Social Media Is Not Necessary

by DJ Waldow on December 16, 2009

Malcolm AthertonYeah. I said it. I know that I’m the Director of Community at Blue Sky Factory. I realize that I’m a huge advocate of social media. In my list of “things I love,” social media is right up there with email marketing.

So what gives? How can I make such a (bold) statement?

Meet Malcolm Atherton

Look at the picture on the right. That’s Malcolm. He’s the owner/founder of Atherthon Collision. A few months ago, I was looking for a collision shop to fix the dent in my wife’s Chevy Malibu (long story) so we could trade it in. I googled “Collision Shop Salt Lake City” and called a few places. Neither of them could help me. But – and this is the key – both recommended Altherton Collision. Both. I called Atherton. Malcolm answered on the 2nd ring. After a brief conversation, he told me to “bring her in.”

I typically would be doling out some link love at this point in the post. However, there is nothing to link to. Seriously. Atherton Collision and Malcolm do not have:

  • A website
  • A blog
  • A twitter account
  • A marketing budget

Hear From Malcolm

Thanks to the iPhone 3GS (video!), I was able to do a brief interview with Malcolm. Learn how he’s been able to be successful … even without social media as part of his strategy (gasp!).

Can’t see the video? Try this.

Some Examples Of My Exchanges With Malcolm

Malcolm is not your average collision shop owner. A few examples:

  1. The dent in the Malibu (& the window that would not roll up): He called several junk yards to find the best price for me.
  2. The cracked side view mirror in the Volvo: He called the Volvo dealer. When we learned that it was going to be >$100 for a replacement part, Malcolm referred me to a glass shop. He called, got a quote for me, and even told me to bring the mirror back to him & he’d install it for free.

Why Malcolm Will Be In Business Forever

Malcolm gets it. It’s all about doing good work, building a strong reputation, letting your customers and partners be your (free) marketing team, and repeating the process. Would hiring a Director of Community benefit Atherton Collision? It might, but I doubt it. Malcolm needs to continue doing business the old fashioned way. He needs to continue practicing the golden rule and taking care of people.

So, it’s now time to ask yourself a few questions. What will keep you in business forever? Do you really need social media to be successful?

DJ Waldow
@djwaldow

Tagged as: Cool People, Social Media, Video

  • DJ,

    Really dug this post. And your point is well taken. At the end of the day, if you run a business that gives great service, cares about your customers, and gets recommended by others then you'll be in business forever. However, I don't think it's about NEEDING social media or not. There's so much area in between and while Malcom might not benefit from it considerably (though I'd bet you he'll see at least one new customer as a result of this blog), many many brands and businesses do see it as an integral part of their marketing plan. Will your biz sink w/out social - nope. Is it the right medium for everyone - nope. Do you need to social media to be successful - nope....but it sure can help.

    I'm a new subscriber and am really digging your content. All the best in 2010

    @ryancmiller
  • Hey Ryan. Very cool. Happy to have another subscriber. Now the pressure is on to pump out good content, huh? Ha ha.

    I agree that SM certainly can help. Heck. I better believe that as the Director of Community for Blue Sky Factory, right? But I also agree that Malcolm will be in business forever if he "run[s] a business that gives great service, cares about [his] customers, and gets recommended by others." For sure.

    Does he need SM? Does his want SM? Not sure.

    dj
  • Malcolm gets brand management better than 95% of all marketers I have ever worked with. Atherton is his brand, and that stands for quality. From the look of things, he spends all his time and effort grooming that brand. Not with logo design, media campaigns, and public relations, but with true brand management.
    Social media, design, and all those activities are just a piece of the total picture. It's like paint & canvas for the artist. But the idea of what the final painting needs to be is the most important part.
    He knows his product, and knows his customers. This is what marketing is really about, not the abomination most try to make it into.
  • Nick -

    Thanks for your comments. Also love to see another 801'er in here. I agree that he spends his time "grooming the brand" in the best way possible - by providing killer service. You need to take your ride there!

    dj
  • This is typical with mom-and-pop businesses that thrive on repeat customers spread by word of mouth. There are numerous such businesses, from retail to service to restaurant, in Newburyport, Mass. that lack websites. It's crazy, but they are always busy like your collision place.

