Free Tools. Free Puppies?

So, you brought home that cute, cuddly “free” puppy.

Its presence and overall endearing qualities were just too much to pass up.

Plus, it was free. Or so you thought.

Now what?  That puppy just landed in your “house”, and you have no plan.  No food, no water bowl, no toys, no idea how many times it must relieve itself, and to what times of the day it needs the most attention.  And the yard clean up!  Why is it barking all the time?

Suddenly, “free” is not so great.  And you have no plan.

Social tools and the correct implementation of these tools into your organization must start with a plan. No different than traditional marketing.  You  set objectives, lay out a plan, and identify the right tools for the job.  But is this what you are hearing within your organization?

“We’re going to do social media marketing”.

“We need to be on Facebook!”

“Our company has to go social.”

Because these tools are “free”, what typically transpires is a baseless desire to use certain tools, with no relation at all to your overall marketing strategy.  And now, what you have on your hands is a very large, very needy, and very noisy “kennel”.  Woof.