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.

Social Media is NOT Free is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

Pink offers sweats and pj’s versus teddies and push-up bras. The brand image is one of “cute and playful” versus the more overtly sexy image of the core brand. The Pink collection of “loungewear” (sweatpants, T-shirts, pajamas) has become a popular brand with young women—in 2008 Pink accounted for 17 percent of total retail sales for the brand.

As a marketer, I think Victoria’s Secret is wise to court the younger customers and gain their loyalty early. As a mother of two daughters, I cringe. But since I’m a ruthless marketer, I can’t help but give snaps to Victoria’s Secret for the strategy.

Thinking Ahead to Reach Future Customers

Pink was created because teens and college-age women increasingly wear loungewear (sweat pants) outside the home.  Victoria’s Secret was thinking ahead to create a “gateway” to acquire a new segment of customers.  Is your brand thinking ahead?  Are you reaching out to future customers?

In his brilliant book Trust Agents, Chris Brogan talks about the importance of moving first and investing in the future.  Brand leaders stay ahead of the pack by looking ahead and taking risks while their competitors stand on the sidelines.

Is your business looking at new markets?  How much of your time is spent planning for future sales? If your answer is ZERO, then check out a recent post to make a new plan for the new year.

Victoria’s Secret Pink is a Brilliant Strategy, Is Your Brand Thinking Ahead? is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

Don’t you remember your mother’s admonition about not wearing ratty underwear in case of an accident?  Well, I’m pretty sure that we ALL have some of those kinds of underwear stashed in our drawers.  And as we all know, accidents do happen.  What she really meant by that adage was that you always want to put your best foot forward – even down to the nitty gritty of your choice of underwear, because you never know who’s going to be looking at them.

I’m not sure why we insist on keeping things that are beyond their prime.  For some, it might be out of a sense of frugality, but for many, it’s truly because change is hard.  And that, my friends, is the key.  Change. Is. Hard.

For me, websites are a bit like tattered underwear.  I encounter terrific people on a daily basis who have websites that are sadly outdated and doing absolutely nothing for them in terms of search, brand image, awareness, etc.  And anyone who thinks they are not being judged based on the look and feel, content and effectiveness of their website is simply fooling themselves.

We have a client who owns a local small business.  When we started working with her, she had a website that was about 10 years old and was more horrible than words can describe.  In short, it was so poorly constructed that she had never, ever been picked up by a search engine.  It was head-shakingly horrid. And she’d just been holding onto it because she didn’t know any better.  And she thought that to replace it would cost infinitely more than she could afford.  But, ultimately, she made the decision to trust us, find the money in an already tight budget, and redo her website.   And she was thrilled when we brought the project in $200 under budget.  We also started her blogging, integrated a contest into her marketing strategies and did a few other things designed to drive traffic, search and awareness.

We are big believers in using ethical search engine marketing tactics and go to great lengths to ensure that our clients understand that great search results take a little time.  We got amazingly lucky with regard to this particular client and she started showing up in search within a very short time of the website launch.  And the coolest thing about all of this is just being able to sit back and watch our client reap the benefits of her leap of faith into the world of actually marketing her business in a strategic manner.  She’s busier than she’s ever been.  Her phone rings on a daily basis, she gets email inquiries from all over the world. Her biggest problem these days is having enough staff to handle the influx of business.  And it’s all because people are searching for what it is that she does – and finding her.  She is loving life and her business is thriving, in spite of the down economy, and it’s all because she decided to take a chance. She decided to toss out the old, worn out, ineffective stuff and replace it with new.

The lesson here is that change is good. And necessary.  Even if you are attached to your tattered undies, you have to occasionally toss them out and buy new ones. They look better, they fit better, they feel better.  They do a better job at what it was they were designed to do.  The same is true of your website or other collateral marketing materials and tools that you have. Just because you designed them once, doesn’t mean that they are still effective.  Smart business people regularly evaluate those tools and their effectiveness. And, if you’re not doing that, you’re doing your brand and your business an injustice.

Time to Toss the Tatters is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency

One day, I noticed that I had some tiny cans of apple Juice in the pantry that I’d forgotten about.  My kids aren’t much into juice, but I pulled them out, thinking they might be good bribery material.  Sure enough, in no time, an occasion just right for bribery presented itself, and the Twinlet Twinkies were aptly rewarded for doing my bidding with a little can of apple juice.  I opened the cans, handed them out and went back to whatever earth-shatteringly important thing that I was doing.

I later found the empty apple juice cans (probably in the middle of the floor somewhere) and was immediately struck by the fact that they had, imitating their dad, also turned their pull tabs – in exactly the same way he does.

What does all this have to do with anything?

In much the same way that kids are watching their parents, consumers are watching brands. And in today’s world, consumers are empowered.  Brands who are not what they say they are, instantly run the risk of being found out.  Manufacturers who make faulty products will be, without question, called out, publicly – and quickly.  Consumers are no longer content to buy crappy products and live with the injustice if they happen to have fallen for a lemon.  The old saying “caveat emptor” is actually turning around and, in my opinion, given today’s world of new media, the power is surging into the hands of the consumer.  Nowadays, instead of the buyer needing to beware, brands need to beware.  If they do bad things, make crummy products, misrepresent themselves, behave unethically, treat customers poorly, etc., the ability to be a bad guy and the ability to hide are both things of the past.

In today’s world, transparency is a word to remember – and a concept to take to heart.  If you make a product or provide a service, know that just as my children watched their father turn the pull tab on his soda to the right, your customers and prospective customers are watching every move you make.  And, if you misrepresent yourself in any way, promise something you don’t deliver or provide bad customer service or a faulty product, it will, without question, come back to haunt you.  And is that really such a bad thing? Aren’t consumers entitled to good value for the money they spend on products and services?

The lesson here is to listen and pay attention. Always.  If you aren’t already monitoring what’s being said about you in the social media sphere, you’re taking a big risk.  People are talking about your brand, whether you realize it or not.  There are great monitoring tools out there – so, whether you opt for Google Analytics, Spiral16, Radian6 or a myriad of other “listening tools,” do yourself a favor and make the transparency of today’s new world of marketing today work for you. Conduct yourself ethically, pay attention to what people are doing, pay attention to what people are saying, and always be ready to provide unparalleled customer service. After all, isn’t that what makes good brands great?

People Are Watching – Every Minute of Every Day. What is Your Brand Doing About It? is a post from: V3 Kansas City Integrated Marketing and Social Media Agency