Andrew Goodman’s post, “Social Media as Signaling Strategy” raises an important question when he asks, “What if you just didn’t do social media at all, and kept on doing the things you know generate leads, partnerships, repeat business, etc.?”

The question I immediately thought in response is why? Why would you do that? Why would any forward-thinking business today take an a no-can-do attitude towards social media? The short answer comes down to fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of doing it poorly.

But what if I was to tell you that it wasn’t hard. It’s not going to require a major shift in your company’s paradigm, or financial investment.  What if all it really takes is a willingness to learn, to stay current, to ask questions, and to ask for help when you need it.

I know from first-hand experience the feeling that there aren’t enough hours in the day to do your job and learn the necessary steps for getting started in social media. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and either was social media. Start by asking yourself what social networks and social media marketing make the most sense to you. Bite off a little at a time. If it’s LinkedIn and Facebook right now, and you can’t commit to writing regular blog posts, so be it.  There’s no magic formula. There’s no one-size-fits-all.

Your work, whether it’s for a large, medium or small sized business, or an organziation in the non-profit sector may benefit for example, more from videos than the written word. Or, let’s say, podcasts.

The old world of marketing still exists in that more than ever you need to assess how your customers are communicating today, and what their plans are in moving over to social media.

You may find that they are using their mobile devices to access businesses in their area, looking for recommendations.  You may discover that mobile is where you need to be. The possibilities of course, are endless.

So, consider this. Consider that your online and offline conversations may include periodic discussions about the social media directions of your clients.  Do they have a blog or twitter url on their business card.  When you search for them online, does more come up than their website, or a whitepage listing.  Meet your customers where they are. And if they aren’t in the places you think are most beneficial, share your experiences.

Goodman writes, “in case it isn’t clear, then: you’d better get the right people on the bus. You can’t fake “people”. Every company has some combination of digital natives or digital immigrants, the ones who are more than willing to help you take your campaign to the next step.  Enlist the enthusiasts, have them help to spread the word, and share their experiences. If they’ve been blogging or twittering, and are steps ahead of others, let them help to promote social media initiatives within.

Getting back to the bus metaphor for a minute. You might be saying, heck, if I don’t get on the bus now I can always jump on later. Well, the way I see it is, you may miss the next stop. Or, the bus will be driving too slow. Or the driver might get lost down some route where you drive endlessly in the wrong direction.

For my two cents worth, get the right people on the bus now, and if you’re not ready to take a seat with them, have someone save one for you.

Photo credit: Flickr @rild’s photostream