Not Right Now
We should be in social media – just not right now.
We should start a company blog – just not right now.
We should be making our website more user-friendly – just not right now.
We should be doing a lot of things – just not right now.
Not right now – it’s the phrase that companies and executives/decision makers use when they know they’re behind in the game but they’re not sure how to get into it.
It’s the excuse that takes the heat off the boardroom meetings when asked about the new platforms that are emerging (or have emerged) and is it something our company should be looking at.
It’s the fallback of folks that could make it happen right now if they wanted to, but it seems like a lot of work.
Besides, there’s too much that can go wrong to make the risk (or perceived risk) worthwhile.
True. There is a lot that can go wrong.
There is a lot of work involved.
There is stuff that will be completely out of your hands.
But look at it another way. When you first started your business, was there a chance things could go wrong? Did it involve a lot of work, and long hours, to make it happen? Were there things you couldn’t control, no matter how much you planned ahead?
Of course there were, yet you’re still here. Because you put the effort in and took the risks. Because you knew that not everything will always goes to plan; you just need to make sure you’re ready with a back-up.
So if you’re caught in the not right now dilemma – either yourself, or with someone that makes the decisions for you – take the chance and think differently (or try and show the not right now’s how to think differently).
- You don’t need to jump in and participate in social media right away – but you can listen. Twitter Search, Facebook Groups, Google Alerts and other free and simple platforms can help you see if you should be in social media, and where, and when.
- If you can use email you can blog. Platforms like Posterous and Tumblr allow you to write a blog post simply by emailing in your thoughts – their tech guys will do the rest. Five minutes of your time today can turn you into a thought leader for tomorrow.
- You can change your website now and relatively painlessly and have the most user-friendly platform for both you and your customers. Better still, you’ll be in control and not tied to some web guy’s timescale.
Not right now is easy – anyone can say it, and make a pretty good case for it as well. That’s why it’s used so often.
But while you’re saying not right now today, your competitors are jumping in right now and owning tomorrow. So when does not right now become not now, not ever, because you’ve simply been left behind?
photo credit: photoverulam
43 Responses to “Not Right Now”
Do you think that maybe comes down to poor education, Jay? Either from an outsourced agency or consultant? Or even by reading blogs of voices in the industry, that make it sound more than it actually is (or might be)?
And agreed, the simpler the inroad, the bigger the uptake – something that’s seen the two platforms you mention find such an audience.
In some ways I think it is poor education Danny. There are so many voices giving pieces of information here and there. For anyone unfamiliar with how social media works, I imagine it would be a nightmare to decipher it all.
You are right about your suggestion that many voices in the industry make it sound like it’s more than it is. Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare… they are all great tools but I see many marketers hyping it up, making the sheer thought of getting involved painful.
So many things to learn, “guru’s” say to begin here, “experts” say to start there, some people say this, others say that… If I wasn’t so well versed with computers and the Internet, I too would prefer to sit on the sidelines instead of get involved.
My thoughts are that learning is easier when it is done in a chronological order. Instead, new comers are given snippets here and there without any idea of what order to complete them.
Danny, you make a very important point that has the merit of always being timely. There’s always a reason to delay things.
Well said!
One problem I often see at board meetings is that no one has the balls to say “Why not now?”. And while some may argue that critics have had their day, leaders of orgs must be questioned. But that’s another topic.
I also like your three tips on what they can do now. Thanks!
John Haydon recently posted…. The Limits Of Calculating Social Media ROI
Sad but true, John. Of course, the culture of that company might mean that any questioning is slapped down and your career stalled.
‘Course, that’s when you say goodbye and take your talents elsewhere…
This is a great post. Saw something similar from @ariherzog the other day, but you really hammer home the trepidation in the boardroom and also give the solutions. If only the C-suite could see that SM is a lot like entrepreneurship.
