The other day I was working with a client on their marketing campaign and realized that, even though social media marketing is drastically different than conventional marketing approaches, many marketers maintain the same mindset, which is a major downfall. Their previous social media consultant’s strategy was very one-sided, and we’re changing that.

Social media marketing is about building mutually beneficial relationships, not creating a message and shoving it down peoples’ throats. You must give before you take. Additionally, you have to fully understand your targets markets before attempting to connect with them.

To create an effective social media marketing plan, spend time learning about target markets and put research into a pretty little package. When you open the package you’ll know the right route to take, then — and only then — can a real social media marketing plan be created.