How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
Although you are a firm believer in social media and all that it offers, you are still bound to come across business associates who don’t seem to understand its value and how amazing it can be for their business.
The nonbeliever
Social media nonbelievers are generally intelligent and well-educated people. They are well rounded and interesting. The only thing that is missing when it comes to online activities is their desire and their need for social media (or so they believe). Nonbelievers come from the school of thought that aspires to see no value in all things technologic.
However, if you can see your way clear to opening up a discussion with a nonbeliever about social media, in other words, if you can pique their interest enough for them to want to know what it is all about, you have a chance at converting them from nonbelievers to believers. Nonbelievers initially believe that it is not possible to have discussions online that will lead to any real business. Everyone who understands anything about social media knows that interactions through are based on interactions among people. Although it isn’t always obvious how discussions turn into revenue, it is easy to explain how this happens. Conversations lead to a relationship that is built on trust and credibility and trust and credibility eventually leads to people wanting to buy what you are selling because you have a relationship that has become important to them.
The stereotype of social media
It is entirely possible that people who have no involvement in social media have been paying enough attention to remember some of the names of the various online channels. Remember that their familiarity with some of the more popular names, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, doesn’t mean that they have an understanding of the capabilities of those channels. As you know, social media has gotten some seriously bad press over time and there are still many people who actually believe that the more popular social networks are only interesting and appropriate for teenagers. Of course, that couldn’t be any further from the truth. In your mission to convert a nonbeliever, one of your principle obligations is to educate him/her about the tremendous usefulness that social media has for business.
Your online business marketing strategy
Once you have had the conversation about social media only being useful for teenagers, you next line of defense is producing solid evidence that proves that you can actually successfully do business online and truly increase your business’s revenue. Please don’t be surprised if the reaction that you get is still rather skeptical. Once you have produced positive proof that social media seriously contributes to the bottom line of your business, it should hopefully get that person to start thinking that maybe there is something to it. Even if the conversion seems rather slow at first, you should try to be patient. Your goal was not to snap your fingers and poof, the nonbeliever was converted instantly (although that would be delightful). Rather, your goal was to create a small crack in his or her solid wall of nonbelief and skepticism. Once you have created that small crack, you can inundate the person with more and more useful information on social media. The more information you supply, the wider the crack will become until eventually, the wall will completely crumble and the nonbeliever will become one of social media’s most loyal and passionate fans.
Putting social media in terms that the nonbeliever can understand
If you speak in terms of advantages that he/she can appreciate and apply to his/her own business, you have a good chance of truly making him/her see what you see. For example, a good angle to discuss is how the Internet allows you to keep a close watch on your business activities, how the information that you gather online allows you to categorize your online connections very effectively, and how the Internet allows you to gather solid metrics that will enable you to hone your activities so that you can serve your target market most appropriately and successfully.
Conclusion
Fortunately, the majority of people whom you come across in business understand and believe in the power of social media and its vast and extremely positive implications for your business. On the rare occasion when you come across (or perhaps have known for a long time) the nonbeliever, you should consider it a welcome challenge to educate that person and really enlighten him or her about all that social media has to offer their business.
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Via LinkedIn Network Update
Caroline McElroy has just left a comment on your network update:
"I realized this important fact several months ago and have been working toward building upon that idea. It is helping me a great deal and am now working on setting up social networking sites for businesses. I've been using social networking for three years."
Via Social Media Today
annenwood said:
This is an interesting article, Michael. I agree with you.
Nearly every day I encounter B2B people who 'know' they should be doing 'social' but cannot think how to apply it to their workplace. 'Social' still suffers from press publicity of how Twitter is used by celebrities to talk about being stuck in lifts or sharing photos of famous bottoms! How could that possibly relate to my business? These are comments I hear all the time.
Just the other day I was talking to a director who wants all of his people to join Twitter, LinkedIn, facebook etc and participate. He asked me to tell his team 'how to do it'. The first thing I said was why? What's in if for them? Do they understand why they are joining these sites? There is absolutely no point signing up unless it's to watch and learn. You won't learn much from Twitter if you've no followers and follow no-one. You won't make the most of LinkedIn if you don't complete your profile and make the most of all the marvellous tools at your disposal.
So our conversation turned to the benefits of each of the sites. When Twitter is better than facebook. How to manage more than one social site by using a social media dashboard. Getting the most out of sites like Quora, Focus, LinkedIn etc. Suddenly it all becomes less scary and more powerful and worth doing. But there's still lots of people who need a guiding hand. Let's keep spreading the word and, to quote Leon Benjamin 'Winning By Sharing'
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Digital Marketing
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
I think having an advocate to drive it and really show the power can help. Companies that see results are convinced!
Posted by Rod McMillan
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: eMarketing Association Network
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
The education process is a bugger. Trying to explain this concept to people who don't understand social media is difficult and takes time. They may never get it! I have come to a point where I talk to those who understand and "move on to the next one" with those who are behind the times. It is the same as when people began selling advertising on TV. The response was often"TV? That won't catch on!"
Posted by Tamara Caputo
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: eMarketing Association Network
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
To "Get" someone to do something is probably parsing the question suboptimally. The question is, what does the person want to do? What do they want to accomplish? Work from there, relating to the target audience's business or lifestyle needs, wants and aspirations; and entirely skip any jargon such as "opt in to social media" that may trigger the fight-or-flight response.
Marketing is not about getting someone to do what we want. It is about understanding what they want and offering them solutions that help them, in a way that is relevant and meaningful to them, not to us.
