Modern Insider – Digital Marketing Blog

View of Yosemite Falls and the Valley from from Glacier Point

As the photo above shows, my view right now is pretty impressive… In many ways it’s easy to think of this setting as completely detached from the world of social marketing or brand but as I listen to the conversations of the people around me they tell a different story: first a remark on the view, then a comment on how great it is to get away from it all followed by a quip about their energy drink, the new shoes they’re breaking in for the hike down, the car trip for those who drove in. Truth is, for better or worse, products are a part of our everyday lives and they don’t get talked about simply on a public Twitter stream – they get brought up in context.

Whether its chit chat on a 4-mile hike to reach an amazing view like this one or on a closed Facebook group, most of the conversations that happen about our brands takes place in a world which we as marketers have no direct access to. Yet in an attempt to become more transparent by speaking to customers, we’ve unwittingly backed into a corner and become stuck on only what is right in front of us — monitoring and “owning” the public conversations but missing the big opportunity.

Rather than focusing on what’s “in the open” and trying to be the master of every conversation, it’s best to focus on the power advocacy can bring to all mediums – whether it’s responding to a late night plea for support, sharing a review, or combating a negative belief in the line at the cafeteria. A trusted friend tops any other marketing, social included, and it doesn’t care what channel or privacy rules apply to the conversation.

Next time you’re out of your controlled environment, whether it’s a camp ground or an amusement park, listen to what’s being said about products & brands and ask yourself not how you could be speaking in that conversation but rather how you could win the attention of one of the participant’s time so they speak for you, or at least about you.

[This post was recorded on the trail to Glacier Point 7/16/2011 and typed up later. Thanks iTalk!]

As a marketer the last thing any of us want to do is give up control of the brand messaging to other departments or the retail force but in this fast paced world of emerging media it may be a great idea to do just that. While thousands of companies are exploring the benefits of social media in forming relationships with customers who come to them, a few have started to interject at a deeper level engaging with consumers merely because they make a relevant comment.

Instead of waiting for people to come to them these organizations are sending their forces out into conversations to provide value and insights. While companies have been getting involved for years, the scale is changing. In just the past few weeks BestBuy announced their @Twelpforce program to empower an entire sales force to speak one to one with consumers. Hyatt has also made a similar move with @HyattConcierge to respond to travel questions from finding a restaurant to directions like any local Concierge would do. These companies are on the forefront of a powerful opportunity – the chance to influence customers with action, not offers.

This is not to say offer based programs have no value but rather that it’s limited by the interest in following the offers themselves. On the other hand when a company becomes engagement based it moves right into the conversation and whether it’s through twitter, Facebook or a topic based forum, there’s a tremendous opportunity to engage and provide value.

In a sense the entire concept of social solutions is a return to what retail once was. Companies are selling value not in terms of discounts or flashy displays but service. A polite answer to a question no one else solved. A helpful tip about where to go, what to do. It’s all welcomed and warranted so long as the source remains valuable. And while Twitter has introduced the concept on a mass scale it’s possible to extend into literally thousands of micro-communities where answers are always welcomed.

Of course engaging on a companywide level is not without risks and issues. Rogue employees can certainly harm a brand’s reputation intentionally or simply by accident. Plans can be leaked out prematurely and a whole list of other risks could certainly be written up if one was so inclined. But as with so many tactics the risk of inaction is even more worrisome. When a company fails to engage and fails to be open to communication the comments pile up, the questions go unanswered and the brand remains a faceless entity dedicated to selling only.

Opening the doors to mass interaction should be something every organization considers and evaluates. The opportunity for great results exists but must be thought through with careful attention to risks and potential challenges. BestBuy has done a solid job of foreseeing many of these issues and building a plan that works around them just as every organization should. After all the last thing any brand wants is its name getting associated with social spam or any other violations. But with a well executed effort there’s a wide open door to provide value that means something using the hands of people who know the customer and products best.