In 2010, I delivered a talk and presentation with my good friend and then business partner, Ed Goyette, on social media. We gave this talk to small business owners. Fitness center owners, jewelry store owners, independent insurance companies, restaurant owners and wedding florists filled the room. We had the task to educate these people on the fact that social media was NOT a trend, it was here to stay and even mom-and-pop shops needed to get on board.
Fast forward.
It’s 2018. By now we’ve all accepted that social media marketing is not a trend. It’s an integral part of the marketing mix. But, is it the answer to all of our marketing dreams?
First, let’s look at how social media has changed the way we market. In one word, social media had made us transparent. There’s no more hiding behind that slogan sprayed upon a billboard or plastered on a two-page magazine spread. Now, each business is held accountable and expected to be authentic. And if not? Well, our customers will know it. They’ll feel it, more than know it intellectually. And then they’ll post about it. To everyone.
So if everything leads to people posting on their Facebook, Twitter and Insta accounts, with #feelingsonourproduct and #customerservicetheygot, then should our efforts focus almost solely on social media? The question is a valid one, and one that lots of companies are contemplating.
The answer is simple.
Let’s think about what I said earlier. Social media is an integral PART of the marketing mix. Some businesses, especially small ones, have swung the pendulum too far. They went from “I don’t need a Facebook business page” to “all we have to do is social media and it’s free!”.
Great content on our Facebook page will drive likes, shares and comments. But it’s usually an existing customer who decides to follow our page to begin with. So we have to build that trust and loyalty with all of our marketing efforts. Don’t abandon everything else and simply post every day online. It’s not enough.
If we only use social media, we miss out on all the other avenues to get our message to our people. For instance, social media can’t let our market taste our fantastic vegan smoothie like they can when we have a booth at the organic trade show. It can’t showcase our beautiful wedding arrangements when brides are flipping through those glossy bridal magazines. Yes, they still do that. And it certainly can’t let our customer experience the happiness of getting that morning latte with a “have an awesome day” written on the cup and handed over with a smile. But, you can be sure they’ll #postaboutit. And, where would we be without the anticipation of the Super Bowl ads? Dilly dilly!
Events, television, direct mail, print ads, speaking engagements, email, SEO, PPC ads, and social media. The goal is to create a fully integrated marketing plan, joining traditional marketing with our digital marketing efforts in a complementary way. We need to create advertising—content—that’s compelling and touches our market on the emotional level and provides a powerful user experience. Humor. Romance. Warmth. Inspiration. And we need to make sure it reaches the right people in the right context.