The practice of Social media offers great appeal as a complementary business communications strategy. However, without a clear purpose and a genuine desire to build customer relationships, social media may not never materialize into the desired business benefits. To ensure Brands practice social media for maximum mutual benefit between business and customer, reflection is an ongoing needed process.

1. The Social Web requires the continual reflection of purposeful participation, engagement and
intent. Reflection should go well beyond the ‘what’ a Brand may be doing and should also heavily
Social Media Audits reflect on the ‘why’. It is only then that a Brand can truly execute at a level to reap the key
Reflection – A needed investment underlying social benefits for cultivating, reinforcing and engaging with the communities it aims to
serve.
Savvy Brands understand that social media offers much more than a new broadcast and
promotion medium for a Brand, products or services. Successful social media Brands view the
medium as an opportunity. An opportunity to become fully engaged and immersed with
consumers to build an open dialogue for mutual benefit – a dialogue that has never before really
been possible via traditional business communications. These social savvy Brands are not afraid
to listen and then engage with their customers. And they welcome the opportunity to continuously
experiment to define ‘best practices’ for greater community involvement.
This seems like a very simple premise, but all too often Brands are quick to overlook the
underpinning real value associated with social media. The less astute frequently make the mistake
of being overtly self promotional with little regard to building an open, two-way dialogue between
Brand and consumer. As a result, Brands who do not sincerely have a desire to cultivate
relationships with its customers may never realize flourishing communities. And -- ultimately the
Brand loses by not capitalizing on the opportunity to embrace its customers at a deeper, more
personal level for greater business benefit.
It is with this simple premise that constant reflection becomes a critical component for
participating and practicing social media. Reflection offers periodic, self imposed reviews that help
to avoid common pitfalls of being overly self indulgent. It ensures there is a mechanism in place to
keep Brands on course with viable and sustainable social media roadmaps. At times, it may be
simple or complex. It may be an independent, complementary or comprehensive review process.
And it may be done as often that it may be justified or required – based on individual Brand needs.
But in all cases, reflection needs to be part of the social media mix. Continual reflection is an
investment. A critical investment in the overall practice of social media that guarantees a Brand
operates from a position of strength in the social media sphere of influence.
For more information, contact: Daniel McKean . danielmckean@gmail.com . (949) 338-4762