There are no magic bullets in social media

by Joe Spake on August 2, 2009


charlie chan2 There are no magic bullets in social media

Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan

Man who utilize magic bullet often shoot self in foot

My apologies to Charlie Chan creator and writer, Earl Derr Biggers .  I am working my way through the long series of well-done, and timeless  mysteries on Netflix, and Charlie may have said that in one of them.

With all the social media experts, gurus, evangalists and visionaries out there, it stands to reason that everone else wants to be one too.  The experts are in my Facebook news stream offering webinars and e-books on how to get rich quick through Social Media.  Most of  my new followers on Twitter tout their get rich through Twitter schemes and expect me to follow them back, along with their 35,000 other followers. There seem to be plenty of folks out there willing to prey on our fatal attraction to  SOMETHING FOR NOTHING (or for a low, low one-day-only special value price + shipping and handling)

There is no magic bullet for putting social media to work for you, whether in your business or in your personal interactions.  It’s funny- the the interruption marketers are so attracted to  media that is SO permission marketing oriented.  It’s all in the numbers, I guess:  annoy 10,000 to get one sale, and so the spam juggernaut rolls on.  We are a people much more concerned with Result, rather than  Process.  And that is how social media is changing our values.  It’s all about the process.

Here is a 9 word magic bullet for business success with social media.  [Actually 3, 3 word phrases] And it’s absolutely free:

Participation is Marketing – Geoff Livingston
Markets are Conversations – Cluetrain
You Engaging Others (YEO) – Jeff Turner

The idea for this post came from a post by Matt Stigliano, on the Agent Genius Blog, and the comment exchange that followed.

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There are no magic bullets in social media
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About

Joe Spake is a Memphis-based Consultant, Real Estate Broker, and Social Media Networker. He blogs at Joe Spake’s Weblog and Memphis Real Estate Buzz and is a regular contributor at Social Web Learning.
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Tagged as: Blogging, charlie chan, interruption marketing, permission marketing, spam, web 2.0

  • http://www.lngjewelry.com/ Earrings

    Great article . Will definitely apply it to my blog.Thanks.

  • http://www.lngjewelry.com/ Earrings

    Great article . Will definitely apply it to my blog.Thanks.

  • http://www.lngjewelry.com/ Earrings

    Great article . Will definitely apply it to my blog.Thanks.

  • http://twitter.com/memphisRLST8/statuses/3098745519 memphisRLST8 (Memphis Real Est

    Twitter Comment


    From the RE.net – Man who utilize magic bullet often shoot self in foot | Joe Spake’s Weblog: W.. [link to post] – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/memphisRLST8/statuses/3098745519 memphisRLST8 (Memphis Real Est

    Twitter Comment


    From the RE.net – Man who utilize magic bullet often shoot self in foot | Joe Spake’s Weblog: W.. [link to post] – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/memphisRLST8/statuses/3098745519 memphisRLST8 (Memphis Real Estate)

    Twitter Comment


    From the RE.net – Man who utilize magic bullet often shoot self in foot | Joe Spake’s Weblog: W.. [link to post]

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • Pingback: Daily summary of real estate news, tweets and Memphis comments – August 3rd, 8:16am | Memphis Real Estate Buzz

  • http://www.rerockstar.com Matt Stigliano – @rerockstar

    Thanks for the mention. I enjoyed the conversation on my post and as you know, it’s something that fascinates me and drives me nuts at the same time. I see a lot of people (agents) try the spam-like marketing techniques on places like Twitter that are gone before they even get started. Why? Because they didn’t see the value in it. They tried for 10 minutes, collected 1,000 followers, and didn’t sell a thing.

    I really think the ROI (return on investment) of social media needs to be viewed in new ways. I don’t think it can be quantified in the ways that we’re used to and because of that, many people will say it’s all a waste of time, while those of us employing it with out the “results” minded brain in full effect, will see the value in it, even if it doesn’t come overnight.

