The most common reaction I get from holistic practitioners when I tell them they have to use social media is “I don’t get it. I’d rather connect with people in person.”And they’re right, they don’t get it. Social media & online networking doesn’t replace in-person contact, it enhances it. Here’s why you need to use social media in your marketing mix:1.

1. You’re missing out on a huge opportunity.

How huge? How’s 400+ million people?  That’s how many people are on Facebook, with over 200 million people logging in to Facebook every day. They are over 75 million people on Twitter and over 60 million on LinkedIn.

Why not take the opportunity to connect with a captive audience? The people who follow, fan or friend you are opt-ing in, giving you permission to stay in touch with them. You’ll have the ability to stay in touch with your people who love what you do while attracting new clients to your practice.

2. You’ll be found when Googled.

Imagine potential clients heard about you from their friends. They decide to do a little research first & Google you. What will they find? Will you be found at all?

Listing yourself & your business on multiple sites increases your Google page ranking, provides organic search engine optimization (SEO), & basically allows you to be found when searched. Why not make it easy for your clients to find you?

3. It’s still a personal connection…

You just can’t see the people in front of their computer screens. Remember, there is still a real human being your connecting to. When you are authentic & sincere online, your energy can transcend through space & time on the internet & connect with your audience.

It all comes down to mindset. If you believe that social media is a time-suck, impersonal, spamming, & so on, then you are completely right. There are a lot of people who just don’t get it.