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According to a recent article, small businesses say they don’t consider social media an imperative to business. However, they say word of mouth is very important. That seems like a disconnect to me considering social media marketing is word of mouth!

In fact social media is the most powerful of word of mouth. Here’s why.

Unlimited: Word of mouth happens online at the speed of the keyboard. And the audience isn’t limited to your best friend or buddy at work. The potential audience is billions strong. Word of mouth has always had weight. Now combined with social media it has breadth as well.

Expanding: Along the same vein is that now word of mouth can build. If one person says something negative and another agrees, the audience has grown exponentially. It can go from one network to another and to another. Or conversely, if someone says something great and no one else agrees or pushes the conversation it can die.

Unending: When someone posts something online there is a good chance it will be there a long time. What happens on the Internet stays on the Internet. Forever, in many cases. That means that mistake from years ago, can still sabotage a sale today.

So why is all this seemingly negative information great for business? Because you can see these conversations and respond to them. In a traditional word of mouth scenario, people share something negative and you never hear about it. All you hear is that new customer never calling.

But with conversations happening in social media not only can you hear the conversation, you can shape it. You can respond to complaints and turn a brand killer into a brand barbarian.

Social media has been described as a cocktail party where everyone is invited. You should go. Find out what people are talking about. Be available and start a dialogue.

And check out our new E-book 5 Marketing Tactics for Small Business.

I was recently on a panel about Social Media at my alma mater Winthrop University. It was a great experience and I was glad to be asked. I truly hope that the students that attended got as much benefit as I did from it.

At one point there was a question about how using Social Media you can retain control of your brand with all these other people taking part. Others who can’t care about your brand as much as you do.

The question was not directed at me and by the time I spoke again the conversation had gotten around to something else. The person who answered explained that it was difficult but that it was possible to keep control and that it was very important to do so.

However driving home that afternoon I kept turning the question over in my head. In marketing your brand is holy. It is what defines your company and you must treasure and protect it. It is your colors, your image, everything that people see and say “oh that’s McDonalds, that’s Apple, that’s Verizon, that’s 366Marketing…or whatever.

Right?

10 years ago a whole hearted yes. Everything about your brand must be controlled and administrated by a person or team of people who rigidly protect it. And it made sense. You were broadcasting you had ultimate control over your brand. You could and should protect and baby it and send it out into the world with a suit of armor to protect it. You spent a lot of money and time and money building it up.

And it was fairly safe unless there was a big disaster. Or maybe a loony with a pen might mark your ad up in a Dr’s office but besides that you were good.

Now not so much. I mean still have your brand and as the owner of your company you need to stay true to your own standards. But absolute control is a thing of the past. There arethousands of loonies wanting to get their say about your brand. I proudly count myself among them.

But the upshot is that now instead of the controller you are more of a guide for the brand.

And they aren’t trying to damage your brand. They just want their say. Hell a lot of them want to help you! A lot of them (hopefully) are your brand ambassadors (hyperlink). And who cares if when they forward your email or coupon they change something or don’t stay totally true to “THE MESSAGE”,they are invested enough to tell others about. If you are mentioned on facebook, twitter, myspace, linkedin, whatever, you need to have the bravery to let people have their say and still soldier on.

The skillful thing is to be able to respond and guide the conversation where you want it to go. But bear in mind no matter how great a guide you are there are unexpected turns in the path and no matter how great you are bad things will happen. Just be honest, weather the storm and hopefully your fans will take care of you.

Storm clouds gathering and not enough umbrellas? Contact 366 marketing, maybe we can help or at least offer some hot cocoa.

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