“I find people a whole lot easier to please when they are happy.”
- Dale Carnegie
Spare the Rod, Spoil the customer.
By Jason Akali
Carrot
While it might be hard to digitally “punish” anyone it seems increasingly easy to offer people things online. It just makes sense. Scientist have said that our Reptilian Brian is most active when we analyze a cost and reward situation. We enjoy seeing what we will gain from a risk, or what we will accomplish in any situation. It’s a basic survival instinct. But how does this same thought process apply to a digital existence? How can we successfully explore this region of our nature without completely losing our integrity and becoming a complete slave to the commerce? There are quick and immediate answers: lower risk or minimize time spent. But are those really the best means for a medium like Social Media?
Television has been around for fifty years, Print advertisement has existed for probably around three-hundred, Social Media as we know it, and Marketing therein is around five years old. That’s a literal baby in the marketing world, anyone who claims to have the system jerry-rigged our figured out is not only stupidly bold but probably lying. In the short time of its existence though, some solutions have presented themselves. Some are common sense, others not so much.
The F Word
Hopefully by now you know what I’m talking about, the “free” word, silly people. It’s very easy to think you’ll gain a large spurt of followers and listeners cling onto your social media if you offer a free lunch. People will be clinging to your every word, waiting to see if lightning strikes twice. And perhaps it does. Out of the goodness of your heart, you offer a second deal that is too good to be true and everyone goes absolutely bananas, but ultimately you just end up with a bunch of eager meteorologists (followers) who eagerly expect more lightning. This accomplishes nothing It’s important to really foster growth in your followings . This being said, be sure to avoid the
Billboard Bimbo Syndrome
It’s easy to slam “NEW release was a big succes!” or “Fall Conference went very well!” onto your facebook and twitter feeds and that pat yourself on the back for such a valiant and worth effort in social media marketing, but it’s so far from the truth. We’ve all made this mistake, and it’s causing a lot of Social Media Campaigns to fail: You treat your campaign like people can’t talk back to you.
Here is this great new idea, people can literally give you feedback with the click of a button. It’s funny. Whenever I mention, “instant feedback” people are quick to say, “Oh, like Focus Groups!” but that is so far from what Social Media can achieve. Yes, you can post two models of your latest product, a green one and a red one to see which your follower’s like better. But instead of focusing on product reception, why not focus on people reception?
Don’t ask what people think, demand what people speak. It’s a difficult concept to understand at first, but creating content that is interdependent on the communication of your followers is extremely powerful and results in a tool that is almost invaluable.
This brings us to the main point of this blog.
The Digital Family
No this is not a legalize computer marriage proposition, it’s common sense. When you create a truly powerful following, something that is potent and begins to form its own almost hierarchal society, that is when your campaigns have truly been successfulness. By putting out content that is interactive enough to allow a community to grow around your ideas you have created your own “religion”. The cult followings received by websites like “Threadless” and “Reddit” are absolutely key examples. You have created an almost self sustaining society, hopefully one that will continue to run with your “guiding” (sorry, I feel like I’m getting too religious) hand.
Ultimately you have your own digital society or advertisers and marketers. These people who so admire your ingenuity, humor and candor will gladly share what you have to say and encourage other to hear it. And let me clarify: The goal is not to take advantage of these people. I firmly believe that you if you have or fathom the intention to do so, your initiative will fail completely. Look at digg.com for a prime, but polarized example.
Build a village. Love the village. Really. And the village will love you.
It’s that simple.
- Jason Akali
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