Aptus Consultants

Hats off to Phil Calvert of IFA Life for a very successful event introducing IFAs to Social Media. 

From my discussions at the event and the impressive tweet stream it has clearly inspired a lot of people.

Not surprisingly, given the scope of the topics covered, the event generated a lot of questions as well as providing some thoughtful answers.

Here are some of my favourites:

"Q: What is Twitter For?"

This is probably the least surprising question to be asked. I cannot claim to have 'got' Twitter until I started using it. For my answer I picked one particular use of Twitter that I've found very handy and which is a particular strength of Twitter for newbies.

"A: You find really useful stuff unprompted and unexpectedly"

There is a huge buzz around social media and as a result lots of people using Twitter to distribute very high quality blogs, videos, discussions, presentations on how best to apply it. For the novice it is a fabulous resource. Along the way you will connect with great people and learn for yourself the many uses of Twitter. Start following, connecting and tweeting. Don't be afraid to ask questions - people will jump at the chance to help you out and demonstrate their value to the world.

"Q: Do I need a Website?"

Before you fall off your chair laughing, pause a little and reflect. Is this really such a daft question? It is also one that is distressingly pertinent for IFAs. A lot of them do not have a website.

"A: You *can* use Social Media without your own site, but to get decent  results you need your own website at the heart of your business"

How can you use Social Media without a website? Surely in the world of Web 2.0 a business without a website is like a business without a phone? Madness!

Well, I can see how you might think that you do not need your own site. Any small business can establish an online presence by creating accounts on existing services such as BT Tradespace, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Slideshare, YouTube, Ning etc.

However, without a site to call your own you will struggle to offer a consistent, compelling and professional online brand for your business, and you will not be able to benefit from the many powerful tools for engagement, communication and promotion or compete effectively with those who *do* provide innovative online services.

"Q: Do I have time for all this Social Media?"

The trite response is that you do not have a choice. However, behind the question is a very valid challenge: how do I make social media a productive tool for my business?

"A: You need to learn to use the right tools productively"

This is a big challenge for those new to Social Media, and there are few shortcuts. Every business has to commit appropriate resources up front in order to understand how to benefit from Social Media, how to plan an effective strategy and how to integrate it into the daily life of the business. The training courses we offer are designed to give you the best possible start on your Social Media journey.

"Q: If it's all about conversation, should I be sending out newsletters?"

"Don't shout: converse". This is the Social Media mantra. But when the novice tries to translate this into action, they can run into difficulties.

Their customers now find that businesses are no longer shouting "We're great: buy from us" - they're hearing "We're great: talk to us, then buy from us". Is this any more effective?

Of course not. A business has to motivate customers to converse almost as much as to buy. But, if you already send out email newsletters to your customers you can use this familiar communication tool to open the conversation and invite your customers in. 

 

What would your answers be? I'd love to hear your thoughts.