    The key is social media is part of the whole. Every firm shouldn't have to use it, just like everyone doesn't need to use a fax machine... which real estate agents and bankers do.
  • Ari -

    Thanks for taking the time to stop by the blog and add your thoughts (still not sure about that funky rendering issue! You are the only one to report any oddities).

    Great points about mom-and-pop shops. Agree 100%. Success comes in many forms, right?

    dj
  • DJ - This is one of my favorite posts on social media. Kudos. Well done.

    This guy is doing social marketing... he's just not doing it online. Conversations and trusted sources are what matters. The internet, or a telephone, or whatever else is simply the tool used to have and/or share the conversation.
  • Jon - Wow. You just made my day. Thanks so much for your kind words ... and for stopping by!

    dj
  • chrishumphreys
    Good Post. You know a great company that does use social Media? Walgreens. That's right, the pharmacy America trusts, we should all shop there as much as possible. Its a company that truly cares about its customers and that is how it has managed to stay in business for over 100 years.

    Sorry, had to post this, it was fun meeting you the other night. I'm assuming you know who this is by now.
  • Ahhh. Chris. You found the blog! Yeah. Yeah. I'm still not happy about my last "all in" the other night. Oh well. Next time. Good beer. Good times.

    Forget this post or the blog...did you see the 2 videos on the right that I was talking about? The best.

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Man, what an awesome story and discussion in the comments! The one thing I didn't see mentioned was whether or not Malcolm needs any more business. Think about it - he provides killer, honest service and has lots of locals providing referrals. Maybe getting online and all of that would bring in more business than he is able to handle on his own. Perhaps he likes being able to provide personal service and the quality of the service wouldn't be as good with more business. He might have to hire some people that aren't as good as he is which could bring down the overall satisfaction a bit.

    I don't know - I was just thinking that Malcolm seems like the kind of guy that is happy with his business the way it is. Who are we to say he could be doing it better?

    By the way, Jason's offer to help is really cool and I hope you had a chance to mention it to Malcolm. Maybe he's ready to jump in. Please do let us know how this turns out. I feel like I know this guy now. :)

    @brandon101
  • Brandon -

    Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post...and add your thoughts. I agree - the comments are great. I'm pretty sure this has been the most active post ever for me!

    I actually spoke with Malcolm today. I wanted him to see the post and the killer comments. He was thrilled to say the least. Thrilled! I agree w/ you 100%. Malcolm definitely seems like the kind of guy who is very happy w/ the way his business is now. Very happy.

    Thanks again...

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • The only thing I'd disagree with Malcolm on is that he has zero marketing budget. Word of mouth and great customer service all go back to brand perception so I would definitely say he's got some strong marketing. It just seems that he's figured that by not spending on ads he lowers his cost structure, allowing his business to charge customers less and invest in better service. That's some old school innovative marketing.

    This is my first time on the site and what a great piece be introduced to. So glad that Chris Wheeler referred your stuff to me, I'm sure I'll be back!
  • Welcome welcome. Happy to have a fellow email marketing dude reading. Chris Wheeler is a solid cat. I'm a big fan of his.

    You make a good point about "zero budget." However, it may be a bit of semantics. I think what he was saying is that he doesn't spend "traditional marketing $$" in the way we would think - advertising, online stuff, etc.

    Looking forward to future comments!


    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Per JasonPeck's earlier comment, I'm almost 100% sure that a listing in Google Local, Yahoo Local, and Bing Local don't require you to have a functioning website. I think it'd be worth it for Malcom to have someone create those basic listings for his business - with phone number, address, and keywords.

    Come on, who uses the Yellow Pages anymore? I certainly don't. If you hadn't gotten a recommendation via word of mouth, at least you could have had an opportunity to find Malcom's basic business info and phone number online.

    Malcom certainly conducts business in a way that is often lost or viewed as "quaint" in the digital realm. Yet, he's losing potential business - that could benefit from his quality work - by not having a simple listing in local search results - phone, address, keywords.
  • Jeff -

    You make an excellent point. I need to stop by Atherton's tomorrow (gas cap!) and will share with him not only this post, but the incredible comments, including your suggestion about Google/Yahoo/Bing Local.

    Thanks for stopping by. Much appreciated.

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Great post DJ. As a 15 year veteran of the car business, I love to see good, honest businesses get the credit the deserve. That comes, unfortunately, far too rarely.

    Keep up the good work!

    (the real) Sid.
  • Why thank you, Mr. Sid Prince. I'll be sure to let Malcolm know. Hi to everyone in the 919.

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Al
    Good post, sir. Question, though...do you think there is no benefit for Malcolm to utilize social media? Sure, some people are successful without it. But, some of those folks could find even more success by utilizing social networking....yes/no?
  • Al -

    Would Malcolm find a benefit in using social media? An uptick in business? Sure. It's very likely. However - I believe that with social media, you'd can't half ass it. You're either all in or you're out. Once you open up that channel, it can actually hurt your brand more if you do *not* engage. Does that make sense? Do you agree?

    Thanks so much for stopping by. I thought you were just a spam fighter. Ha ha. Appreciate your question...

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Kristen Gregory
    Love this post, DJ! Love it!

    Showing respect, going the extra mile, creating trust, acting as a partner, understanding that not going after every last penny will bring repeat business...all these factors go into building loyalty.
  • Oh. Hi Kristen. I miss you. Really. Let me know when you're ready to work on our squad! Thanks so much for your addition in the comments.

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • bnash972
    This is such an AWESOME post. Actually, Social Media IS Necessary. "Social Marketing" is exactly what keeps Malcolm in business. What people forget is that social marketing has been the #1 ROI marketing channel since the dawn of time. The problem with most new Online Social Media strategies today is that companies ironically leave the customer out of the equation. For way too many marketers social is just another way to scream at their customers, not let the customers scream for them.
  • Thank you so much! Your comment just made my dad (hopefully Malcolm's too!). You make an excellent point about Social Marketing. Can't believe I forgot to mention that. Oops. Yeah - can't forget that customer. They pay the bills, right?

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • YES! Brick and mortar businesses should focus on providing awesome value and service before they do ANYTHING online or with social media.

    That said, let's get this guy a website!
  • Jason -

    Thanks for offering to build (& maintain) Malcolm's new website...free of charge. Recall his marketing budget. Close your eyes. What do you see?

    Ha ha.

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Send me his details. jason at ewaydirect dot com. I'm happy to help him get set up with at least a free website utilizing wordpress.com and then submit his shop to Google Local, Yahoo and Bing so he can hopefully show up when people search for him. This is just basic business 101. There's no reason not to do this, unless he just doesn't want to be found this way.
  • Very cool of you to offer to do this for him, Jason. One thought, though,
    how might having an unsupported web presence impact his reputation? It's
    one thing for us to want to help him out, but if he doesn't have the time or
    gumption to get online, check email, and all that, a website could
    potentially paint his business - at least online - as unresponsive, which is
    the exact opposite of how he really does things.

    The road to hell, good intentions, all that. (Although I'm right there with
    you on someone stepping up to do this for Malcolm. I think it's bril and
    would do it right now if I wasn't tied up for the next ten hours or so.)
    Kudos!
  • Great point. If he sets the expectation that the only way to get in touch with him is via phone and that the website is really just a menu/brochure of his services (and maybe throw in some testimonials), I think he'd be fine. A lot of doctors, lawyers, accountants and other businesses treat their website as a "set it and forget it" thing. This isn't ideal, but I think it may be better than nothing. Maybe after awhile he'd see that it's valuable to do more online, but this could at least be a start. Thoughts?
  • I agree, Jason. A set it and forget it website that directs people to call
    would be the way to go. Especially if his phone number is prominently
    displayed. Even so, there might still be a perception that a website means
    someone, somewhere will get this email I'm sending. That could come back
    and bite him some day. Dunno.

    It's hard to think around that for some of us. We spend so much time
    focused on how people should integrate the web into their business models -
    being social, regularly blogging, interacting, engaging and all that - so
    when we find someone who is making it work the old fashioned way, we are
    quick to think a website is a simple enough solution. The trick is treating
    the site like an ultra-conservative investment. He needs zero risk in this
    if he's not asking for it. It doesn't matter if he gets a thousand happy
    customers from this website. All it takes is one to have a mark against his
    business publicly posted on the web forever.
  • Jason:

    Thanks for the offer. Very kind of you. I'm hoping to call Malcolm later today to not only have him read this post, but also the comments. Let's see if he's interested in taking you up! I tend to agree w/ @DR1665 however, that it could hurt the business if he has a very static site, but...I can see both sides.

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Awesome story. Kudos to the car guy for getting some much deserved publicity.

    Word of mouth will never change. Reliably standing by your word and treating people with the level of respect you'd expect yourself go miles and miles. You don't need the hottest digital community or application to build a reputation like Malcolm's.

    At the same time, I like to think that being online - however slightly - can make it easier for people like Malcolm to do business. There are so many people online these days hawking social media this or fast track marketing that. For most of these people social media is a crutch to an end. It would be exciting to see how someone who truly believes in the golden rule shoots to the front of the pack with a little connectivity.

    Thanks for sharing the story, Deej. Fist-bump that guy. Word.
  • Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your thoughts. I'll be sure to "fist-bump" Malcolm the next time I see him. Just hope Malcolm gets some of the press he so deserves. Would love to see him on GMA or something, right?

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Great post, DJ! Love the ending, "Just take care of people and they take care of you."
  • Thanks, Sharon. Yeah. Not sure I could have scripted that better. I did minimal editing on that vid.

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • DJ.

    Love this post. Sometimes people jump on the social media bandwagon just because its the thing to do. If I lived in the 801, Malcolm would be my guy. He said it great when its all about doing good in business and treating people like they want to be treated.

    Morgan is right in that marketing is all about service, but to take it a step further, marketing is about listening as well. In todays world, people want to talk and not a lot want to listen.

    A
  • Andrew: You know I'm a big social media guy. In this case, Malcolm leverages what he is best at - providing killer service. Who needs social media? In my mind, he wins.

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Excellent post, DJ. Your sentiment is right on point. Doing the right thing every day, for many, many, many days in a row is a surefire recipe for success in just about anything.
  • Great post DJ! Malcolm should be an inspiration to marketers across the globe regardless of the size of their budget or the focus of their business. All consumers really want is honesty and a fair deal. If we succeed in treating our consumers as we would want to be treated, then we will reap the rewards of our diligence. There is a reason it's called "The Golden Rule"--it works.

    As I have said several times recently: Marketing is no longer about selling, it's about service. This still applies when we are using email, social media, and mass media. Malcolm gets that!
  • Morgan: Much appreciated, dude. I'm just hoping that the reach is far enough on this blog (yeah, right) that Malcolm gets some love. Agree w/ you 100% about marketing being about service. Go Malcolm!

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
  • Nice post, DJ. Over the long haul, The Golden Rule will forever trump any marketing effort. Social media is/can be one of the spokes in the wheel. As you know, it can be very effective and enhance a lot of opportunities for business. But there are plenty of bikes that ride along smoothly with a missing spoke. This was a refreshing read. Keep up the great work.
  • Thanks, Mic! Golden rule tends to always win, right? I like your bike analogy too...

    DJ Waldow
    @djwaldow
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