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As a freelance marketer specialized in the digital space, I get asked almost on a daily basis about whether or not a business should get into social media. The problem with this question is that it is the wrong one to ask.

Let’s backtrack a bit.

If you sell a good or provide a service, you depend on clients to make a living. You need to make them interested in your good/service, answer their questions, and provide them great customer service. This is why:

• When receiving a walk-in customer, you talk with them.
• When receiving a letter from a customer, you write back.
• When receiving a phone call from a customer, you pick up the phone. If they leave you a voicemail, you call back. Heck, even some companies have to invest in a Business Phone System to be able to handle all client calls!
• When receiving an email from a customer, you email back.

The list goes on.

So, if your customers are tweeting questions like this one:

@SunCountryAir My Mother was flying from LAS to MSP and there was a mechanical issue with plane.She missed a day from work/pay for hotel

— John Gullickson (@ShortSalesLV) January 16, 2014

Why would you NOT tweet back to them? Are you crazy?

Just like you pick up the phone when a customer calls you or write back when a customer emails, you cannot ignore when your customer knocks on your door via a social media channel.

The right question to ask is:“Are our customers trying to contact through social media? If so, what are we doing to reach out to them there?” 

This is the kind of question that gets you thinking about a strategy. Notice how social media is not the heart of the matter. The focus are your customers. Once you have a strategy, you’re ready to tackle anything, be it Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or anything else.

Image Credit: Dell Inc.