A Success Story
You should start thinking about what you expect from your social media consultant. Will they just bring you more fans, or will they reach further and tap into more revenue for the business? You should expect and communicate exactly what you want. Both are possible.
The American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) embarked on social media in fall 2010. Like many businesses, they were at first reluctant to get involved with social media, but they also knew they needed to get up-to-date to stay ahead of their competitors. They were contemplating starting a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a LinkedIn group, and several others, but they weren’t sure how to move forward.
They conducted some research to find a social media consultant who was known and trusted in the fields of health care and associations.
After many interviews, they found a match. It was our author, John Zimmerman. John and the AAMA embarked on social media and marketing planning and finally decided to focus on launching a Facebook page.
By working with a social media consultant, as of October 2011, the AAMA gained more than 13,000 active Facebook fans. These fans not only created a space for conversations, but the overall membership for AAMA increased by several thousand members.
The Least You Need to Know
• Working with a social media consultant can take your Facebook campaign to new levels.
• Consulting starts at a few thousand dollars and may even exceed $100,000.
• When deciding on a social media consultant or agency, take the time to find people who can speak honestly and openly about having worked with the company in the past.
• A social media consultant can be instrumental in getting the right influencers on board with your social media program.