We Are Not Saying We Told You So

• Apr 28th, 2009
• Posted by Cody Goins
• Posted in Facebook, Social Media, Social Media Case Study, Spring Creek Group, Twitter

We here at Spring Creek Group may have occasionally mentioned that enlisting the assistance of an experienced team of social media experts prior to jumping into a social media marketing campaign is unquestionably a good idea.  However, at the risk of seeming redundant, this latest article from Marketing Sherpa is certainly a must-read for those companies thinking of taking the social media plunge without proper experience in the space. 

In the Marketing Sherpa piece, they discuss their recent survey findings which show that two-thirds of marketers who have not used any form of social media marketing consider themselves to be “very knowledgeable” or “somewhat knowledgeable” about social media.   

A blind assumption like this is most certainly not a recipe for success in social media.  This line of thinking is analogous to thinking that having watched several football games means that you are now a Pro Bowl quarterback.  Simply being aware of the space and having the skills and experience to successfully navigate the space are two different things.

It’s not hard to find examples of companies that have either entered the space ill-prepared, weren’t equipped to deal with a social media backlash, or could have quickly put out some fires if they had used available social media channels properly.   This is why the experience of an agency well-versed in the social media ecosystem (ahem) can be an invaluable asset for any company looking into social media marketing.

On that note, here’s our favorite part of the Marketing Sherpa article:

“A better approach to adopting this strategy is to seek the advice of an agency or consultant specializing in social media if no one within your organization has proven experience.  These experts understand what works and what doesn’t in social media. They can help you plan an effective strategy, train your internal resources and supplement your staff with the specialized skills needed to execute social media programs successfully.”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.