Should you engage in the rage? During the last decade the experience economy has blossomed, and consumers have changed. People actively seek brands to help them identify who they are and what they stand for, much like earlier generations looked to religion or social clubs. And with the rise of on‐line social media, something intimidating has happened ‐ Brand control is now in the hands of your consumer. Why does this matter, because prospects trust consumers more than they trust you?

Before you entertain the idea of implementing a social media strategy, it is in your best interest to consider a few requirements.

Are your consumers on‐line?
Is your company open to negative feedback, and are you willing to engage with it?
Can you afford to incorporate social media marketing into employee’s daily jobs?
Are you capable of measuring results?
Are you willing to take risks and experiment?
Does the social web relate to the marketing principals, tactics, tools and best practices of your brand?

Now let’s say you meet these requirements and pursue the implementation of a social media strategy. Before you get too far, decide where you are going and how you are going to get there. Then, establish a benchmark for  understanding when you have arrived.

Stellar strategies begin with thoughtful questions:
Who’s your audience? What types of social networks do they use and how do they communicate with one another?

What are the objectives and goals for your brand? Potential goals include: customer acquisition, lead generation, driving sales, building awareness, establishing thought leadership, customer education and reaching new channels of customers.

Now it’s time to think about your strategic plan. What approach will you take to meet the needs and interests of your audience in order to meet your own? Will you engage influencers? Will you energize brand advocates? How will you create demand? Are there non‐branded resources you could offer?

What tactics will you use to implement your plan? What tools and technologies will you use to effectively monitor your plan? How will you measure success according to the objectives you have identified?

Common social media tools:
FaceBook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Plaxo.

Common social media tactics:
Blogging, micro blogging, social networks, videos and forums.

The best combination for a successful social media strategy depends on your goals. The key is to plan ahead. A solid social media strategy includes the right mix of social media tools, tactics and technologies that allow for measured results. Take time to create a detailed roadmap with your goals in mind. At the end of the day, success breeds from a well thought out plan.

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Written by Sandra Wright, one of RocketDog’s “Officers of New Frontiers”.
Originally published in Media, Inc. June 2009