Have you noticed how many social media experts have emerged in the last two years? It seems as though anyone with a background in PR or communications has become a social media whizz kid. If you have been working in marketing communications long enough, integrating new channels like Facebook and Twitter into your current marketing strategy is mostly common sense. As with any communications program, the objective is to deliver the right message to the right audience in the right way.
This is why I find it increasingly fascinating that more and more social media universities have been springing up. I have sat through a number of webinars, offering great insight and revelations as to how to harness social media for wealth and fame, only to come away scratching my head, waiting for the big revelation. Many of those offering social media nirvana were selling Ponzi schemes in another life. Social media snake oil seems to run rampant on the Web. However, there are a number of respected professionals like Paul Gillen and David Meerman Scott who do understand how to leverage social media for effective marketing and offer sound thinking with minimal hype.
So how do you decide of social media training is going to be beneficial? Social marketer Larry Brauner has a seven-question litmus test to determine if you will get what you need from a social media training program. I want to share them here for your consideration:
- What are your needs and expectations? What are you really looking for from social media? Is it about building your business, changing careers, making money? If you are clear about what you are looking to accomplish you will be better able to find the right program.
- Does the course match your needs? Once you understand your objectives, you can assess whether the curriculum is on target for you.
- Does the course justify the cost in time and money? Assess what kind of return you are looking for from social media and invest accordingly. And don’t expect a fast return. Any course that promises overnight success is snake oil.
- Do you qualify for the program? Make an honest assessment of your social media skill set, including your web skills and your strategy. Are you prepared to follow through on your social media plan?
- Are you sufficiently motivated? Effective social media programs are long-term, and require an ongoing commitment. If you are ready to run the marathon and make the commitment required to yield a return, then you may be ready. Consider the commitment carefully before moving ahead with a social marketing program.
- How qualified are the instructors? This is where you need to apply the sniff test – if the training program smells a little off, it probably is. Make sure the instructors can walk the walk as well as talk the talk, and get references.
- Can you afford to lose your investment? If the course costs more than you can afford to lose, then don’t do it. Social media is not a magic bullet and will not yield instant returns that will cover your costs.