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Social Media is NOT Free

Posted by Shelly Kramer on February 27, 2010 · View Comments 

Starbucks Twitter Page

I was having yet another conversation with a friend today who was questioning the efficacy of social media as anything other than an advertising platform. Having realized it was “free marketing” he has, naturally, already jumped all over it (his words, not mine) by creating the ubiquitous fan page on Facebook and using it to broadcast his message to the masses. But his point was that he didn’t see social media as anything BUT an advertising channel and he was lamenting about the “narcissistic bullshit” that he had to wade through in that milieu and how pointless it all seemed.

When I asked for a definition of “narcissistic bullshit,” he promptly replied that he was bored to tears reading through posts that mentioned “little Johnny was standing in line with me at Starbucks picking his nose.” However, when pressed, he admitted that he did care about maybe being able to sell his products to the mom who was so narcissistically sharing the fact that Johnny had a little nose-picking problem. And making a joke of it via some social media channel. Funny that it didn’t occur to him that the broadcasting of his message, his “sales pitch,” might be equally as annoying to people.

On the heels of that conversation, I read this week’s Ad Age, which featured an article about Starbucks and how they’ve managed to get their business brewing again via social media and integration of social media into their marketing efforts. Their success can be largely attributable to the fact that they were smart enough to realize that the opportunity presented by social media was the chance to build customer relationships, engage and interact with customers and make them a part of the brand itself. Ding, Ding, Ding.

Now back to my friend’s comments. The thing he is missing is this: while she was in line at Starbucks, making that comment on Twitter or Facebook, and maybe even also using Foursquare to check in, in the process that mom might’ve also forged a connection – virtual or not – with other moms. Moms who are or have been dealing with the same toddler-based craziness and who then see the brand – in this case, Starbucks – as an oasis from which to momentarily step off the merry-go-round, if just for a few moments, and enjoy a lovely Skinny Triple Shot Latte with Non-fat Vanilla. Let’s just call that a little bit of “brand image gold” for Starbucks.

My point is this – people (like my friend) need to get over themselves. Brands need to get over themselves. And they need to quit trying to shove marketing messages down consumers’ throats via Facebook, Twitter, etc., just because they think “it’s free.” It’s not about free – it’s about the conversation. And by the way, that’s largely what’s made Starbucks so successful – the genuine effort that they invested in engaging and interacting with the customers. It’s not really that hard. To quote my friend Molly Cantrell-Kraig in a recent blog post she guest wrote for us, “Perfection is not expected. Participation is.”

And social media is NOT, I repeat NOT free. It takes a passion for it, a strategy and a commitment to participate. Starbucks’ Twitter success came about because a former barista named Brad Nelson believed in social media. He approached the powers that be in the content and online departments and presented them with the idea of opening a Twitter account in 2008. And I’m sure that to describe their reaction as “skeptical” is an understatement. But Nelson did his homework, he was passionate and he pitched it by saying “It’s a lot like being a barista on the Internet.” Now that was something they could relate to. Despite their misgivings, they let him loose and today the brand has some 775,000 Twitter followers. Just knowing the story actually makes me want to follow them – and get to know Brad a little better, don’t you?

But, more importantly, Starbucks uses social media as a part of an integrated marketing strategy. It’s a tool, a channel, a place to reach out to customers, listen to them and engage with them, but it is, most definitely, NOT free. It requires strategy, experience, a huge investment of time and energy and it requires regular and consistent participation. If anyone tries to tell you anything to the contrary, they are probably one of the new breed of social media charlatans, trying to make a quick buck and an even quicker getaway once they’ve managed to get your money.

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  • Brad Nelson, I wonder if he's my relative? Anita Nelson went to her (nameless) then-employer in 2008 to tell them about Twitter and the results were completely different. Bravo! to Brad for his persuasiveness & the huge success on Twitter for StarBucks!

    Nose picking, standing in line and rushing are some of the imperfections that make us human, thus interesting. There is nothing more boring to me than going to someone's Twitter page who only talks about themselves and their own blog, brand and products. I think we should redefine "narcissistic bullshit" to mean that type of behavior!
    Anita @ModelSupplies
  • I am starting to understand the investment in time and making it real. I still struggle with the "plan" or "strategy" I try to provide good content and personal tidbits here and there. Thank god I have Shelly to help me with a plan!
  • kathyherrmann
    Hi Shelly!

