In the words of Kris Kross…”I missed the bus”

This is your friendly reminder that the bus leaving for Social Media Station is now boarding.

To all  business owners, top executives, board members, marketing and public relations gurus and those who generally like to impress their superiors…you’re hearing it directly from me:

It’s not too late to engage with your community through social media.

I can count on one hand (maybe two) the number companies who currently have a strong community built around their brand in the social world (see resources at the end of this post).

Let me disclaim: There is a HUGE difference between signing up on social media sites to update your status/profile and that of developing a RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP with your community. The trick is finding someone who “gets it.”

Once you find the person(s) who “gets” social media, your product and engaging a community, snatch them up. It will be the best investment you make. Guaranteed.

So how do you find someone who “gets” social media and your product? Go to the source.

That’s right. Search out the pioneer social media users who pimp out your product on a regular basis because they already like it and KNOW it. (If you are a social media newbie, you can Google your company name, but there are other ways to search out this information.)

REMEMBER: It’s okay if you’re not familiar with social media – I know you have customers who ARE. (I should also disclaim – make sure you verify whether or not someone is a social media pioneer…don’t select the first person you find just because they mentioned your product on Facebook.)

A real life example… This evening, I went to eat at Chipotle, so I tweeted about (on Twitter).

(Okay, am I giving credibility to the microblogging stereotype that all we do is talk about what we eat?)

Within five minutes, I received a response that others were now going to get a meal there. Then, the magic started, one of my followers, Stacy Brice, wanted to know whether or not Chipotle was on Twitter, so I gave them a shout out. And, much as I expected…NO RESPONSE.  A missed opportunity to engage and connect with a powerful (and influential) audience. Now, I’m not saying it’s a forever missed opportunity (because it’s not) but how long (or what) is it going to take to get companies on board?

Do you think it’s time to connect with your community on a deeper level? If yes, search for who is talking about you right now. Reach out to those who are advocates for you or your cause and start connecting! (Make sure you are leading the cause for a social media role within your organization, too.)

You don’t need to take my word for it. Cooler people than myself are blogging, too. Check out this great piece by Brian Solis, Comcast cares and so should you.

With this I leave you… are you missing the bus?

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A few resources to get you started:

• Companies who already have a social media presence on social networks like Twitter
• Companies with a strong brand presence in the social media world
• Here is who I think is using is doing it well.