Itamar Kestenbaum

Branding on Social Media looks something like this if not done right.

When first transitioning from Traditional Marketing to Social Marketing, many companies experience significant growing pains. I know that in more clueless times, I was also very confused as to how this new animal called “Social Media” behaved in reaction to Marketing attempts. I actually think that most of the world was worried about this. It took a while for the Social Media marketing world to gain its footing, but by now – at least the main ground rules have been set.

The best way to think of your transition from traditional to Social Marketing would be moving to a new community. So make sure to act as if you’ve just moved into a new community, and although you have prior experience living in other communities, this one is new and different:

Listen!

So you’ve moved into your new community. Your first challenge is to find out how the world around you works here. What are people saying about things? Are people liberal or conservative? Do they like chocolate or vanilla? If it’s mixed – is the split 10% – 90% or closer to 50/50?

In that same way, you should be asking the following questions (and more) about the conversation in the Social Space:

• Do they take your product in a very positive light or a very negative light?
• What stresses are associated with your brand?
• What are people saying to each other about your brand?
• What’s being said about your competitors?

Drop the Sales Pitch

Now that you’re listening, you are ready to meet your neighbors and begin conversation with them. But before you do that – I’m sure you’ll think up a good way to get off on the right foot. Are you going to bring them a welcome gift? Introduce yourself nicely? One thing you certainly are not going to do is knock on their door and ask them if they can lend you sugar because you’re out.

Like in any business – rapport is key. In Social Media, rapport is built in many ways. For businesses, the easiest way to build rapport is by generating neutral helpful content for the consumer so that they can enjoy free useful information, and make decisions on their own. Why is this effective? For one – it’s their space – so although it’s not the most direct way to market – it sure as hell is a more effective way than “This is your issue? Buy my product and you’ll feel all better.” Especially in the social space, where consumers are tech savvy, are aware of robots and over-marketers, you will get called out as a spammer or aggressive marketer sooner than you can sell one product of yours. People can smell a rat from a mile away – don’t be the rat. Don’t distribute – contribute.

Help Potential Customers

If you want to be a good member of the community, you need to gain respect and authority in that community. The only way to do that is by helping others. That’s what makes Social Media social. If you keep pointing links to yourself – people will stop listening to you. Imagine walking to your neighbor every hour on the hour and telling them that you bought a new car, have a big front lawn, just bought a jacuzzi. It gets old fast. Find a way to contribute to other people. It can even be something as simple as retweeting someone’s tweet or link. Help other people get attention – and they will reciprocate and thank you.

There are many other important tips for engaging your community, but these are just a few to work on for now. We will work on some more later on. Until next time – goodnight!

Keep It Real.

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