I’ve talked a bit about this before, but a lot of the work I do for companies involves consulting with them on how they can best use social media. I will study the company’s current social media efforts (if any), their marketplace, their competitors’ efforts, their resources, their goals for social media, and then give them an evaluation of their current situation and a recommended course of action moving forward.
Earlier this year, I performed this social media strategy audit for a smaller company. After presenting the results and my findings to the company, I was on a conference call with the owner and his son, who was the marketing manager, discussing what their next steps should be. My findings, coupled with the company’s resources and what they wanted to accomplish via social media, suggested that they could probably benefit from launching a company blog.
But I wasn’t convinced that the company could handle running a blog. In my previous talks with the marketing manager, I got the impression that they could only devote 1 person to the blog, and I didn’t feel that they really understood how much of a workload would be required. I was recapping my findings with the owner and his son, and the owner remained silent while the son did all the talking.
After about 30 mins, I wasn’t at all convinced that the company was ready to commit to writing the blog, and was willing to put the time and effort into it. And quite frankly, I didn’t think the company had the passion that would be required to maintain it.
I finally decided that it was time to cut to the chase, and see if they were serious or not. So I told the son that I thought that a blog could work for his company, but that I didn’t believe they had the resources available to commit to the project long-term, and that I quite frankly didn’t think they could devote the time and energy necessary to sustain the blog.
The owner decided to speak up for the first time. “Look” he said in a slightly irritated tone, “I can DO this! I love this business and I know how to talk to my customers! I can do this, I want to do this!”
I was grinning from ear to ear as I told the owner that was exactly what I wanted to hear! “You just hit on the reason why you need to blog. You have a passion for your business and your customers. THAT is what you need to pour into your blog.”
This is the main point I was trying to make in my previous post about how having a strategy doesn’t make you social. Social is what you ARE. It’s how you use the tools. Companies tend to forget that social media tools are tools that people use to communicate with each other, as well as create and share content.
It’s not a set of tools to exchange marketing messages. So if you want to connect with people via these tools, you need to have your head and heart in the right place. Not to spread a marketing message, but to CONNECT with them.
Nice example, Mack! Many still think in terms of “tools”, “platforms”, “strategy”… and see Social Media like a shift from Broadcast Media : a new set of channels to send information towards people (push push push!).
Social is indeed what you are. Your behavior using the tools -or a brand’s way to do so- will inevitably reflect through time and convergence, the nature of your / its intentions.
Hey Luc! You are right, they view social media as simply a new group of broadcast/marketing tools. We use them to create/share content, and communicate with each other.
How can we best help companies understand that?
Mack, I think that there are a bunch of stunning cases out there that illustrate the difference of impact (and response) between “push channels” and “brands engaged into online conversation(s)”. Content is nothing if there is no conversation about or around it. A good example is happening within the entertainment business. Now, isn’t it push-media by definition? Nope, not anymore… with the emergence of services like GetGlue, Philo or Miso encouraging “media consumption check-ins” and “viewing experience sharing”. Not to mention transmedia story-telling, yet another way to illustrate that evolution (see this article) :
http://is.gd/elX5G
I think companies won’t move until they get the “vision” that a fundamental shift is currently happening and that ignoring it is not going to help them build their future. Illustrating, explaining and leading into that direction is not an easy thing to achieve, but through the great example you shared with us here, you prove that it is possible and that it only makes sense if done in a relevant way.
That is the only way a business blog will work. If you just want to go through the motions, no one will want to read it. And, then it is a waste of time.
Mack,
Thank goodness what’s more important is passion – ’cause I’ll never be close to perfect and neither will my blog! 🙂
I couldn’t agree with you more about having your head and your *heart* in the right place…and about how that leads to a genuine connection. I just left a comment on Robbin Phillips’s newest Brains on Fire blog post about how inspiring it is to me that they use the word “love” so eloquently – and the challenge I’ve seen in the corporate world getting “love” and “hearts” to be embraced.
But I believe that you are right – those blogs and bloggers that will be most successful are those that put their hearts into it and not only connect, as you mention, but as Robbin says, “lift others up.”
When I think about the truth of my own blog I am beyond thrilled how its enabled me to connect with others – especially those I would never have met otherwise – but the most deeply felt joy comes when reading a comment that makes it clear that in some way I just lifted that reader up. Amazingly cool! 🙂
I loved your story, Mack!
@LisaPetrilli
Hi Mack,
I have been away for the past week. Nice to read your post today. I love the story. It reminds me a little about a post I wrote back in 2008. It had to do with being the Blogger-in-Chief. There is a great video of an NBC news story about how Bill Marriott started “writing” the blog for the Marriott Hotels. I am sure you have seen his blog. I just love the way he reaches out to his guests and shares his story. He does have passion. http://www.blogs.marriott.com/
Here a link to the blog I wrote about him.
http://blog.webconsuls.com/2008/09/benefit-of-being-blogger-in-chief.html
Thanks for all you share.
Judy
Mack, Also loved the story you shared, as well as the previous day’s post on strategy. ITA that passion for the business, the brand, the customers is important but I’m not sure it’s enough. It needs direction, understanding.. and an executable strategy. And a purpose beyond passionately driving sales (IMHO).
Let me play devil’s advocate: yes your business owner loves his business and has the desire to do a blog. Does he really time to do it, as you asked? The talent to consistently write or record something that’s engaging and not selling? The voice? He says he knows how to talk to his customers, but did you see that in your audit? (I’ve had small business clients who are great with praise, but ask them about the competition or something negative.. not so much.)
My questions obviously lead to the answer that you as their expert still have a job to do: help them plan their blog, decide what and how it’ll interact with customers, etc. Like you said.. not just spread marketing messages (broadcasting) but engage and connect with the audience.
Easy example: Gary Vaynerchuck has plenty of passion for his businesses, but he also has a purpose and a plan. FWIW.
Passion is certainly required…and lots of PERSISTENCE!
Sent shivers down my spine. A nice little realisation there.
Great message Mack. I just wish more businesses will see the benefit of social media and use it to connect with their consumers/audience and that’s means COMMUNICATE. 2 way communication. Please respond to your consumer. They are the most important aspect of your business. You are here for them.
It is an awesome feeling when you get that kind of feedback from a customer. It’s something you don’t get everyday but when you do you really feel “good”.
I have a similar customer and he behaved in a similar way when I “introduced” social media to his business, sure I had the advantage that, being a journalist, he was already in the mindset for it, but what a nice feeling anyway!
I am curious though, what would you have done shouldn’t you had received such an answer from the company owner?