I came across a great blog post this morning from one of the brightest minds in marketing, Seth Godin. Godin’s post was short, yet sweet:

The reason social media is so difficult for most organizations

It’s a process, not an event.

Dating is a process. So is losing weight, being a public company and building a brand.

On the other hand, putting up a trade show booth is an event. So are going public and having surgery.

Events are easier to manage, pay for and get excited about. Processes build results for the long haul.

More accurate and concise words have never been uttered about the process of an organization utilizing social media.

When we talk about the power of social media in conferences, classrooms, or training sessions one of the most frequent concerns is the time investment to achieve success. It’s true, it’s not easy! You can’t simply turn on Facebook and Twitter and illuminate your business like the flick of a light-switch.

But Godin hits it right on the nail. You would never propose to get married on the first date? Instead, you cultivate and nurture a relationship with that person.

Social media allows organizations to develop meaningful relationships with their audience that enable valuable conversations. Rather than planning a short-lived event make a commitment to the process that will yield long-term results.

So start the process and go on that first date.