Can you become a social media manager?

Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, and even Myspace have become such a huge part of life that it's no surprise that 1 in 9 people worldwide use Facebook daily.  Businesses have found that capitalizing on the huge volume of people using social media is a fantastic way to not only promote their business, but also to establish deep relationships and connections with their customers.  When this connection happens, the customer suddenly becomes more than just a customer - they transform into a walking testimonial for that business, and can help to spread the word through social media.

Many businesses have established a presence on Facebook and Twitter, some of them trying to go it alone, some taking on a knowledgeable social media consultant to help them succeed.  Those that do not know much about the process often do little more than have a presence on facebook, and never make that leap from presence to change.

Still other businesses have not even recognized the need for integrating a social media presence into their marketing plan, which may be worse than trying and not succeeding.  A recent study claimed that a large percentage of those businesses with no social media presence will be doomed to not even exist in three to five years.

So, social media marketing is definitely here to stay, but can you become a social media consultant?

There are no formal education programs, no degrees or certificates right now that will equip you for success, although several ebooks, courses, and even droid apps have sprung up to try to help you.  One thing that you MUST do is sort through the many courses and programs, and find one that will really help you in the technical  AND the business side of social media consulting. 

Although there is a large technical component, the ultimate success of a social media consultant will come from face to face sales skills, and selling practices are a must.

The basics of knowing how to do social media effectively (which many people think they do but really do not), knowing how to sell, and knowing how to maintain an ongoing relationship with clients are the key success factors to become a thriving social media consultant.

There is much opportunity in this area, and few barriers to entry.  If you think you have what it takes, you will be helping business owners and rewarding yourself financially in this area that is most definitely not just a fad.  Good luck!