Over the past year, the buzz has been building about social media and how marketers need to get on the bandwagon. It’s a great time for agencies, like Spunlogic, who has the experience that companies are looking for, not only to build applications and Second Life presences, but also to provide strategic advice and direction.

It’s not so great a time for the marketers who might be itching to get their feet wet but are hesitant because they have no way of justifying the cost to their bosses. Here are a few reasons that you can use.

Reason #1:
Your audience is already talking about your brand using social media. Whether it’s by putting up a Facebook profile with your brand name, twittering about you, or creating a presence in Second Life, using your brand name, they’re there.

Getting in the game provides you the opportunity to control the message you want to have out there.

Reason #2:
Your competitors are, if not there yet, certainly planning on getting into social media in the near future. Capture the market with your big idea and watch the scales tip in your favor.

Reason #3:
Social media is not going away. Consumers are finding and more importantly creating new and different ways to connect to your brand. Being there is really about fishing where the fish are.

If you think that this medium won’t impact user behavior then think of all the current standard online channels: Website, email, search. When companies failed to get in the game early they lost significant market share and spent considerable time and budget to get up to speed. Is that really where you want to be?