Social Skills for Brands
01 May, 2012
- Source:
Blast Radius
Social isn’t a silo and nor should it be treated as such; a good social strategy integrates with your current brand ecosystem and cross-channel efforts. With that being said, social is a great magnification tool — but like any marketing effort, it needs to be disciplined.
Approach social with the same rigor you’d apply to any other channel strategy – with careful analysis, as well as creativity, insight, intuition.
But recognize the differences – in traditional marketing, branding was about defining how you’re going to present yourself. Hair, makeup, clothes. The first thing out of your mouth as you’re shaking hands. That was brand strategy.
Now, brand strategy is “what’s the next thing I’ll say, after the handshake? How will I respond to what the customer says next?”
The key, of course, lies in research and planning. With both, brands have the raw ingredients to shape that conversation. Use social listening to discover the common ground between the presentation of your brand in traditional channels and what customers really think about you, and you will be able to craft voice, tone, frequency and creative.
Tips for conversation:
- W rite a list of goals then cut it in half. Keep the rejected half as reminders..
- Base your social voice on the existing role your brand embodies for customers.
- Validate that role with a bit of research (resist the pull of wishful thinking).
- Hire people who can play that role authentically.
- Don’t think of it as tweets or status updates. Think of it as brand programming.