Posted by Eric Chen
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Business Writers of America
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
Just heading out to a meeting with the CEO of a company. He's unsure about social media because he's not into it himself but he's open to listening because he understands there might be value in it for his firm. His open-mindedness is just what I'll need to inch him and the company forward.
Posted by Bernie Kruchak
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: "Write It Down"-A Website for Writers
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
Actually, I'm speaking on that topic (Social Media for Entrepreneurs) in April at the Spectrum conference. The very valid reason some people don't is that social media is time consuming. Doing it wrong can be much worse than not at all.
Posted by Charles Barouch
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Professional Bloggers
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
A very interesting article, thanks for sharing
Posted by brenda cuby
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Professional Bloggers
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
catering to people who don't believe in social media is like engaging in a discussion with a flat-Earther. Generally not as effective use of time as hitting oneself with a rubber hose
Posted by Warren Whitlock
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Books and Writers
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
I understand its value just don't know how to effectively use it yet. My learning curve (it's not easy teaching an old mad dog new tricks) seems very slow, much slower then the typical nine-year-old.
Posted by R. E. Dawson
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and editing professionals
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
However firm a believer I am in social media, I believe even more firmly in letting other adults make their own decisions. Social media are valuable and amazing to some people and not to others. That doesn't mean they don't understand.
Posted by Carol Roberts
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: ForbesWoman
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
I work a lot with non believers, ill skilled technology users etc. And it is a small group; but I have also seen the effect of not using. In todays expensive health care system social media is the cheapest way to build that trust because you can't monitor a person 24 hours. But in some cases you have to be there. Resocialising people can start in a well controlled environment and later they recognize each other and have actually something to say. So yes I'm a social media preacher because it are the people behind it that make it valuable. But it is indeed that switch of thinking. If nothing else seems to work how can we make good additional use of social media. It is like a phone book that gets you unlimited answers and interactions without the hazzle of guessing.
Posted by Hèlen Grives
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: On Startups – The Community For Entrepreneurs
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
It seems to me that some people think the internet is just for communicating to friends, family, and visiting websites. I guess by showing them who is on-line doing business, where they make their connections, and the results other business people are producing could help them realize its value.
Posted by Maurice Young
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: On Startups – The Community For Entrepreneurs
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
There are people who love to switch off the alarm or cove their ears by pillow to sleep that extra minute. It doesn't change any reality or course of one's life. Similarly the lot who now is in sleeping mode must realize that sooner or later they will have to face the reality called Social Media which is The Big Thing. I came to know today itself that facebook is valued 67 billion dollars, a 30% jump in less that two months. Now what is this? Which business model, with no tangible product or service, can deliver such valuation? Its crazy, isn't it?
The point i'm trying to make here is that it is now mandatory to take products and services to the public platforms Gone are the days when shopkeepers used to walk to their shops open the shutter and customers used to walk it. NO. Today you will have to give some meaning to it, let people discuss and decide a vital question – Do they want your products, if yes, then how & what cost?
All these things are possible to now, there are platform available to take note of feedback before launching a product or services. You need not to hire a research agency to tell you the facts. You can yourself do.
So i believe business associates who are yet sleeping, will lose dearly.
Posted by Chandra Shekhar Jha
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: On Startups – The Community For Entrepreneurs
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
I'm not sure I understand why it bothers you that your associates aren't interested in social media. Do you mean people in your own company or your customers or competitors? Does it matter? Surely doing business online is just another avenue to sell your product, like opening a shop. My business isn't retail so maybe I'm not really grasping what the problem is. Someone please explain!
Posted by Ruth Billheimer
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Books and Writers
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
I think the saddest part for me is that I'm a youngin and I still don't completely understand the social media and all it has to offer.
Posted by Cody Rose
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Linked Business
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
Good Article! I find there are a few other points that help convert the non-believers
– Reminding them how prevelant it is in business, even they see all the major companies adopting social media tactics and advertising to follow them on facebook
– Their competitors are doing it (and chances are, they are), they dont want to lose ground and fall behind in the latest communication developments
– "We have a website, what do we need a facebook or twitter for?" With a website, people have to go out to get your information, with a facebook and other social media, the information comes to them!
– The online community is a world in itself and a large expansion where you can reach many many more people and develop more relationships
Posted by Joseph Kaufman
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Publishing and editing professionals
Discussion: How to Get People to Opt-in to Social Media
I don't think it's a question of "don't understand" or "don't believe", I think it's a question of do you want to spend the time on such a hit and miss proposition. I think the aspect of social media, primarily Facebook, where you impose yourself upon other people that you don't know by selecting them to follow you is a bit strange and has an automotonic quality (yes I just made that word up and yes I do not know how to spell it, lol). I suppose that's what all advertising really is but when you put an ad in the newspaper you are not, in effect, grabbing someone and saying, "look at me". The decision not to use social media or get involved in the more stalkerish parts of it does not indicate that you don't understand. Maybe you do all too well. Another really good article though.
Posted by Sheila Gazlay
Excellent decision-making process to turn the non-believers into believers and get over the stereotypes. We love giving Pulse demos where we illustrate that people ARE going to talk about you in social media. Per a concept from @evansdave, if you do not respond to the consumers…where they are talking about you…it is your implied acceptance of their comments. I've also shown cases where a social influencer (defined by a Klout score in this case) is then retweeted by several people. People want to be heard, and the business case is easy to present to the non-believer if they take the time.