Cutting the Ropes Without a Strategy

Let me start by saying I was never one to play video games. Even more, I have scolded my children on many occasions for wasting their youth on such mindless activities.

You need to know this fact not because it has anything to do with the point of this blog post, but simply because I want the record to show that this was the very first time I engaged in such addictive behavior.

So when I tell you that I spent more than 90 minutes trying to unlock “just one more level” in the wildly-popular mobile game, Cut the Rope, you will understand just how difficult this (simple) game was, all things considered.

When the game starts, a doorbell rings—a mysterious package has arrived, and the creature inside has just one request…CANDY!

The object of the game is to cut the rope attached to the candy in strategic ways to collect up to 3 stars per level and drop the candy into OmNom’s mouth. The more stars you collect, the more boxes and levels you unlock. Sound simple enough, doesn’t it?

Well, let me tell you, it was a challenge. When I say you have to “cut the rope in strategic ways,” you really have to analyze each level—“If I cut this rope, the candy swings to the right, picks up the balloon, rising up…and if I break the balloon AND cut the top rope…”

You get the picture. It took planning. I had to map out the steps. Think through my strategy BEFORE I randomly started snipping ropes.

I had to test each tactic—several times, I might add—before figuring out which one worked. And I had to do that at every step of the game. There were no shortcuts. I learned only through trial and error. And although the goal remained the same, every level of the game required a unique strategy in order to succeed.

It’s not so different with social media. Companies who jump into social media without a plan will likely find themselves struggling to reach the next level. The tactics might be clear (cut the ropes) but often, the execution doesn’t quite work out as planned ( the candy falls to the bottom of the screen!)

Facebook is not a strategy. Twitter is not a strategy. Are you cutting the ropes without creating a strategy first?

And while social media strategy may seem redundant ad nauseum in my experience, since I’ve come to live and breathe this stuff lately, it’s important to remember that everyone else doesn’t live inside my head. SO…I want to know your thoughts, and experiences, around social media tactics and strategies. Let me know by sharing your thoughts in the comments below.

Do you have social media questions? Follow me on Twitter, LIKE me on Facebook, or connect with me on LinkedIn. I’d love to “meet” you!