You don't need a social media strategy

While in Cape Town for the World Cup I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Chris Kirubi, Chairman of Coca Cola Nairobi - he's smart, witty and very forward thinking. 

We talked about my internet background and the conversation eventually moved to social media, which is growing throughout the upper middle class in Africa.  When I asked him what his social media strategy was, his answer surprised me: 

"You don't need a social media strategy - You need a brand strategy that leverages social media.  Don't get off the brand strategy just because there's a new communications channel, that's how you lose the plot as a brand.  Technology is the tail, not the dog." 

Wow.  He's spot on.  I saw this back in '97 when companies had to quickly create an "internet strategy," often wasting tons of money on agencies, consultants and painful meetings.  What they eventually realized, was that they needed to integrate this new communications channel in their brand promise/fulfillment approach to their customers.  Those that did, succeeded wildly in the coming years.  

So here's the takeaway: Don't let social media glam you out, causing you to waste time and money on 'keeping up' - Confirm your brand promise and how you fulfill it, and find ways that social media can complement it.  Just ask @chrisbrogan, it's about being human, not techy.  

NOTE: This is the most retweeted post I've ever had in my blog's history.  Some agree, many social media consultants make clarifications, and my mind races to extend this idea into a useful tactic for brand. See Part 2 of this post for much more.  

Read my previous postings on Social Media 

Who am I? Author of Love Is The Killer App 

Comments

[Industrial Step Ladders]

I think we need the social media strategies to grow our business all over the world. It helpful to get a customer and client to our business easily.

[Colorado fishing reports]

In these social media strategy it provide less work with fast and instant effective work. Amazing post on social media strategy and brand strategy. Keep posting :)

[Dillon Microbrews]

Totally agree! But I'd recommend that while you need a brand strategy, even more important are an engagement strategy, influence strategy and activation strategy!

[Spa Breckenridge]

I am just now seeing your blog. Thanks for getting this discussion up and running...it has been an eye opener to read the comments. And I definitely agree, that an engagement strategy is imperative for the growth of any brand or business as a whole.

[Breckenridge SEO]

Social media isn't about technology. It's also not a channel. It's not just about marketing or branding. The potential is to touch every part of your business. I also try to do lots of things and analysis over the social media site like facebook or twitter.

[Decking Supplies adelaide]

I love the social media strategies to increase the business strategies. I also try to do lots of things and analysis over the social media site like facebook or twitter.

[Tauno Narjus]

Social media strategy are really helpful specially if you know how to manage it,in Helsinki Finland internet marketing and social media is called a power tools and using wisely their is strategies is one of their key.

[LOGIN]

That's very amazing talk regarding the social media strategy. I always try to brand the product and services by giving them some exciting offer over the social media site or youtube channel. Try to be more web presence so that it will generate more customer and client to the business.

[Business Strategy Wilmslow]

Great thinking from Chris Kirubi and he is spot on. If you can build your brand up enough and people are aware of it, then they will take care of the social media side of things. After all, that is what social media is, people talking to each other about the things that interest them. The problem is making your brand strong enough for it to filter into their natural conversations.

[Internet Marketing]

I mostly prefer to use the social media strategy. Yes Brand Strategy also work it have many process. In these social media strategy it provide less work with fast and instant effective work. Amazing post on social media strategy and brand strategy. Keep posting :)

[business intelligence]

I get some information about the Brand Strategy. It is good concept to be get your product at the people around them. In 97 about some what company has been doing the internet strategy which help them to save a lot money at the consultant.

[Chris Kirubi]

Hey Tim,
I am just now seeing your blog. Thanks for getting this discussion up and running...it has been an eye opener to read the comments. And I definitely agree, that an engagement strategy is imperative for the growth of any brand or business as a whole.

[Weave]

Totally agree! But I'd recommend that while you need a brand strategy, even more important are an engagement strategy, influence strategy and activation strategy!

http://j.mp/udontneedno

:)

- eric

[Tim Sanders]

Michele -

I believe that you need to understand how social media impacts your brand strategy - but it doesn't require a second layer of strategy, just a coordination of tactics against the bigger picture (which MUST be the brand, not the channel).

I'm not advocating jumping in with social media tactics, on the other hand, I'm recommending that all media types must be subservient to an over arching strategy. Just like any business tactic must serve the company's vision and mission.

Multiple missions equal train wrecks and strategy proliferation equals a de-focus on brand in favor of next-big-thing-think. With the millions of people quitting Facebook and Tweeting in 2010, we must remember that brand is here to stay and not vice versa.

[Michele Price]

Yes, while your brand strategy is the basis of your business, too many offline businesses just jump into "Social Media" with NO strategy. So I like to present it in context.

You want to have a strategy with your social media. How it will play across the entire organization, as well as how it is directed at helping you communicate your brand message.

So integration and change always needs to come from the big picture as well as actions points-hence social media strategy.

Love that more people are seeing the value and applications.

[Wolfgang Luenenbuerger]

Yes, it's true - although this does not mean you do not need to spend brain and time to exactly do this: find ways to leverage social media within your brand strategy. My feeling is that this might be the reason why "social media consultants" fail most times: it needs deeper strategic thinking and understanding to work with brands and companies on their way into social media. At least if this way should fit into the overall communications/ sales/ brand strategy.
But: Social media is not just a tool. It's a change in communication habbits on the consumer side. And not understanding what this might mean for your strategy/ business would not be successful neither.

[Gavin Heaton]

I'd agree except I'd also take it further. Social media isn't about technology. It's also not a channel. It's not just about marketing or branding. The potential is to touch every part of your business.

So do you need a social media strategy? Maybe not. But you need to think about what has changed for your customers, partners and employees. If you are still delivering them value, then stay as you are. If not, reconsider your BUSINESS strategy and see where social amplifies or extends it.

[Andrés Rodríguez]

CLEAR... very clear... Brand Strategy is all you need. Social media is just a tactic of the full strategy

[Katie Ingraham]

Wow, if only more brands understood this. What a great way of putting things into perspective.

[wojtek]

Brilliance often lies in simplicity, we don't need more strategy, we need less, more focused one.

[Christopher Masiello]

Brilliant! I'm glad somebody said it in a manner that is easy to grasp.
The whole idea is to communicate your pitch and hear back from people.
Social media is a TOOL in this process, not the whole process.
Mail, email, print, radio, tv, and online ads too.
More than any of these things, you need a story.and ears