social media perfect planDo you dream about the perfect social media plan? The perfect social media template? Many business leaders wanting to get social dream about it.  They think they need it. The social media magic template. The one that includes the perfect strategy, tactics and themselves as the social hero of their company and social superstar of their market niche!

You know the social media template I am talking about.  The one that will help you see a positive return on investment where everything is measurable and justifiable to stakeholders. The one that will make the boss scream with delight and as a result result enable you to keep your job or even get a promotion!

The question is does the perfect social media template or strategy for your business exist?

A perfect strategy or template, well probably not! A good template and structure, yes!

Do you want the answer? Are you ready for the top 7 tips to develop a social media strategy that will make your ROI zoom?

Here ya go….

Step 1: Do your own research on how to best leverage social media to meet business goals and objectives.

Step 2: Develop a business and integrated marketing plan inclusive of goals and objectives. Be sure to focus clearly on your target market segments with a goal of knowing them and getting in their head the best you possibly can.

Step 3: If you don't have the skills and knowledge of social media internally, hire the agency or consultant to help you integrate social media into your business. Be sure that they understand integrated marketing, the importance of setting goals and objectives and can help you develop and execute a plan to meet yours! Refuse to accept a list of random acts of social media (RAMs). If the plan is not integrated then the RAMs will eat your ROI for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Step 4: Integrate social media into your business plan with a focus on leveraging social media to support biz goals and objectives. Your business plan may need to be adjusted based upon your new findings and research of the social media landscape.

Step 5: Develop an integrated social media strategy, approach and plan that best supports your business goals and objectives.

Step 6: Execute the integrated marketing, social media and business plan.

Step 7: Continuously analyze, measure and refine your approach, strategies and tactics based upon achievement to goals and objectives.

perfect social media plan 7 stepsDo you see any theme here peeps? There is no magic blue carpet tweet ride to skies of social ROI.

The best way to see results is to get focused, integrated and execute!

I am shocked at the number of different consultants that preach one strategy over the other.

The only agency or consultant that will be able to deliver you a successful template is the one that is able to customize it to you and your business.

Quit wasting time and money searching for the magic blue carpet. Instead focus in on your audience, market, and how your business can help your future and existing clients achieve their goals. Focus on developing a business plan that provides value for your community at every turn.

Social media should be an extension of your marketing. It should be integrated into everything you do from an event to an email blast. Social media is not a band-aid for a broken business, a magic carpet to get you out of trouble.  It is simply another medium for you to communicate with a broader audience than you would be able to do otherwise. A medium that will enable you to connect with people across the globe more easily than ever before. A medium that will enable you to nurture relationships organically and keep a natural pulse on how they respond to your messages, tone and offers.

Take the time to set goals and objectives. It's business and marketing 101 peeps. Take the time to plan and get to know your audience. Invest in building real and meaningful social relationships up front and you can't go wrong.

Did you read this post and get frustrated that I didn't give you a perfect template. Sorry folks, it doesn't exist. If somebody tries to give you one, it's a hoax and you'll be taken on a carpet ride to who knows where. The purpose of this post is to communicate a point that you must do your research, take time to plan and get to know your audience. There is no short cuts that will work long term. Yes, there is smart marketing, smart social media and smart plans. Yet, they don't happen overnight. Most importantly you won't find them while taking a free magic carpet ride!

Your Turn

What are your thoughts? Have you been searching high and low for the perfect plan? Have you thought that maybe the answers are mostly within the walls of your company and in the heads of your audience? If you are a consultant or from an agency are you seeing clients willing to invest in the planning phase or are they wanting you to jump right into the tweeting and Facebooking and take them on a magic social ROI ride?

See this post syndicated on Social Media Today