I said it today on Twitter, but I'll say it again.
Social Media is not magic.
You can't assume it will work wonders for you. Being on Twitter will not automatically increase your sales. Starting a Facebook page is not a strategy. Just being involved is not enough; it's about what you do with it and why you're doing it.
It takes commitment, creativity, and strategery. And, as Cody Swann pointed out, it takes patience.
But some brands and people will still get it wrong. Avoid the tactics below or else you'll also see how it feels to strike out with social media.
Not setting goals - Brands and people need to figure out what they're trying to achieve by being involved with social media. Not setting or having goals is a sure fire way to strike out.
Not listening - Not listening to what people are saying about you before/during participating in conversations and creating new programs will land you a seat at the end of the bench. Not reading/listening to bloggers before pitching them stories is another great way to fail. Please remember that different communities and websites each have their own culture and jargon. Pay attention to details.
Trying to exert too much control - People will think/say/blog/tweet what they want. Brands can influence the conversation and direct it, but trying to exert too much control will earn you a one-way ticket to the minor leagues. Nestle, unfortunately, gives us a good example of what not to do (trying to cover-up/delete negative comments).
Being Fake - Authenticity is a key fundamental of social media. Pretending to be someone you're not or hiring someone to act as you is a great way to fail. Dishonesty=disaster. Remember the Walmart FAIL from 2006?
Not balancing participation and promotion - When you're engaging people, you need to focus on being helpful and participating the right way more than promoting your own products and services. If you're only there to promote yourself, people will notice right away and you'll be destined to strikeout in social media until you change your ways.
Not committing adequate resources - Depending on your goals, you'll need to invest time, employees, education and money into being successful. Not dedicating proper resources will hurt any chance you may have at success.
What other tactics for social media strikeouts would you add to this list?
Next time, I'll share some tactics for social media home runs. If you want to share a few sentences/tips for this next post, send me an email (jpeck at hwy24 dot com) and I'll make sure to include your ideas. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
*image credit - artolog on Flickr