    Great article on the real world of social media. Like a lot of folks, I started in social media as an experiment after hearing of the success stories of other folks who landed clients (!) and grew their businesses with it.

    It took about about 6-8 months before my investment in social media started to pay off - and for me it didn't come in the form of prospective customers at first.

    Instead, I've made beaucoup connections with other consultants and vendors and we shared shared ideas, traded thought leadership, and personal tidbits. These connections morphed into personal and business friends and through them I started to get introductions to individuals who do have customer potential.

    The money quote in your article is this..."[Social media takes a] passion for it, a strategy and a commitment to participate."

    Sure there are some folks who quickly go viral in the social media world. For most of us, though, it's an ongoing commitment to participation that makes it fun and profitable.
  • Thank you thank you thank you! How many times have I run into businesses who think its "free" and get upset at even a small investment in social media (well why don't I just start it up myself?). My answer to them is to go for it! And call me back in a few months if you realize it's not working as you thought it would and isn't so easy....
  • Shelly, I would say the cost is time and commitment. I just wrapped up a social media class for the adult education section where I reside, it was interesting how many of my students finally realized it was about the investment in time. Many of my students were able to understand that when it comes to social media that time equals money. Unfortunately before they came to the class their belief was that time to use social media equaled a waste of money, because of all the perceived narcissism. The constant in both sides of the equation is time and money. The factors that change the relationship is quality, planning, and goals. If you go into social media with no sense of quality, no plans, and no goals around your message then you are wasting your time and your money. Yet if you have a plan, engage in a quality conversation that provides value, and you have specific goals then your time is not wasted and the money it equals is earned. I wish I could say that I came up with the last part myself. I credit the adult students in my class for giving me that insight.
  • Great read! Thank you, again, Shelly. When I become sucessful through social media, it will be because of you, and the other ladies that I follow, listen to, and try to make sense of. You all are great. Thank you so very much for your knowledge.
  • PS - Since I know you like grammar etc. is eschewing used correctly in line 1? I'm really not sure even after double checking definition.
  • ShellyKramer
    Thanks, Cherry. I liked it, but changed it, just in case. Thanks!
  • Good post, social media is definitely not free. Like your friend, I too missed the point that mom and her nose-picking kid could have been forging a connection with other moms who might then see Starbucks as a mom-oasis. Food - or coffee as the case may be - for thought. Thanks. I write very few personal/life comments on Twitter. How has it worked for you in terms of building relationships? or do you write them more since relationships have already been established? Guess it was personal commentary that got us conversing, now that I think about it.
  • ShellyKramer
    Cherry, I can honestly say that the number one key to my success in the social media realm has just being my own unique, goofy but real self. I find that I can't be anything other than myself, but it's that very thing that makes people want to engage with me - or so I think. Especially given your amazing personality, you might be amazed at what the interjection of more of the "real" you into your business work/writings, etc., might ultimately result in (ending sentence in a preposition, but c'est la vie).

    Thanks for the read, missy.
  • I can vouch for Shelly's goofy real self!
  • This article caught my eye because I've been saying the same things to my clients. Social Media Marketing is not free. It will cost you either time or money. Probably both. But that's OK, because this is a type of marketing, like any other, in the sense that you have to think about how to use it strategically within the parameters of SMM etiquette and then deploy, test and repeat. If there's a totally free type of marketing that requires no expenditure of time AND money, I want to know about it!
  • ShellyKramer
    LOL ... I agree. And even WOMM is not free -- done correctly, you need a strategy and a vehicle to make it happen, and social media is the same thing. Sure, it's free, and you can dive in and try to figure it out yourself. But if you don't have a marketing background or a solid understanding of strategy, you could be spending lots of time with little reward. It's kind of like the guy who chooses to represent himself in a lawsuit because those damn lawyers, they cost money. And it can't be THAT hard, right? Ha! In my experience, it's the clients who go down that path who are eventually knocking on my door, begging me to fix the mess they've managed to create. Marketing ---> it can't be THAT hard, any moron can do it, right? Riiiiight! Thanks for the read - and the comment!
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