I see a lot of sole proprietors and small business people putting forth an admirable effort in using effective social media methods on the internet.  However, outside their local shopping sprees I never hear of most of them appearing anywhere offline so they can be met by their consumers.

There are still those medium to large businesses that just are finding it hard to let go and experience what real social media can do to help change a business’ direction to more profitability.  Business today, small and large, all have to change directions in how they market themselves in order to survive in the new economy that is slowly forming.

Social Media marketing is becoming mainstream and is developing rapidly to be the way of life for businesses.  Some are trying to make social media more complicated.  It all boils down to being very simple.

There are two parts to effective social media.

1. Online interaction
2. Offline interaction

Yes, interaction with consumers is the key to using social media efforts effectively.  It is just that simple.

There is no need in going out on Twitter and thumping your chest as being the ‘go to person’ for your industry if you do not interact at some sort of offline venue at the same time. 

Big businesses are very scared of this method of business development because the executives see it as them losing control of how the business is run.  Interaction in big business is usually left to the top executives who usually do a horrible job of interacting with their consumers and are not the people the consumers really want to interact with to learn about a business’s product or service.

I have been saying for sometime now, and finally getting some recognition from my associates that social media really works, that balancing a business’ online and offline presence in the market is a must.  If you think of putting as much effort in a business’ physical offline image as it puts into its web image things should turn around for the business.  Taking a different direction in business is good for business.

Let me know how I can help.