Whoa, how did that happen?
One morning I woke up and the whole online world was talking about Pinterest – a relatively new, but super-popular social media platform. Reputable blogs were reporting that Pinterest was now driving more traffic to than Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube combined. Some of my mentors and colleagues were falling in love with it… and reporting a sizable increase in their email list opt-ins as a direct result of their strategic use of Pinterest.
But all I can think is, “Nooooooo! No! No! No! Please, God, no more social media platforms. I beg of you!”
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love social media. Especially the old Facebook and Twitter. And I know the value of social media when it comes to connecting with others who can either help build your business or become a new client or fan. Both my personal life and my business have changed dramatically because of social media.
And I DO have a Pinterest account because.. well, I had to check it out and see what all the buzz was about. It’s my job, right? (And I have to say, I can see why people like it, but it doesn’t really turn me on).
But the primary reasons I am begging you to say NO! to Pinterest are as follows:
You’ve Got More Important Work To Do
Whether it’s Pinterest or some other new fangled Internet trend, it is sure to be a total waste of your time unless you’ve already nailed down your marketing basics. Like, your marketing message, your overall marketing strategy and daily, weekly, monthly action plan. If you already have a website that is working for you, an email marketing and stay-in-touch system that is converting and a fabulous free offer that is increasing the size of your email list by 20% every month, then sure! Go crazy on Pinterest.
But if you haven’t mastered the basics of Internet marketing and social media, Pinterest may keep you pleasantly distracted, but it’s not going to help you build your business. And it will suck away at the time and creative energy you need to be mastering those basics.
In other words, don’t print the posters until you’ve booked the band. This is true for any social media platform. If you are going to use social media to drive people to your website, build your email list and sell more stuff, you better be sure to your website is fully optimized and sticky enough to hold that traffic when it arrives. In other words…
First Things First
I know entrepreneurs who haven’t nailed down their ideal client profile who are skipping off to pin images on Pinterest. Why? Because pinning images is a hell of a lot easier than crafting a killer message. Or writing your next e-newsletter. Or creating the copy for your sales page. Or working your overall marketing strategy.
But those are the things that will grow your business! Those are the things you must have in place in order to attract clients and make money! Pinterest, or any other social media platform for that matter, will not have any significant benefit to your business until you get down and do this basic marketing work first.
Master One Before You Move On
What social media platforms are you already using? And how are they working for you? Do you feel like you’ve maxed out your magnetism and client-connection potential on these platforms? Is your engagement strategy so strong that you feel you can expand into another social networking opportunity?
Or are you still struggling to build a tribe on Facebook and rise above the noise on Twitter?
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t begun to maximize the networking and brand-building available on Facebook. And I know I could do a much better job of creating a better list of people to follow on Twitter. And while starting something new and trendy and relatively brainless sounds seductive, I don’t need to dilute my focus, my creative energy or my ability to serve others by adding yet another platform until I’ve mastered the ones I’m currently using.
Okay, sure, there is always a possibility that you may get better results faster on Pinterest than you are currently getting on Facebook or Twitter. And if so, and if Pinterest really sings to you, go for it. But get smart about how you use your social media time. If you go with Pinterest, you may want to let go of one of your other platforms.
It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again
The funny thing is, as soon as I joined Pinterest, I started getting messages about all the people who are following me. They are all the same people who are part of my Facebook tribe. So, do I really need to engage with them on Pinterest AND Facebook? Do I need to double up my social networking hours to simply engage with the same people I’m engaging already?
No.
So, if you are sold on Pinterest and you know you’ve just got to be there, be sure to expand your network beyond the same people you know and love on Facebook or Twitter. And…
Know Where Your Clients Are!
Are your ideal clients on Pinterest? Really? Are you sure? If so, then by all means, get your virtual butt over there! But have a strategy for engaging there. Don’t just go pin-crazy without a plan.
A colleague of mine, Kim Garst, has already written a book about how to use Pinterest strategically to build your business (dang, she’s fast!) You can check it out here: The Quick and Easy Guide to Branding Your Business and Creating Massive Sales with Pinterest may want to invest your social media time and energy there.
And one other very important thing…
Yesterday, I read a blog post by Anastasia Brice that everyone should read before they start messing with Pinterest. It’s about the Terms of Service. You know, those long legal documents none of us read before signing up. Well, Anastasia read them, called her lawyer and changed her mind about Pinterest. Read her post before you pin.
And get to work! Be sure all your marketing ducks are in order before you spend any more time pinning your life away, okay? Or let it be a fun hobby. And if you decide Pinterest is worth your social media time, have a plan! Use it strategically to attract new clients, build your list, grow your list and increase your income!
If you’ve had great experiences, or even not so great experiences, using Pinterest, share your story here by leaving a comment below. I’d love to hear what you have to say.