If you take the time to really understand the value of social networks, and how we help weaponise companies, leadership teams and employees with an aligned 'social strategy' you will start to see tangible transformation taking place - Why?

I'm a marketing guy, over the years I have worked with a number of 'Multi-Channel' (eCommerce, Retail, SaaS) companies, global media agencies (including PR), brilliant internal teams and visionary boardrooms, as a result I have been involved in numerous re-brands, re-positioning,and when relevant re-engineering of a brand/company.

Throughout this time significant budgets & resource have been spent in that mission, that was until I took a long hard look at the declining returns from what we in the trade call 'outbound' marketing strategies.

For the record and to avoid confusion I'm not one of those 'doom-mongers' who promote the myth that advertising is dead, however I can strongly evidence that people have the ability to skip those TV adverts, Block those online ads and perform their own due diligence on me and my company in a way they never have before, ergo the landscape is shifting beneath our feet. We can either choose to keep doing what we have always done, or take the time to study & digest the facts and options.

With the growth of social media at no time in the history of the Internet has it been easier & with a relatively low cost to raise your brand profile, establish trust and integrity in your brand/company and generate sales opportunities.

• You don’t need a database (no GDPR issues).
• You don’t need to advertise. (Cost don't increase with reach)
• You don’t need a media team (all can be done with in-house talent)
• You don’t need to do outbound cold calling (less said the better)
• You don’t need to mailings (print works, but the attribution is a tad difficult)

The ability for you and your business to connect with potential prospects (vice/versa) is right in front of you & your team. 

If you focus on you & you're companies personal brand, ensuring its internally aligned with your brand & company ambitions you can start to engage in new relationships, and utilise the trust & integrity you have built up with existing clients as 'social advocates' of what you do, and most important 'why' you do it.

Yes, it takes a lot of effort, leadership & consistency. It requires you to to share what you know, why it can help your connections and deliver consistency in the messages and signals you send out..

The answer to all the above is something that’s been used for centuries, and it’s called storytelling.