Jeff Esposito recently posted…. Talking Branding with Keith TrivittI know, Jeff. There are so many similarities to start-ups that it’d make for an easier buy-in if looked at that way. Hey ho…
Like John said, people need to step and ask “Why not now?” or “if not now, WHEN?” It’s not just that some companies are playing the “Not Now” card. It’s also that they DON’T have a “Someday” card.
ITA that you don’t have to jump into the deep end right away. You can start slowly, use the free tools to listen. When you’re ready you can simple blog, maybe Twitter account. And absolutely you can lay the foundations Right Now for Someday: update your website, have a placeholder for your Twitter handle, get your marketing and communications teams working together, on the same page for turning When into Reality.
Get your toes wet and figure out the “when” as you go. You’re so right, Danny: It’s that or get left behind by your competition.. and your customers.
Davina K. Brewer recently posted…. Twitter Taboos and the Real You- What don’t you TweetGreat observation on the lack of a “Someday” card.
Do you think that this could be caused by a lack of education?
The idea of starting slowly is great, but how many don’t start at all because they literally have no idea where to start?
You often see so many people talking about social media/websites to people who are online but the people most at risk of falling behind are those who aren’t looking for the solutions online.
It even seems that the people attending social media conferences are the ones that “get it”. Not the ones that need it most.
Love the idea of the Someday Card, Davina – I’m pinching that idea!
I think it was Sarah Evans who said something along the lines of “if you truly believe in what you are doing, you sometimes have to work as if you are willing to get fired”. Often times it is that kind of mentality that will be the only thing that kick starts change. Being the one who wants to do things differently can be terrifying, especially in a corporate setting, but the truth is, change doesn’t ever tend to come without someone having the guts to disturb the status quo. Great post today Danny, someone ate their Wheaties today!
Michael Schechter recently posted…. You don’t need a social media strategy – From Sanders SaysThat’s a great statement, fella – “work as if you are willing to get fired.” Fear doesn’t just start at the top, but it does trickle down faster into those that, unfortunately, let it.
If you’re unwilling to challenge, you’re unwilling to change.
I’m on the fence with this one Danny. Certainly I agree with you. But another halmark of my approach to marketing consulting is to create a plan to fit a company’s culture. If you don’t create something that can actually be executed, your plan will gather dust on a shelf.
If a company has a sluggish culture, it is what it is … and you have to live with it, even if it means their efforts will be sub-optimized. It is a long, hard process actually changing culture it is something that is also usually out of reach of an outsider like a consultant.
Having said that, I am all for taking an aggressive and optimistic approach whenever possible!
Mark W Schaefer recently posted…. Did Mashable cross a lineOh, agree completely mate. Unless the company has asked for a complete overhaul, then you definitely build around their strengths.
Where I “lose interest”, for want of a better word, is where sluggishness is harming the company and they don’t see that, or do see it but ignore it.
Often you can’t work with that type, and so it’s easier to move on and wish them good luck.
Well said, Danny. I’m a firm believer in doing research to arm/prepare/inform/direct BUT actively resist protocol, red tape, and uncertainty of others to inhibit making the jump. Sometimes I land on my feet and sometimes I don’t – the key is to making an informed decision and acting on it, parlaying the learning to the next stage of the game. It’s the difference between trying, and talking about what we need to do before we consider trying.
Heather Rast recently posted…. Change the ConversationLove your closing statement, Heather. Talk often leads to dissuasion – trying at least takes the first step.
Cheers!
I’ve heard this referred to as the “someday syndrome.” Someday I’ll… It’s our nature to fail to execute until conditions are perfect and they never are. This is why I like to launch things pre-maturely, ill-prepared, and with no plan or focus… or something like that.
Brandon Cox recently posted…. A Sweet Gift from My Church Family“Someday syndrome” – scary how many ways there are to describe excuses, mate.
But bang on – and love your mentality, it’d be nice to see more businesses adopt it.
Danny I love the message of this post & I doubt there are too many people who’d disagree with you.
