There is no doubt that a properly planned social media strategy can transform a business in a relatively short period of time.  We see that happening everyday.  What we sometimes fail to realize – or maybe we just forget it – is that success at just about anything – including social media – can take some time and requires consistent work.

I hate to be the person that brings you that horrific news.

Patience and consistency are subjective.  Everything today is done at the speed of light – so patience isn’t what it used to be.  We want it now.  We expect it now.  With social media there is a degree of patience that is required before you begin to see tangible results.  You can’t throw up a FaceBook fan page and think you are going to have to hire a local police officer to direct traffic outside of your restaurant the next weekend.  It ain’t gonna happen.  If you have a good plan, develop a strategy around that plan, and start working consistently – you can begin to see results in as little as 30-60 days.  Hard work also pays big dividends – don’t you just hate that?

Consistency – that’s a term that people can argue about.  It seems that those blogs that get updated more often are most successful.  Quality is indeed important – but the more often – on a consistent basis – that a blog is updated the more readers it has.  I recommend no less than three updates per week – but if you can only do two – DO TWO.  Do them consistently.  If you can do a daily update – all the better.

Wouldn’t it be nice if things like hard work and responsibility didn’t get in the way?  Be wary of those who make the sales pitch that all of this stuff is automated and easy – it isn’t.  Like anything else worth doing – it’s difficult, it takes time, and it takes effort.

Follow the Social Media Dudes on twitter:  @DennisLLynn and @johnpanico

Dennis Lynn is half of the Social Media Dudes

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