Posts tagged ‘marketing strategy’
Step One: Step Back
Summary: In order to successfully use social media as a marketing platform, businesses first have to change the way they interact with their audiences. Listen to your audience, then give them the information they need, not the information you need them to hear.
Many people are quick to hop on the social media wagon without any foresight or planning. The plethora of social media sites can easily send some businesses into a state of panic—a frenzy to be visible and have presence on every possible avenue. But this manner of thinking is reminiscent of the same worn-out, doesn’t-work, out-dated marketing strategy that spam emailing utilizes: “Bombard your audience with your message! Beat it into anyone and everyone!” This strategy results only in frustration and a deaf ear from your consumers.
There’s a new strategy in town, and it involves stepping back to analyze your audience, listen to what they’re saying and, in return, give them the information that they need. This strategy might be visualized in the following way:
Unfortunately, the abuse of social media sites for marketing purposes is fostering a regression to the old, out-dated way of thinking about marketing. Blasting a message through every possible avenue without considering your audience is a step backwards. Ask yourself “Why?” before you act. Consider these questions:
- What are the goals you hope to accomplish by using social media?
- What kind of return are you hoping to get?
- Which social media are your audience already using?
- What kinds of information do they want?
Your audience is already participating in one or more online communities. Find out where they are and listen to what they are saying. Don’t just toss out the message or information that you think should be heard. If you listen, your audience will tell you what they want from you and what it will take to engage them in a positive relationship.
Start Listening:
Here’s an awesome tool to help you start listening: StartPR. This application searches across social media for a keyword or phrase to see what people are saying about it.
