Its at the end of tv and radio advertising spots, in magazines and newspapers, and even on billboards. Companies requesting their audience to become a "fan" of their corporate Facebook page or "follow" them on Twitter.
Hopefully its not getting out of hand. While its fun to get the latest trade rumors from ESPN on Twitter, with all due respect, I don't really care what "Todd's Repair Shop" is doing on Facebook (unless they have my car).
Overall, with social media here to stay, companies need to decide if leveraging these medium is right for them. If companies go ahead and jump into this rapidly changing part of our society, here are a few pointers to follow when setting up their page and communicating effectively to customers or employees.
1) Know the Sites then Determine Your Objective
Are you trying to communicate information about new products to your potential customer base? Twitter can quickly blast that news out. If your goal is to establish a company presence on the web and to attract new employees, Facebook is probably more comprehensive.
2) Reach out to Your Target Audience
The advertisement methods above are a great start, but companies can also make people aware of their Twitter and Facebook presence through company marketing material and their website.
3) Offer Value
Your followers and fans will increase and respond if information they deem valuable is sent their way. Midwest Airlines offers flight discounts through their Twitter page. What about a video on Facebook showing how your new product improves productivity on their manufacturing floor.
4) Regularly Communicate
I sheepishly write #4 as I send out this newsletter two days late of my usual Wednesday deadline. With many social media users set up with automatic updates via their Blackberrys and iPhones, sending out information regularly will make more of an impact.
5) Be Patient with Results
Its probably pretty hard to quantify your results from a social media page. However, as this trend continues to swing upward, you can be comfortable that you got involved early. Even if one new employee or a major customer is attracted to the organization through these medium, it can be considered a short-term success.
Friday, February 19, 2010
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1 comment:
A couple other points to consider.
SM can provide direct way to convey a brand voice. Decide the personality of your company based on the customers you want to attract as well as the ones you want to keep.
2 WAY COMMUNICATION. It is not a one way street, it is a dialog with your customers that you can draw from to improve your business.
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