Marketing is about creativity, punchy language, and ad campaigns, right? Not in social media. This post summarizes 5 outdated marketing beliefs and offers quick tips for adapting to the new world of ‘unmarketing.’
1. Punchy Language Gets Customers’ Attention
Problem: “Marketing speak” isn’t authentic enough for the world of social media and puts customers off. Additionally, customers don’t search for Marketing’s terms online, which leads to low traffic on Websites, blogs or tweets.
New World: Use customers’ natural language.
Tip: Keep up-to-date with customers’ natural language by scanning social media chatter and tracking top search terms for your category. Harrah’s boosted Web traffic 11% by mining social media conversations for more resonant language to use on its Website.
2. Creativity is King
Problem: Marketers can get attached to good ideas and stick with them even if they are not relevant to evolving customer interests. In the fast-moving world of social media, an idea that seems cool one week may not be relevant to customer conversations the next.
New World: Flexibility is king.
Tip: Consider rewarding flexibility over originality.
3. Campaigns are Marketing’s Bread and Butter
Problem: Social media is “always on,” which means that “launch and leave” campaigns won’t work if they don’t create continued opportunities for interaction.
New World: Provide valuable content on a more frequent basis and engage in ongoing dialogue with customers.
Tip: There’s no need to hire an army for content creation. Instead, tap into existing resources (e.g., partners, external experts, customers) and use self-sustaining mechanisms for content creation (e.g., automatic aggregators/publishers, such as http://www.butterflypublisher.com/).
4. Marketers Are Talkers
Problem: Customers want to talk back and they don’t listen when you shout at them.
New World: Listen and learn before entering the conversation appropriately.
Tip: Screen for listening skills during interviews. One company we spoke to now asks, “What was the last present your bought a friend/family member and why?” to gauge how well the candidate listens.
5. Marketing is the Brand Guardian
Problem: Marketing staff are too few to personally manage or oversee all customer conversations taking place online.
New World: Marketing shifts from brand police to brand champion and allows non-marketers to interact with customers independently.
Tip: Provide short and simple training for non-marketing staff to ensure they understand social media etiquette and reflect the brand’s values. MLC members, see how National Instruments leverages firmwide employees as a consumer listening and response network.
Related posts:
- Measuring Social Media Effectiveness without Clickthru Metrics
- Social Media on a Shoestring: How Sharpie Engaged Community in a Tight Economy
- How To Take Advantage of Social Media in Highly Regulated Environments
- Social Media in ‘Unsocial’ Industries
- Social Media | Is Marketing the “Tip of the Spear” in a Corporate Cultural Revolution?
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