R.I.P. Monologue
I can’t even count the numerous times I’ve heard seemingly intelligent marketing folks speaking about Social Media as if it were some trend or fad that is simply just going to go away. I think some believe that we will momentarily resume our positions on our soapbox with our megaphones blasting generic messages out to crowds of uninterested people while June Cleaver bakes cookies for us.
Get real.
Conversation is marketing.
Consumers aren’t interested in hearing your monologue and certainly don’t have to give you their time or mind share. They have an opinion, a voice, and a platform on which to share it. In fact, not only are customers smarter and more resourceful, but they have less time and have become professional ad muters. That $300,000 ad spend you just invested in, sadly may have fallen upon deaf ears.
But don’t worry. There is another way. I like to call it, Change or Die.
Social Media is not a fad or a trend. It is the web, relationships, connection, trust, conversations, listening, sharing, evolving, collaborating and… is now a very important part of daily life for Canadians. This is your chance to move from being a company with a product, to a company with a heart and a voice.
When you’re planning on taking an all-inclusive vacation for a week, do you call up the resort directly and ask “how good can I expect my vacation to be if I choose to come here?” No!! You fly over to TripAdvisor.com, check out the reviews of the 300+ people who have visited the resort within the last year and base your opinion on the collective experience of others.
The way that consumers gather information and make buying decisions is now vastly different. There are groups and communities online all with the premise of sharing information. We’re assembling and becoming organized groups of buyers. We don’t take as many risks anymore, because… well, we don’t have to.
Naturally, marketers must evolve and adapt to accommodate this changing landscape. This means listening to your existing customers, talking to them, and being flexible. Don’t be afraid to socialize your brand. It’s a necessity. Customers want to know that there’s a human in there somewhere. There are simple low-cost things you can do right now to begin the socialization process. Why not start with a blog?!
Conversations about your brand are already happening online with our without your involvement. Wouldn’t you rather be a part of the conversation?
