Mom was right about a lot of things, including the dangers of succumbing to peer pressure. Don’t let social media hype legislate your marketing strategy.

Feel like you’re the last company on earth that doesn’t have a Facebook page and an admiring throng of followers on Twitter? You’re not. And you shouldn’t feel guilty about that. Not all businesses benefit from implementing a social media campaign. It’s time and money wasted for many. Besides, social media and their myriad online venues are ever-changing. The hype and the options have accelerated so fast we’re all scrambling to learn what works and how it benefits us.

Not a Panacea

Some companies have had modest-to-wildly successful forays into social marketing, but there are also a lot of businesspeople sitting around on Sunday night sweating their Monday morning blog topic. The smart thing to do is evaluate your need for social media involvement as carefully as you consider any company initiative that will require specialized talent and expenses. Remember you’ll have to cut or reduce other marketing programs to introduce this new direction.

Social media may not be a good fit for you if…

…your customers aren’t using social media. Do your customers regularly check Facebook or use YouTube and Pinterest? Older customers, many professionals, business owners and some other demographic groups simply don’t spend much time with social media.

…your business is referral-based. For businesses like medical specialties, attorneys and professional consultants, referrals from peers and associates may provide most new customers and clients. Being active on LinkedIn or participating in professional associations may be all the social media presence you need.

…your company sells big-ticket or seasonal products. HVAC companies, appliance retailers, wholesale B2B businesses and vendors of other pricey items may not see significant results from social media buzz. Website marketing using effective SEO may be their most effective strategy.

…your marketing budget is limited. Assess your current marketing efforts. If they’re doing the job well, you may already be on the right path. Investing in a website update or improving other marketing strategies may provide better ROI. …you don’t have time. Social media marketing takes time and resources on a continuing basis. If you and your staff are already overbooked, adding responsibilities may be impossible.

…you’re just uncomfortable with the concept. You know your business and its customers best. If you’re not convinced that social media is the right answer, you may be right. Effective social media marketing requires enthusiasm.

Don’t Jump Off a Cliff Just Because

When the constant drumbeat of social media hype makes you question your current level of involvement, hang tough. Ask yourself what’s your projected ROI? Who will do the work and can they? Will the service still be viable in two years? If you can’t make a case for it, skip the guilt and put your time and skills to work fine-tuning your current marketing strategy. Social media marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. If email is your social tool of choice, that’s awesome and…it’s OK. Yes, email still counts as one of the original social media tools. As long as you’re communicating on a regular basis somehow with your clients, it counts. It’s about clear communication, not just because it’s the thing to do after all. It’s about helping people do their work better because you’ve helped them in some way understand something they didn’t before. That’s the real power of being social.