The Three "P's"

I had a conversation a couple of weeks ago with an oral surgeon. He was asking my thoughts on social media marketing for his industry.
"What do you think?" I asked.
"I don't really see the value in it other than as a necessary evil," he said.

I was a bit perplexed by his response. Don't see the value? A necessary evil? I guess I don't "get" that he doesn't understand the value of social media. Quite frankly, it's like training a dog. Some people view dog training as a necessary evil and some people view dog training as the key to a long-lasting and happy life.

The keys to social media, as with dog training, are patience, persistence, and positivism. Yes, I know "positivism" technically is not a word; however, it fits with my "three P's to success" mentality. It is a simple and straight-forward approach to achieving success in life - K.I.S.S. - if you will. Keep It Simple, Sweetie. Figure out what you want to do, write down your plan (I suggest a business and a marketing plan), and start working to achieve that goal.

Social media in the form of Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest should be a key component of your plan. But don't set yourself up for failure and disappointment by expecting too much too soon. It takes time to see results from social media. And when I say it takes time, I mean you should anticipate at least a year before you really start seeing and measuring results. Patience, persistence, and positivism are essential to your success with social media.