To Be or Not to Be…Yourself
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To Be or Not to Be…Yourself
One of the benefits associated with social media marketing is the ability to connect directly with customers and clients. When people make a direct association with YOU – the person or people behind a business – it becomes more than just a mere transaction; it becomes a relationship. Unfortunately, social media consultants have long realized there are times when it’s preferable to put a little distance between yourself and clients or simply outsource a portion of your “self”. Not sure how much of yourself to put out there? There are two areas which sway people toward outsourcing all or a part of their online persona including:
1. Voice Quality – This is a tough one but it’s better to be honest about the situation up front. Not everyone has a pleasing voice. While this didn’t matter much as long as the Internet was dominated by text alone, voice is now becoming a major consideration especially for those that use viral video, webinars or POD casts. Outsourcing your voice is relatively easy; even large freelance sites now have a multitude of freelance voice professionals ready and able to work on projects as needed.
2. Written Communications – Just as not everyone has a pleasing voice, not everyone is able to write effectively. Some people find it tedious…your readers will too. Others struggle to put words on paper…it usually shows. Finally, it can be outright time consuming. Outsourcing written communications is even easier than hiring voice-overs since a professional “ghostwriter” will reflect your tone and values seamlessly. Readers will never realize it’s not you!
As the recent publicity surrounding Ashton Kutcher’s decision to outsource his Twitter account indicates, making the switch AFTER establishing a long…and very public…relationship with fans, clients or customers can lead to negative publicity. On the other hand, performed properly, an outsourced relationship is a win-win. It allows the small business owner or public persona to focus on their core responsibilities while providing interesting and important data to the public via a third-party provider.
Social media consulting agencies routinely integrate outsourced talent on behalf of clients…without the least disruption of business or communications. In fact, due to the enhanced frequently, many clients feel a closer relationship than before.
Add in the tax deductions and it’s a clear win-win!
Mike McLaughlin
Maximize Social Media, LLC
Copyright Maximize Social Media LLC 2011.
All Rights Reserved.
http://maximizesocialmedia.com/
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About the author:
Mike McLaughlin is the COO & President of America’s top social media agency for medium-sized businesses, Maximize Social Media.
* As a television producer, he was a key player on several nationally televised shows and worked side by side with celebrities such as Ed Koch, Mills Lane, and Harvey Levin.
* He also used his creative talents to support Fortune 100 companies Lockheed Martin and Publix Super Markets, as a project manager of large-scale training and communications projects.
* At Maximize Social Media, Mike supervises a team of over 200 social media professionals that provide consulting and management services to businesses in more than a dozen verticals.
* Follow Maximize Social Media on Twitter: http://twitter.com/maximizesocial
* Join the Maximize Social Media Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/MaximizeSocialMedia
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