I came across this gem from a panel at the Search Engine Strategies 2009 Conference and Expo. Beth Harte of Harte Marketing and Communications talks about what you have to do to be successful in social media and your online strategy.
“Once you listen, your role starts to change. You’re a benchmarker. You’re the ears and the eyes. You’re a change agent, a connector, an advocate, a backbone and a linker.”
I’ve heard people complain that social communities are ruining our ability to connect in a “human” way. Doom-and-gloomers talk about how in the future none of us will be able to connect with anyone without a monitor (like texting someone to pass the salt at Thanksgiving dinner). But social networking is not about the technology, it’s about the connection. (Now don’t get me wrong, you have a lousy piece of software that’s hard to use – no onewill want to connect with you.) And unlike in days gone by when a simple press release was tossed onto the wire and countless news sources picked it up, we now have to circulate it to sources people visit on a regular basis. Marketers have had to readjust their thinking. What once was an impersonal disseminating of information has become more about networking and being part of a global conversation with consumers and members.
So how do you become part of the conversation? Technology can sometimes be so overwhelming you feel as awkward and out-of-the-loop as the wallflower at the 6th grade dance, but you don’t have to be. You want to stay connected to your members and help them connect with others. You want to engage them and you know the importance of doing so. You’re ready to listen. You want to be an agent of change in your association, alumni group, charitable organization. You want a website that can act as a backbone to your organization and you’re looking for a sexy (and easy) way to do it. YourMembership.com provides membership management software and online communities that are affordable, easy-to-use and available within 72 hours. So get off that bench, plunge into an exciting networking software community and check out what we can do to help you achieve your membership goals.
