Social media is magic…

… because it moves fast

… because you can directly connect with your customers and potential customers

… because it’s where your customers spend a lot of their time

… because it provides both organic and paid promotional opportunities

… because it allows brands and businesses to build a community

… because it allows you to share a mix of media and messaging about what you offer

… because you can change your campaign in a moment’s notice

… because it provides a way to engage with brand ambassadors

Social media is amazing for so very many ways, and provides so very many opportunities for businesses that didn’t exist in a solely ‘brick & mortar’ world.

However.

(And this is a BIG ‘However’)

The amount of time it takes to build and see results from your social media efforts does not happen any more quickly online than in the real world.

This is probably the biggest misconception about social media that we encounter with our clients.

Just because you build social media profiles, and you link up your website or online store, and you start consistently posting and talking to people, doesn’t mean that all those people you recently began talking to and posting for will suddenly buy from you.

In the real (offline) world, there is a process that all customers go through before they buy from a business.

1. Potential customers initially hear about you, your business, and what you have to offer.
2. That exposure to your business and offerings occurs repeatedly.
3. Your potential customers begin to feel trust towards your business, and believe you have what it takes to solve their problem.
4. Your potential customers give you a call, check out your website, follow you on social media, and seek out more detailed information.
5. Your potential customers (finally!) become your new customers!

The bottom line is this: the time required to win new customers via social media is the same as it is in the offline world.

So my best advice is to be consistent. Be personable. Be relevant.

And most importantly, be patient.

Social media may be magical in a lot of ways, but it’s definitely not a magic pill.