The Only Thing to Fear (in social media) is Fear Itself

I agree with much of what PR blogger David Goldberg has to say in his recent post, The Reluctant Social Media-er. In it, he combs through the new PR Week’s 2009 Social Media Survey to find the most significant outcomes.The survey measures just how pervasive social media has (or hasn’t) become among companies as a marketing communications tool.

I read his comments with an eye toward what small businesses could learn from the data. I applaud his approach. Instead of a finger-wagging at entrepreneurs, solo practitioners and small business owners –already way over-stretched for dollars not to mention time — for not adopting these often mind-numbing technologies overnight — he urges patience and a realistic one-step-at-a-time approach. Just my kind of guy.

In response to the #1 reason (lack of time) that 53% of the responding companies do not use social media he counsels:

“…….getting started with, and stewarding a social media program doesn’t really require much time or energy, at least as compared to some of the other grueling, time-sucking things we marketers do. Suggestion: start slow and small. Try, learn, try more. In the case of social media knowledge is definitely a good thing. But you don’t have to be a social media guru to achieve success (despite what the many social media gurus out there would have you believe). It’s like deciding to try sailing but thinking the only way you can is to go out and buy a 53 footer and sail across the Atlantic. Try dinghy sailing first, then step it up. (The emphasis is mine).

And he concludes (and I couldn’t have said it better myself) with an uber-answer to all who express reluctance to using social media:

“Again, there are many reasons not to get involved in social media, but your reputation is everything and any tool that helps you adeptly manage it blows them all away.”

Way to go, Dave!