Today I am speaking from my soapbox…
This morning I was meeting with a client who I do some on and off again work for. They mentioned to me that during a meeting they were told they needed to do more with their online marketing. A person at that meeting proceeded to try to give them another business’ business card. At which point they were told him no thanks.
Thing is, this business considers themselves an expert in social media when in fact their own accounts say the opposite.
Okay, okay, I know that is a harsh thing to say, but today I am speaking on something I am extremely passionate about: In the business of social media, you have to walk the talk to be taken seriously.
Who would you rather work with…
Person A, who says they are an expert and they know all about the different social media entities, has 400 fans on Facebook with 3 talking about it and 300 followers on Twitter.
Person B who does not like to be called an expert and also knows all about the different social media entities, has over 700 fans on Facebook with 295 talking about it and over 2000 followers on Twitter.
Should be no-brainer, right?
Well, there are people out there selling businesses on their social media services that they are not doing themselves. I get that you can argue that you are so busy working for your clients that you do not have the time for your business, but your business and how you present and do it is your resume! Businesses who are serious about hiring someone to handle social media look at how that prospective social media consultant handles their own business (and if a business does not do that already, they should).
If you are not doing for yourself what you do for others, how can you be taken seriously??
Personally, I use myself as a guinea pig. I try everything out on my business before taking it to a client. I am so passionate about this that I make it a point to continually build my business so people who are looking at me can say, “She knows what she is doing!”
If you are not walking the talk, how can you sell your business and services to others? I will tell you right now, you can’t. Everyone is now checking everyone and everything out online first. I do it. I know you do it. So why should we think prospective clients aren’t?
I would love to hear your opinion on this! Stepping off my soapbox now…
Great article Mandy! This is so close to what I am striving for and it feels so great to see how you are walking the talk. Excellent 😀
Thanks Christer!
Oh You Hit it Girl!.. I’m sick of going behind “Experts” and cleaning up a mess :(( THIS ~~~~> If you are not doing for yourself what you do for others, how can you be taken seriously?? <~~~~~ I ask people to look at a companies stats and tell me if they know how to use social media or not before they hire an "expert" .
Thanks Liz!! If only people would check these “experts” out first! We’d get more business! LOL
What a great post. We all must walk our walk before we talk or talk!
Thanks Michele!
Awesome Mandy, I can clearly see that you are passionate about this. This works with every area of our life, what we don’t do ourselves we cannot put on other people. Thanks!
Thanks Olga!!
“If you are not doing for yourself what you do for others, how can you be taken seriously??” – a big YES to this. I truly love this article, Mandy. This article shows that you really are passionate about the services you can offer. Great job!
Thanks Lorii!
I’ve seen this way too often! Comical.
Unfortunately, it’s all too common.
Yes, Mandy, it is crucial to walk the talk…always…“If you are not doing for yourself what you do for others, how can you be taken seriously??”. Yep.
Yes it is!
AGREED!
Thanks Traci!
You speak from your heart and that is admirable. Love that your passion shines through in the work you do for yourself as well as your clients.
Thanks Kim!
This is true in any business and I can see where social media is very important to do what you say you can do for others. Good heads up for us who depend on others to take care of our social media for us…
Thanks Carla!!
I can relate… I often see people who have an online business in a specific niche (not parenting) and then decide to write on article on parenting!!! Ha!
LOL! I see that too! I think people think that once they have kids, they are experts on all kids!
Awesome post and so so true! I have been noticing on twitter recently with some new followers who are social media managers with maybe 200 followers and I am thinking the same thing. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Kerry! I see that all the time.
Great article and yes you are so right!!!
Thanks Jan!
Mandy, you definitely “hit the nail on the head” Amazing how people can call themselves experts and think they can help YOU when it’s clear that they haven’t really figured it out themselves yet. Thanks for all you do to help others understand Social Media and the impact it can have on business! I can feel your passion!
Thanks Sue!
Yup, you are right Mandy. I, personally would not get a haircut from a hairdresser with bad hair. Same thing. She is a walking advertisement.
I love that analogy Suzanne!
Alrighty! Now that you’re ‘stepping off the soapbox’ (first time I’ve heard that phrase before Mandy), I’m going to ‘step onto the soapbox’?? =P
Walking the walk is so important. I mean really?? Ignoring your own social media because you’re too busy managing other people’s? Yeah, that isn’t really a great excuse that people are using.
You’re so right in terms of your philosophy with using yourself as a guinea pig and then applying what you’re doing within your own business onto others after you have proved them out. That’s WHY you’re able to walk the walk. Thank you Mandy!
Thanks Edmund! All of us who are doing it right just have to work extra hard because of these so-called experts.
Practice what you preach jumps to mind. You have to be that which you sell!
Yes!! I agree Carl!
So important. I am hesitant to call myself an “expert.” When I first started out I considered myself a ‘guru” but realized there is so much I don’t know and I was far from being considered a “guru.” So I made sure to change the wording around.
It’s all about your reputation, and only selling the things you know that work, and through that, it comes from trial and error, preferably with yourself before another =)
Great article. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
It comes down to check and verify. Just type this into your computer “I am a Social Media Expert” BOOM now everybody can read you are a Social Media “Expert”. But are you? How many followers does your Twitter Account show? Who do responds to the tweets? How many times are the tweets retweeted? Check and verify
Great article