Social media ROI -- for dummies | #MoPR

The next time a boneheaded executive demands to know the return on investment for social media, ask: "What the ROI on an industry convention?" Social media marketer Brad Shorr explains via Ragan's:

At a convention, firms exhibit their wares and talk them up. To a greater degree than what usually occurs on a sales call, prospects and customers at aconvention are invited to look under the hood, to kick the tires. This is like the content syndication and discussion threads that take place on a firm'ssocial media pages. They provide people with a more intimate and critical look "inside the box." And just as we hope at a convention, we hope our socialmedia content differentiates us from the competition.

Few CEOs would question the value of putting on a great show an industry convention or of networking at parties or receptions. Executives consider these tactics to be common sense. Actively participating in social media should fit into the same category. We do it because common sense dictates we should.

The ROI argument is just mumbo jumbo.