We want to get people together and create communication hubs for all. Life and business cannot be played out in front of computer screens. Through social media and digital marketing Cow Bell can get you engaging and talking to your current & prospective customers.

We also make sure we  inform, support, educate and simplify the online. Particular attention is given to emerging technologies such as Twitter and other social network platforms. But these are just that – platforms.

Photo used under creativecommons license from Geek&Poke

Platforms where communities and conversation occurs. Our job is to explain all of this and to guide you through the digital journey; all is plain English and with no spin or sales pitch attached.

Cow Bell understands that life does not play out in 140 characters but puts communication and getting people to talk to each at the heart of its ethos.

We want all organisations and their staff to embrace what Social communications can achieve for them. If you want to know more then please read on…

So here’s how we explain the answer to the question ‘Why should I enter this social communications world?’

‘You’re invited to a Party…are you coming? – You’re either social networking or social ‘notworking’!

You know what it’s like! You hear about a big party going on. Everyone’s talking about it and getting all excited. It’s not that you’re aren’t invited – everyone’s invited – it’s just that you’re not sure what your going to talk about or who you’re going to talk to.

What will you get out of it you ask yourself? So ultimately it’s one of those where it might be better to avoid.

But if that’s what you did then you’re missing out. The name of the party is called Social Media. The conversations that take place are whatever you want them to be and with whoever you want. There is no place for nastiness or back stabbing. It’s a place where people engage, collaborate and talk. Doesn’t that sound like somewhere you as a person and your business might want to be?

Many of us decided to take the plunge and go the party full of strangers. We probably all walked in with a little fear and trepidation about the unknown, but instead we found an environment which perfectly facilitated our primal instinct to communicate. Social Media is a place to talk, to listen on all aspects of life – personal & professional; a place of varied opinions and where people come together to find others who will help, inspire, humour, share and inform.

Photo credited to Chad Paul

You will read articles, see video & hear audio about anything from retaining wall structures, solar panels or the latest Samsung TV. You can look at photo’s from your latest event or charity fundraiser organised. Communities and individuals will tell you what they think about products & services from small/medium sized businesses to multi-nationals. My point is that it’s all there to engage and collaborate with you and they come from every avenue of business and personal life.

I know what you’re thinking. This sounds like real-life; and that’s the point. It’s nothing to do with technology. It’s about connecting people and getting them to communicate, with the ultimate aim of building a relationship and ultimately the dying art of the phone call or face-to-face conversation.

Social Media is not just a chat room or a forum. Much more than questions are answered. Long-term relationships are developed. People make friends, form close bonds, build new communities, and here’s the one many people want to hear – business can benefit from it.

All businesses and organisations want to grow their communities and potential audience and to understand what their brand/company/service perception is. The tools within Social Media let you do this. By taking a look at Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flickr etc a whole new world will open up.

If you can find people talking about issues that surround your business and then engage and connect with them you would wouldn’t you? If you could help those who needed more information about a product or service that you knew about and were able to communicate with them you would. They may even be talking about you.

The fears which surround people joining this ‘virtual’ party are usually based around measurement, analytics and return on investment. These are all important issues and can be addressed. Everyone has to see a return on their time and money but this is true of PR, advertising and all aspects of business.

By simply dismissing social media because you don’t understand it or can’t work out how it will benefit you or your business could be tantamount to suicide. Return on Investment is crucial but you also have to ask yourself what’s the return on ignoring?

Once you’ve listened and watched what’s going on at the party you may well decide that it’s not for you but at least you’ll have walked in had a drink and realised your community or areas of interest aren’t there to listen to or join in a conversation.

With what you know now you wouldn’t have ignored the development of the phone or the initial stages of email would you?

Perhaps that invite to the party is now something you should take up! You never know what might be behind those doors.