(Image: The fork in the road, by i_yudai on Flickr)

When presenting social media, find out first what matters to the client. This sounds obvious, but sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes we assume that the client needs a Facebook page, a blog, a Twitter account, and that assumption comes too fast.

I am also not saying to start with business objectives either. Of course, they want more sales. What I am suggesting is to listen to how the client thinks they will arrive at those sales and to position the social media program to further that strategy. For example:

• If the client believes that sales comes by delivering a message to the press, which in turn informs prospects and drives sales, emphasize social media as a tool to cultivate, refine and deliver messages to journalists and influencers.
• If the client believes that sales comes by delivering a compelling call to action to the right person at the right time, emphasize social media as listening tool to find the right people and discover what call to action will motivate them to act.
• If the client believes that sales will come through the right strategy partnerships, demonstrate how those partners are using social networks and the ways in which they can be reached through them.

Discovering how clients believe they will achieve sales should influence what aspect of social media to present.