The only thing I’d say is that removing the “I’ll do it later” attitude is easier said than done. To my mind the “someday syndrome” as Brandon describes it (above) is what happens when you’re too busy working in the business and you’ve got no time to work on the business. For the majority of SME’s I’d say that this is the reason for the “Not Right Now” attitude (so many names for it)…how do you convince people in this position to take the plunge?
If you have any answers as to how this situation is best tackled I’d love to hear’em because it’s something I certainly have not mastered.
Thanks for providing yet another great post!
Sam recently posted…. Twitter UsedOh, agreed Sam (and mentioned the same thing to Mark earlier in the comments).
The thing is, how much time does it take to save your business? It’s not about jumping into something head-on, but it is about being aware of what’s changing around you, and seeing where you can effectively change.
A question I often ask is what’s a company’s most important lead for sales, or customer service, or support. The answer is generally the telephone still. Yet there was a time when that was seen as something that wasn’t needed (gotta love the ponies and the pigeons!).
Look at it now, though – a century of innovation, connection and business growth.
Still think not right now is the right approach?
Thanks for the anecdote about the telephone. I’ll definitely use that one. I guess the same thing was also said about email, all good points to help make case for taking a step towards social media. Nice!
Sam recently posted…. What is Social Media Success
Some things are meant to do it ‘now’, while some ‘later’. As much I like to do everything at the same time, it’s impossible (learned it the hard way). What I gained from reaching your post, Danny, is the importance of making ‘wise’ decisions – clear about priorities, free to try but not digress from main objectives. ‘Not Right Now’ has saved me from bad decisions, while missing some good ones too. It’s learning from past experience that make us a smarter person – when it’s the right time to say ‘not right now’.
Insightful as always, thanks Danny.
Ching Ya recently posted…. How to Use Status Tagging Successfully on Facebook PagesPrioritizing is so important, Ching – like you say, it helps to separate the Not Right Now and the Needs To Be Done Stat!
As long as the not right now’s that still need to be done don’t get booted by priorities along the way
Cheers for some great thoughts, always a pleasure miss.
There isn’t any way around this issue, it’s as old as we’ve walked the earth. We kill what we do not know. It’s easier to say this “Facebook thing” is a flash in the pan and “who needs a blog anyway” when the real issue has nothing to do with any of those tactics.
Everything you do in business is marketing and everything you use in business are media.
The bigger question remains do you want to be where your customers reside or more importantly where some of the influencers and advocates hang out?
If you can wedge a “maybe” out of someone, tread lightly when you bring up that this is not a campaign or a quick fix but a complete change in the way they communicate. That alone is why many say – not right now.
Great points all round, Kneale.
That’s one of the problems that many don’t seem to realize – you’re probably already active in some way on a social site or platform, it’s just not as obvious (maybe a niche community or forum).
Seems an obvious choice when it comes to hanging out where your customers are – or, better still, those of your competitors.
Outstanding.
olivier blanchard recently posted…. Which brands do you wish you could help shineDanny
Good observations
. We’re very good at finding excuses to not do something now and worst, say we gonna do it later: We’ll re-evaluate in 2 weeks. 80% of the time, it’s from a lack of leadership, the fear to take a risk. As you said, when you start a business, you can’t have this attitude. From my personal experience, having worked in big co and now running my small co, you make tons of decision to do things now without knowing if it will bear fruit. You just use a mix of common sense/gut feelings, data, feedback from knowledgeable people/team and a good understanding of the risk that you take “what if it doesn’t work” -
LaurentExactly, Laurent, and there’s no reason why your business sense shouldn’t transfer over to new avenues of business. If you look at it properly and make decisions based on due diligence and, yes, gut instinct, the success you’ve enjoyed up until now shouldn’t be too far removed from your steps into social.
In many ways I agree and wholeheartedly stand behind what your saying. However I am unsure whether you are being sarcastic or completely genuine when you say:
“Five minutes of your time today can turn you into a thought leader for tomorrow.”How many thought leaders are there? A lot. Perhaps to many?
