I’m back from my travels. For the past few weeks, I’ve been following a pack of travel agents around Australia. (To read about the adventures, visit Ask About Australia). How did I score that gig? It’s part of my job being a social media freelancer for Ask About Travel.
One of the main questions I got asked on the trip by the other agents was “Why should I be interested in social media?”
The better question is “Why aren’t you already invested in social media?”
It’s flexible; with all the variety of social media outlets on the web, social media is the best way to reach a targeted market. Strategic communication is the fastest way to make an impact.
Speed. You can get your brand to the right publics in a matter of seconds. Providing you with quick results necessary to survive in the business world.
Two-way communication. Social media allows the best communication with customers. Through connecting with them on social media, you are better able to understand their needs and wants; therefore, you get an edge on your competitor.
“But my clients are older. They like paper documents and coming in to book travel.”
Sure. However, the older generations are increasingly becoming more social media savvy. Ivy Bean appeared on many news stations around the world as “The World’s Oldest Tweeter” at the ripe age of 104. Twitter’s demographics found most of its users are 45-54 year olds, and Facebook is no longer limited to the playground of college kids with parents, professors, and employers “friend”-ing undergrads every day.
Also, shouldn’t you be looking for new clients? Sure, there are a lot of baby boomers out there, but you should also focus on their kids. Isn’t one of the staples of business to keep expanding? The next generation is going to be your clients tomorrow….if you can capture their attention (we are rather prone to ADD). The best place to find them is in their native environment: the internet.
The most important thing is to know is that social media is just going to keep growing and expanding. It is not a fad. You’re either going to have to embrace it, or be left behind in the dust. For example, you will not be taken seriously if your business does not have a website in today’s world….in a few years, that may change to: you won’t be taken seriously if you don’t have a posterous. Scoff if you must, but we are on the verge of a revolution:
