Many agencies will tell you that you don’t need to be involved with social media because they can handle everything for you. I think that’s ridiculous.

Yes, you can involve a consultant who can create posts on your behalf and connect with other companies and individuals for you. The specialists I work with can do that too.

But we can’t recommend that you just let the experts do their thing and report back on some of our activities.

You can meet social media professionals regularly to review what they’re doing. You should explore some social relationships on your own because you can develop contacts in ways that match your style, personality, and interests. Our specialists can guide you as you make your way.

As you develop articles, industry guides, resources and other content worth promoting, they’ll be out there as well to promote what you’re offering and championing the value you can bring to new and existing customers.

You should be part of the work too without jeopardizing other parts of your business. Sometimes you’ll mention a new civic group you care about. Another day, you’ll take a strong interest in a LinkedIn group. When you’re engaged and support others through your “likes” and comments, others will be more receptive to what you have to say and what you’re pitching when it comes times to announce your latest guide, webinar, seminar, etc.

The social media space is huge and specialists should never ask you to get overly involved. But you should test the waters and heed their advice as you explore what social media offers.