#JAMTIME: The wrench is an analogy

This started as short and sweet social media post but the more long-winded I got, the more I realized it was turning out to be something more – a  topic that needed to be explored in greater depth. By the end of this communication, I promise to have given some insight on the wrenches, and of course, marketing!

Here’s how it all began:

Yesterday, my phone rang. It’s a new, potential client who wants to know if I do social media. Of course, my answer was of course. As is the case in most of these conversations, the next question was: how much do you charge?

We hung up after a few minutes of discussion, but something just didn’t feel right, so I called her back this morning. It was nagging at me so much so that I called her right out of the shower, hair still wet.  

And, that is where the wrench analogy comes into play.

When you ask a marketing person if they do social media, it is like asking a carpenter if they can use a wrench. You would never ask how much they charge to use a wrench, would you? Well, I am fairly certain that answer is no, but if you ask, you might get a strange look or a dose of sarcasm from your carpenter.

Social media is just a marketing tool. (A tool that has a purpose, but still just a tool.)  You’ll notice in the picture that there are a variety of wrenches on display. Each wrench services a unique function, but all are available to serve a bigger objective – whether it is to build something new or maintain something existing. Your carpenter is building a home, a new cabinet or a deck extension to the back of your house with the wrench, the wrench is the tool. Get the analogy?

Now, let’s have some more fun with wrench cliches.

Have you ever heard of the expression, “A wrench in the system”? Urban Dictionary’s explanation for this common idiom is pretty accurate: a problem that makes a flawless plan or machine malfunction, as though one were throwing a wrench in between a perfectly set pair of gears.

The point is that when you use a tool (social media) without a purpose, you can definitely mess things up, such as bad results, wasted money, overextended resources, weakened brand/reputation and heightened frustration levels.

The moral of the story don’t mistake the tool for the project. Or in terms of marketing, don’t mistake a specific marketing platform for the objective. And, the next time you are contemplating social media or when you hear the latest praise for the currently-trending platform, remember social media is just like any other wrench. If it can’t help you serve your purpose, you have the wrong tool for the job.

Need some help with assessing your business’s bigger picture and what tools can help you cross your unique finish line? I’m right here to help, contact me today!