Learn how to balance social media marketing with the rest of your business strategies so you’re not wasting time or opportunities.

Okay, okay, okay! Enough already! Have you had it with all the “You’ve got to be on social media” advocates incessantly reminding you that “Twitter is the new e-mail,” or how much you need to be on Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.? Many reps (and manufacturers) are confused at what to do regarding the massive change driven by social media and social networking.

What about the rest of us who have real jobs? A rep can’t spend all day “tweeting” instead of paying attention to customers, new line opportunities and a host of other tasks. What about those of us who don’t want to spend everyday, all day swapping quotes, “re­tweeting” cute aphorisms and “linking” with people we don’t even know? And hey, Facebook users, I re­member a time with being a “friend” meant you had actually MET the person!

Some of us are out there, slaving away in the salt mines, working on such 20th Century concepts as pro­ducing products, meeting with customers and trying to pay the bills. How did this country ever get started without George Washington, wintering at Valley Forge, letting his soldiers send “tweets” to each other just to pass the time?

Okay, I’m being a little facetious, but I think you see my point. What are we to do today with the deluge of social media “must dos” when we still have work that needs to be done? What is the proper balance to get the work done, please customers, bring in money and still be up on the social media explosion that is changing the way we connect and communicate?

As with so many things in life, there is a balance. And now, the balance is shifting. Here are some sugges­tions that can help you manage this tidal shift in the way we communicate today.

Determine your goals. Have a good heart-to-heart with yourself first, and then with your team, regarding what your real goals are for your business. Connecting with people and building strong relationships is undoubtedly a big part of any successful business today. Yes, social media is a vital part of the mix. Just make sure you’ve got your goals firmly in mind before embracing any new do-dad or gizmo that purportedly “boosts” productivity.

Start with baby steps. Hey, LinkedIn wasn’t built in a day. Begin with a solid profile for Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn that is other-oriented. Don’t talk about yourself as much as the benefits your business provides others. Gradually learn about the protocol of each medium and get to know people. Be a human being first. The sales will follow if you practice relationship marketing properly in social media. Always remember that social media and social networking are really about relationship marketing.

Get tools to facilitate your use. Don’t try social media at home, alone. Tools like TweetDeck, Hoot-Suite, Social Oomph and many others really make it easier and much better to use Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. I’m using these now, and they have saved me huge amounts of time. Bonus: Ping.fm and Tub­mogul.com can boost your bottom line, if you use them properly, by sending your best material to lots of places fast.

Play well with others. Today we are more interconnected than ever. Not one of us is a smart as all of us. Tie in with tribes that can help you and that share common values. Learn from others as they discover new helpful tools and tricks in social networking. Even the Lone Ranger wasn’t really alone; he had Tonto by his side!

Relax. Hey, we’re all making this up as we go. I’m reminded of the first Indiana Jones movie where Kar­en Allen’s character asked Jones what he was going to do next in the middle of another white knuckle, teeth-grinding fight. His response? “I don’t know. I’m making this up as I go.” Dealing with social media is like that today. In the midst of the daily barrage of “new,” step back and look at the big picture and focus on the goals you have and why you use social media and social networking.

To get a different perspective on how reps and manufacturers can use social media for business, watch this video and listen to an audio podcast by going to: http://bit.ly/TimeManagementSocialMedia

Allocate a specific amount of time to spend on the most important social media sites for you. For professional speakers, YouTube is a key component. For healthcare professionals, keeping up with others through Facebook is important to know about new advances. For salespeople, learning about the advantages of searching through Twitter can yield real, solid bottom-line results in more sales (a nice concept in the field of selling).

The social media craze is not about to stop. Plan your strategy and work it. Then be willing to modify as 1) you see results from your own experience, and 2) technology and the market changes. I’ll make a prediction here — and I know I’m going to be right on this one. Things will change. Yeah, big deal, you say. However, all kidding aside, plan for it, and be flexible like never before. I’m talking Gumby-flexible.

Yes, business is different today, and it can seem overwhelming. By following these principles, you’ll not only survive but your Facebook friends might just become real friends — and customers!

Now, if you’ll excuse me I have a few Tweets I need to send about my new YouTube video and Facebook Fan Page, along with the LinkedIn Groups I monitor!