I specialise in social media where most others don’t. Perhaps it’s a bit mean to say ‘most’, but it seems that lots of ‘experts’ do social media along with a host of other things…IT, PA services, PR, Web Design, Marketing, Adwords…all of which are important, but experts don’t do lots of things they do just one thing and they do it well.
If you had to go to hospital for an operation would you like to hear the surgeon tell you that he also serviced BMWs and was a qualified IFA? Probably not!
You need only look at most “expert’s” social media presence – tiny audiences, little or no content, no engagement – should these people really be advising you on and teaching you how to use these tools?
To be an expert in any area you need to be a specialist and you need to immerse yourself in it and you need to use it effectively yourself. That is exactly what I do. I spend all of my time when I’m not working with clients and audiences reading about the subject, using the various platforms, learning about changes and examining solutions to the problems that you’re going to face.
My expertise and experience in this field is the reason that Pearson (the world’s largest publisher) approached me to write for them as part of their “Brilliant” series of guides – helping businesses implement social media across the organisation. “Brilliant Social Media” will be available in bookshops from August 2013.
But success in social media isn’t about me, it’s about you and your commitment to it.
I won’t tweet for you because I’m not the voice of your business, you are. I will however teach you how to do it and do it well because it’s you that needs to forge the relationships with your customers, not me. Ask yourself if I should take your best sales prospect out for dinner? Of course not, you should.
Social Media is no different to that dinner, it’s an opportunity for you to have those relationship building conversations, efficiently and with many many people, but it has to be you (or your organisation) having those conversations. Anyone who says otherwise either hasn’t understood how social media really works or is trying to sell you a retainer service rather than a benefit to your business!
I believe in straight talking and if I don’t think that social media is right for your business at the moment, I’ll tell you. I will be honest with you about the amount of effort you’re going to have to put int and how quickly you will get a return on your investment. I’ve worked with enough organisations to know that good intentions and good results aren’t the same thing – I can usually offer a series of solutions to getting social media adopted throughout your organisation even if there is some resistance.
Then I will show you how to hone your presence so you can be as good as possible. Then it’s down to you, of course I will be there to support and advise if you get stuck, but the great thing about social media is that you don’t have to keep paying agency or consultant fees month after month…
So, what exactly does Adam Gray do? He’s a social media consultant click here to see what that entails.
Away from the world of social media I am a keen acoustic guitarist and enjoy mountain biking (odd given that I live in Suffolk which has no hills!) but most of all spending time with my family.