Poor Concept recently posted…. OK – Currently its the type of weather were its about to bucketDefinitely not being sarcastic (and if I ever am on this blog, I make sure I point it out).
Whether you take five minutes to jot down your thoughts for a blog post, or five minutes to dictate into a dictaphone and have someone on your team more suited to blogging itself type it up, the thoughts created during that small amount of time can start to position you as a thought leader in your industry.
Of course, your thoughts need to be thought leadership-worthy to start with, but you get the point.
People push through with their business ideas because they BELIEVE in it. It’s personal, and it’s emotional.
Social media is a big unknown to many business owners. They see success, but they see a lot of failures and wasted time too. And even if they lean on the side of suspecting it might work for them, they can’t always see how. WHAT success will it bring?
So they say, “not right now” as they wait for things to become clear.
Business owners that are saying “not right now” need to see the destination, they need to feel the destination, and they need to want the destination.
It is a big unknown – but so is business when you start up, and belief will only get you so far (though a lot further than no belief and just being money-driven).
The problem is there are too many agencies and consultants that aren’t giving a proper overview. They’ll say, “Build this, join here,” and that’s it.
Offering social outlets is only part of the equation – define cost and investment, why they need to be on certain platforms, what measures will be used to define success, financial targets and how to meet them, what calls-to-action can bring sales, etc.
It’s not just about getting into social, it’s about doing it properly like any other part of your business. And that’s where businesses are either letting themselves down, or being let down by outsources.
Now as much as I totally agree with what you are saying.
Take say a car hire client. Do they need to implement Social Media? Probably Not. Will someone try very hard to sell it to them. Probably.Whats right for one is not right for another. The gurus need to make this clear.
I understand where you are coming from and believe that no business “needs” to implement a social media presence/strategy. However I am yet to come across a business that it wouldn’t benefit.
Car hire… piece of cake. First of all, a website to make online bookings. Business is situated in destination X… the sheer amount of tourist information that could be generated on social sites related to that business is massive. How about a, “Hire our car, take a picture of where you visited with our car in the background and upload it to our Faceboook page to get 10% rebate”?
Does the business need to do that? No. Will it help the business connect with its customers. Definitely.
- Poor Concept. I don’t think you’ll find any “guru” (maybe not the word I’d use) worth their salt advising anyone to be on social. Like you say, what’s right for one isn’t right for the other. But that’s where the real consultants and business plan makers will stand out from the faux ones.
With regards your example, there are some great ways a car hire firm could use social media.
Jason gives some great examples in his response. You could also use Twitter as a live-streaming update on travel alerts and airport delays (why leave that to the airlines? You’re as much a part of the travel experience). Or, if you’re not a car hire firm for airports but just a standard one, how about using YouTube to offer short snippet videos on travel safety?
You can also tie in loyalty rewards to social. Check in with Foursquare or Gowalla every time you hire a car, and once you have X amount of check-ins you’re entitled to one day’s free hire (or similar).
AnyAirportCarHire does a great job of using social media to benefit customers:
http://www.anyairportcarhire.com/Social-Media.aspx
And then you have mobile apps, like the one Avis has:
We live in a world that’s hard to keep up with how fast it changes. Not using the tools that can help you keep up seems bad business sense, no?
How do you boil a frog? You set it in some tepid water and graadddually raise the temperature. They never know what hit em.
Great post, Danny. Great blog. Always lots of good ideas.
Amy Putkonen recently posted…. What is an RSS Feed
Very thoughtful Danny. My personal thoughts are that some things seem so over whelming or so daunting just to start, that some people shy away from them completely.
For example, thinking about the idea of getting involved with social media seems like such a big job.
However, if it is broken down into a process/game plan/set of steps to take, the actual jobs that need to be done, don’t appear so daunting anymore.
As everything becomes more advanced and complicated, I think the companies that offer solutions that simplify tasks (Tumblr, Posterous), or convert big tasks into a set of easily achievable steps will be the real winners.