Every Performance was Perfect - Why Not Me?
At the end of the day, you evaluate. You studied hard, practiced, trained, and had the very best execution. Perfect in every way, you say the right words, look perfect and there is nothing you would change. The website is attractive and the packaging is glorious (from your viewpoint). The offer is astounding and the feedback from your friends and associates is "go for it". Everything is perfect and you strut confidently knowing that you are "the one and only".
The next day. The final verdict is that no one felt compelled to buy even with such perfection available.
American Idol ended the show tonight with a young lady who thought her performance was perfect. "Why did I get cut? It is not fair. This is my whole life, it doesn't make sense. This is so confusing. I should not have been cut." She did not stop expressing her sadness and how amazing she thought she was.
If you are like the young lady who was cut on American Idol and bared her soul with tears in front of millions of people, you may be perfect and sad in your perfection. Everyone is stupid or uninformed, otherwise they would take advantage of your perfection and buy.
Enter social media tools. The new culture offers opportunity for any small business owner to have more feedback about ideas, appearance and their "perfection".
For years before the Internet there was a hunger by small business owners to know what buyers are thinking and feeling so that better decisions can be made before delivering products or services.
With social media tools at the ready, most are thinking about how to broadcast, talk, brag, automate, stream, publish and create a buzz.
What remains missing for small businesses is using the same social media tools to listen, ask questions, take polls, ask for opinions and feedback BEFORE moving to the final stage of delivery.
- "I don't know how to use Twitter" - Use Twitter so search for words, phrases and brands to listen.
- "Facebook isn't my best tool for marketing." - This may be true but people still talk and share the good & bad within the personalized platform.
- "LinkedIn is not applicable to my business." - And yet there is a person behind every profile and many who will share a comment about a product, frustration or possibly share a referral.
Perfect and sad entrepreneurs with low sales may find it helpful to stop and listen. The tools are available and many more coming. Here are a few which will help you evaluate and monitor social media:
www.klout.com - www.socialoomph.com - www.postrank.com - www.socialmention.com - www.tweetgrader.com - www.google.com/alerts
If the FBI and DHS and other government agencies can take advantage of monitoring social media, so can small businesses. Here are headlines from today:
The option I prefer for listening first to achieve satisfaction is Hubspot.
Hubspot software offers a monitoring system which is built into the software. "Social Media Prospects" tool lets you monitor, listen and respond to those who are talking about the subject matter you are interested in, industry, brand, or even your competitors.
Here is a screen shot of the Social Media Prospect tool built into Hubspot:
Irony about perfection:
Diamonds are not perfect and yet they are valued much more than cubic zirconia. The average person probably could not tell the difference between the two. Cubic zirconia is man made with no flaws...it is "perfect". In this case most prefer flawed products over perfect.
Entrepreneur who only listens to the sound of their own voice can perceive perfection at will. "Perfection" may not be what is needed. Meeting the need and expectation of those in need can be a better answer.
To know expectations, use the social media tools to listen and connect BEFORE you give yourself the stamp of perfection.
