Things may perhaps have been much simpler a decade or two back. Companies, large or small, would approach an ad agency with a few creative ideas, and expect them to come out with something snazzy and convincing, that gets the crowd home. Social media has changed much – including the way we market ourselves and get our customers on board.

Kathryn Rose, and expert in alliance management, puts this across lucidly. She states that, with the pervasiveness of social media, the mindset has changed from "convince to convert" to "converse to concert". Marketing is no longer a one-way channel, where consumers lap up whatever bloated information producers wish to provide. Rather, online marketing is a dynamic process, where consumers interact with one another, and with the company owners, through forums and pages on online networks.

Despite this explosion of sorts, many employers have been slow to capitalize. While they do have a page on every social network, consumer engagement is at a minimum. Their online strategy lacks direction and conviction. Even in cases where social marketing is more or less successful, professionals lack the right tools and training, to assess and analyse their results and present them as verifiable metrics.

So, what needs to be done?

• Be intuitive. Listen to what people are saying about your brand, and anticipate cosumer behaviour.

• Analyse consumer behaviour to find out what they need. Provide them with your products/service even before they ask for them.

• Spend more time and resources on the social network most used by your followers and consumers.

• Keep yourself updated with latest events, and developments in technology. Be savvy in your communication with users.

• Social network users have a very short attention span. So be prompt with your respnoses to enhance communication.

• Have a social marketing strategy on paper. This helps you keep a level on consistency across all levels.

• You will face antagonism from consumers on your online forums. Have a disaster management plan, and attend to dissent promptly and positively.

• Keep measuring and assessing your frequent users. Count everything from the number of comments, to source of users. Check whether you have reached your target audience.

• Be creative and try out new and innovative methods of communication. If a certain apporach doesn't work out, change it that very day.