The Power of the Social Hour

The way we communicate with the public has certainly evolved over the last decade. While we still utilize traditional media sources such as print, radio, billboards and television; social media has made a major impact in the way we communicate. Social media is not a replacement for traditional media, but it has allowed a different type of marketing strategy that businesses cannot ignore. Organizations have incorporated the use of social media to reach higher levels of effectiveness and to better connect with their clients. Traditional media can help create brand awareness, but it does not allow you to engage with your audience. Social media has rapidly embedded itself into our personal and professional everyday lives.

Social media allows a more interactive experience than traditional media. Instead of filling out a survey, dropping your opinions in a suggestion box or writing a letter to the editor, consumers can voice their opinions on a product with the creators of the information immediately. Businesses can join the conversation with millions of consumers around the world everyday. Companies can monitor what people are saying about their brand, build relationships with consumers, educate them about products and services, and then making them love your brand. Consumers feel connected and become part of a social network, causing them to trust the product or service.

Individuals have a new ability to voice their opinions through social media. Word-of-mouth marketing is one of the most credible forms of advertising because people who do not stand to gain personally by promoting something are spreading the word based on their personal experiences. Combined with the social media, the word-of-mouth can be a powerful resource for the business market. Consumers can easily use social media to leave positive or negative reviews about a product or a service. These reviews can influence the buying decisions of potential consumers. Organizations can monitor what is being said about their brand and make policy changes where needed.  Websites like Angie's list is a word-of-mouth network, helping more than 2 million households find the best service companies in their area. If  you need a plumber, you can search the site for the best plumber in your town. You can read the reviews and rate the plumber, you could also share a review on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus or YouTube. 

People look for opinion leaders to determine if a product or a service will work for them. Angie Hicks serves as a valuable opinion leader by maintaining a blog on her site. Opinion leaders (famous celebrities, journalists, bloggers, athletes) are active on multiple social media platforms and have the power to form opinions when it comes to our products. The majority of people are influenced by opinion leaders. They spread ideas and expand conversation. Angie is a real person who has a lot to say. She is a nationally known consumer expert who has issued calls for action in several areas. She has alerted consumers by freely discussing customer service experiences. She is also a strong advocate for accountability and fairness in the consumer ratings and reviews niche. In addition to her role as Chief Marketing Officer of Angie’s List, Angie is a sought-after guest on national news programs and regularly contributes consumer news and commentary to local and national news outlets.

Advertisers are using opinion leaders to carry their message to influence its target group. They are using various social media venues such as Facebook or Twitter to communicate messages about their brands. Opinion leaders can communicate why an organization does what they do and spread their beliefs amongst a network circle. Simon Sinek explains in his video How great leaders inspire action that inspired organizations should communicate their message from the inside out.  People do not buy what you do, they buy why you do it. If we reverse our communication to explain why we do what we do, how it is done, then what you do; you will attract those that believe what you believe. This concept Sinek calls the Golden Circle, "a naturally occurring pattern, grounded in the biology of human decision making, that explains why we are inspired by some people, leaders, messages and organizations over others". 

Zappos online shoe retail store believes that happiness at work equates to happiness at home and focus on customer service results in repeat business. The company does not have a social media policy, employees are allowed to access their social media accounts anytime during work hours as long as the customer comes first. The Zappos culture encourages employees to include company information and opinions on their Facebook, Twitter, personal blogs and their LinkdedIn profile. Zappos is using social media successfully to promote their brand. They have set up their own Twitter micro site highlighting the company’s use of Twitter. All employees have Twitter accounts to help engage its brand. Zappos has dedicated page for Twitter on its site that is linked to every other page on the site with the words “What are Zappos employees doing right now?” Here we can find all Zappos employees’ most recent messages. Employees tweet about what they are dong at work and about interesting resources on and off the Zappos site.

Zappos uses a strategy called “fans-only content” where they reveal content only after someone has become a fan, such as the fashion images. Once you click the Like button, you get instant access to exclusive content, videos and special promotions. On Facebook Zappos’ has a “Fan of the Week” contest. They encourage fans to send in their photos using their Zappos box they receive in the mail when they make a purchase and other fans get to vote on the best photo of the week. Zappos highlights the fan of the week by posting their photo on the Zappos wall for all to see. The more you spotlight your fans, the more they will come back for more social interaction and the more likely their social circle of friends will want to get involved.

Social media is about engaging, interacting with the audience and involving the customer in the brand.

Feel free to leave you comments and opinions on social media tactics. I challenge you to post an example of how a business can use the power of the social hour in my comment section. The link to my blog is http://nicoleijohnson.blogspot.com/. I look forward to reading your responses.