Many people who run small and mid-sized businesses struggle with social media. They have made major website changes, yet cannot confirm direct links between that work and new/expanded sales or brand-awareness. They have spent time on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media vehicles, yet cannot confirm direct links between that work and increased business.

Many small and mid-sized businesses have hired 3^rd parties to develop social-media software and programs. Others have hired staff to do their social-media work. Some businesses have hired 3^rd parties to act as them, delivering social-media programmed messages 'by agent'.

Much money has been spent. And, for many businesses there is little evidence to confirm the money has been well spent.

Social media programs work marvellously for some businesses. These businesses can illustrate clear evidence, proving money spent on social media has delivered ROI.  

However, for most businesses social media has delivered more confusion than profit.

Small and mid-sized businesses need to consider 2 questions:

1. To what extent do consumers/customers/clients desire our product/service? Truly, how bad is our product/service wanted and needed? And, exactly when is it wanted and needed?
2. To what extent have consumers/customers/clients enjoyed a series of positive and trust-filled experiences with us? [When strings of positive and trust-filled experiences are long enough they can be considered "relationships".]

With those 2 questions fully and accurately analysed, the next question is:

How, exactly, will these social-media vehicles expand or enhance our business in ways we can verify with measurements?

Will social media activity:

1. Increase the amount consumers/customers/clients desire our product/service?
2. Increase the ease and timeliness with which consumers/customers/clients can access our product/service?
3. Increase the existing strings of positive experiences consumers/customers/clients have with us?

If the answer is "Yes" then:

1. The social-media options should be compared and ranked against Sales and Profit goals,
2. The best social-media option(s) should be selected, and
3. Results should be measured against benchmarks to ensure the social-media cause is creating the expected increased-sales or increased-profit effect.