  • http://www.rerockstar.com Matt Stigliano – @rerockstar

    Thanks for the mention. I enjoyed the conversation on my post and as you know, it’s something that fascinates me and drives me nuts at the same time. I see a lot of people (agents) try the spam-like marketing techniques on places like Twitter that are gone before they even get started. Why? Because they didn’t see the value in it. They tried for 10 minutes, collected 1,000 followers, and didn’t sell a thing.

    I really think the ROI (return on investment) of social media needs to be viewed in new ways. I don’t think it can be quantified in the ways that we’re used to and because of that, many people will say it’s all a waste of time, while those of us employing it with out the “results” minded brain in full effect, will see the value in it, even if it doesn’t come overnight.

  • http://www.rerockstar.com Matt Stigliano

    Thanks for the mention. I enjoyed the conversation on my post and as you know, it’s something that fascinates me and drives me nuts at the same time. I see a lot of people (agents) try the spam-like marketing techniques on places like Twitter that are gone before they even get started. Why? Because they didn’t see the value in it. They tried for 10 minutes, collected 1,000 followers, and didn’t sell a thing.

    I really think the ROI (return on investment) of social media needs to be viewed in new ways. I don’t think it can be quantified in the ways that we’re used to and because of that, many people will say it’s all a waste of time, while those of us employing it with out the “results” minded brain in full effect, will see the value in it, even if it doesn’t come overnight.

  • http://twitter.com/joespake/statuses/4567333786 joespake (Joe Spake)

    Twitter Comment


    @doverbey a post from august 2 [link to post] – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/joespake/statuses/4567333786 joespake (Joe Spake)

    Twitter Comment


    @doverbey a post from august 2 [link to post]

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/doverbey/statuses/4567421959 doverbey (Derek Overbey)

    Twitter Comment


    @joespake Pure awesome Joe! Great stuff. [link to post] – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/doverbey/statuses/4567421959 doverbey (Derek Overbey)

    Twitter Comment


    @joespake Pure awesome Joe! Great stuff. [link to post]

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/topbrokeroc/statuses/4567513589 topbrokeroc (Bob Watson)

    Twitter Comment


    I second the awesomeness of Joe’s post-short, sweet, to the point RT @doverbey: @joespake Pure awesome Joe! Great stuff. [link to post] – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/topbrokeroc/statuses/4567513589 topbrokeroc (Bob Watson)

    Twitter Comment


    I second the awesomeness of Joe’s post-short, sweet, to the point RT @doverbey: @joespake Pure awesome Joe! Great stuff. [link to post] – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/topbrokeroc/statuses/4567513589 topbrokeroc (Bob Watson)

    Twitter Comment


    I second the awesomeness of Joe’s post-short, sweet, to the point RT @doverbey: @joespake Pure awesome Joe! Great stuff. [link to post]

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://www.SanDiegoLifestyle.info/ Jeffrey Douglass

    Joe, Darn I thought there was some kinda magic bullet for SM. Ha, just kidding, stumbled across you from Twitter and enjoyed the post. Make it what you will, it really is about the process and it’s a whole bunch of fun! Keep up the good work, got you on my RSS feed.

  • http://www.SanDiegoLifestyle.info Jeffrey Douglass

    Joe, Darn I thought there was some kinda magic bullet for SM. Ha, just kidding, stumbled across you from Twitter and enjoyed the post. Make it what you will, it really is about the process and it’s a whole bunch of fun! Keep up the good work, got you on my RSS feed.

  • http://spake.com/ Joe Spake

    Thanks, Jeffrey. Beware of the ammunition dealers.

  • http://spake.com/ Joe Spake

    Thanks, Jeffrey. Beware of the ammunition dealers.

  • http://spake.com Joe Spake

    Thanks, Jeffrey. Beware of the ammunition dealers.

  • http://twitter.com/joespake/statuses/4572483025 joespake (Joe Spake)

    Twitter Comment


    @mattdollinger You might like this [link to post] – Posted using Chat Catcher

  • http://twitter.com/joespake/statuses/4572483025 joespake (Joe Spake)

    Twitter Comment


    @mattdollinger You might like this [link to post]

    – Posted using Chat Catcher

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