I’ve been in many conversations these days about social media, and using online communities to create buzz for a product or a company or a brand. These talks all seem to go the same way: We sit around and brainstorm about it, although we’re not really brainstorming. We’re talking about all the ways in which we don’t know how to make it work. Then, we start sharing anecdotes and surfing Youtube and Facebook, showing each other success stories, viral content, and other social network ad campaigns that “just worked”. But we never define what makes them work. And if we do manage to define some features that work, then we don’t know how we could parlay that success into a success for ourselves. We give up, saying my brain hurts, let’s go get lunch.
But recently, I have realized two truths that connnect these success stories:
1. social media is peers serving peers, because they want to.
2. An online service or company must offer value to its audience.
That’s really all that I have found so far. You can create something for people to interact with or look at, but unless there is some aspect of the promotion that provides a value to their lives or work, they will not use it. They will not invite their friends. They will not interact.
Generating value seems tough enough by itself, if you’re comparing your own efforts to big-time marketers like McDonalds or Mercedes. But think of value in terms of your own sphere of influence: What do you, business owner, have that is of value to your customers? Obviously, there is something. You are in business after all. Then, what can you create, that shows the value points of your product, in such a way that people want to learn more?
I make art. I also dispense advice, and help people come up with creative strategies that solve business problems. So, I could offer any one of those things for free on my website. By doing this, I can create a group of people who look to me for free stuff that is of value to them.
I could do something similar on my facebook page, or through twitter. I know for a fact that design sites get lots and lots of hits when they give away quality, free art. As those sites continue to provide value, their audiences grow, and many visitors will become return visitors.
Will any of those people ask for a logo, or a web page? Well, the laws of probability state that if you have more chances to sell to people, you’re going to get more sales. So, it turns out that yes, they will. But those people who just take the freebies and run away? Well they are walking advertisements for your services. Any one of those people can spread the word about how cool your offerings are.
Finally, when thinking of strategy for integrating social media into your marketing arsenal, remember that social media is just people. You can sell to them as you normally do out in the analog world. However, you can make more sales if you work to increase your audience in online media, because a larger audience means more opportunity to make sales.