networks? Can you start your own network? Picture3

7. Is my industry conservative?

a. Do they adopt new technologies easily? Are they open to new ideas? Are your competitors nimble?

8. What influences my customers?

a. Why do they buy from you? Do they trust you, or just go to you because you have the best price? Figure out what sets you apart.

9. Who influences my customers?

a. There is ALWAYS in initiator, an influencer, a decider, a buyer and a user. Who sways your customer’s opinions?

10. Is my product risky?

a. What do you need to do to stay ahead of the curve? If you’re on Twitter, and you have 20k followers will that generate business? Or will that set you apart as an expert? If you find yourself as a thought leader, can you sway attention?

If you’ve done this for your specific business – shoot me an email at chrisdessi@gmail.com, or just post a comment, and let me know if you found these questions useful, and if you thought of some more?

Now get out there and get SOCIAL!