By Laura Haight
Managing Partner
Social mobility used to mean something vastly different than it does today. But the essence is the same: you are either moving on and moving up or you are being left behind. Anyone who doubted that they needed to harness the power of social media and the mobility of the consumer, need only look at a recent report by Cisco that this year smartphones will outnumber people in the world. By 2016, the growth of tablets will contribute to the growth of mobile devices to more than 10.6 billion for a world population of 7 billion. But even as you look to new ways to connect with potential customers, you've got to start with the basics. Technology comes and goes, but you need to have the bedrock of your message well in hand - regardless of whether you put an ad in a magazine or a reading list on Digg.
- Who are you? Before you can attract others, you have to be able to articulate what you and your company are all about. Can you do it in 30 seconds? You might not even have that long on social media. Do it in 140 characters.
- Why should I care? We spend a lot of time explaining what we do and what we want people to do in return - buy my product, like us on Facebook, read my blog, subscribe to my newsletter - but we aren't as good with explaining "Why". What will the consumer get. For all of us, what's in it for me is top of mind. If we want people to follow, like or work with us, we need to make clear what they'll get from that relationship.
- Master your message. It's not what you say but how you say it. Whether its 140 characters on Twitter or 300 in a blog, you still have to design your message to appeal to the right audience. Put your best words forward, because the right words matter.
Technology is taking us in new directions and we've got to be where our customers/clients can find us. But make sure when they get to you, they find your message worth the trip.