I know we ought to…

I’m now two weeks into life as part of the so-called “gig economy“. So far, it has been fun with lots of variation, some hard work and quite a lot of coffee drinking. I’m speaking to lots of different organisations about lots of different issues, which is a really big change from me after almost twenty years in-house. What’s really interesting though is that a lot of organisations are facing the same, or similar, issues.

For example, on four separate occasions in just the last week I have had the same conversation. Each time with small businesses and each time about social media. A variant on the same theme: “I know we ought to be doing more with social media but…..”

Sometimes it’s about not having the time. Other times it is about not knowing what to do or how to do it. Questions usually follow around which platforms to use, what content to share, who to follow and what to say. Most importantly, how to maximise their efforts for the best reward.

For some of us, social media feels like it has been part of our lives for ever. It is part of our every day and as natural as breathing. But for others it is still a confusing place; a language they just don’t understand – but they feel they should. Some people are just feeling left out and aren’t capitalising on the opportunities for connecting, learning, sharing and branding that it offers. For those of us who do use it every day this might seem strange. It is easy to say that these individuals and businesses should just get stuck in, figure it out and start getting social. But sometimes people need a little help to move beyond those vague guilty feelings of “we really ought to….” and figure out their strategy, what is (potentially) in it for them and then the practical how to.

Even people who are comfortable with the mechanics of it can need a little encouragement. One individual I spoke to this week who has broken through those first, faltering steps to become an experienced user told me this week that he initially felt like he “was bursting into the middle of a conversation between a bunch of close friends” and found it difficult to get started. Eventually he realised that people welcomed him into the discussion.

All of these conversations (and many I had while I was still in-house) are why I have set up #getsocialwithTim. As part of my (newly-independent) work, I can offer practical assistance to individuals and organisations that will help with both the strategy and the practical side of social media, designed to empower people with the confidence and the practical ability to do it for themselves in quick time.

Small businesses and independent practitioners don’t need to spend a fortune to learn to use social media. They don’t need to outsource it to someone else. They just need some straightforward, real world advice and support. Pointing in the right direction with the necessary skills. There are loads of organisations doing social well; boosting their sales and improving their customer service as a result. As an example, I often give the excellent Liverpool artisan bakery Baltic Bakehouse as an example of a company who use Twitter and Instagram to make me want to visit their venues and buy their products Every Single Day.

So if you know someone who is having the dreaded “I know we should be doing more with social media but….” crisis, then please put them in touch. We are living in the social age – it’s time to stop knowing we should do more and actually do it: I can help with that!