I've just seen somebody ask a question on Linkedin "has anybody had any experience of winning business through social?"

There are then a whole number of comments like "it's grown my network and I get speaker gigs" but that does not answer the question.

You cannot take a speaker gig to the bank or put a speaker gig on the table to eat.

The answers are all very random and tactical.

The reason for this is that many people treat social as "random" and "tactical".

Since day one of starting DLA dlaignite.com we have always provided to people a methodology.  Or put it another way, a strategy in which to work.  If you follow these steps you will get a strategic result.  Not "speaker gigs" but we would expect a 30% increase in incremental revenue and a 40% shortening of the sales cycle.  Now you can take that to the bank.

Increasing revenue will make an impact on Financial Performance as will shortening the sales cycle.  The more deals you can win the more money you and your company makes.

Social enables you to provide a customer experience.  Buyers are looking for information to help them make a decision.  It does not matter where they are in the buying cycle.  Just starting or just about to make a decision.

They are hungry for insight and knowledge.  If you and your employees are not on social, you are not visible then the buyers won't find you.  It's as simple as that.