Building Culture On Social Media
Social media is not just a marketing platform. Old school methods of marketing without any relationship with the customer will not work on social media. This tool, that now steers our world more than ANY other tool around, is bigger than the cordless phone or even the cell phone.
You can tell when something becomes a 'cultural tool that influences' when it becomes a part of everything we do. I remember the first time I saw a Facebook link on a billboard. This was a big key culture was being driven by social media. It only takes one casual look in an airport to really understand that social media is changing how we LIVE.
Today, we see the same effect on this generation that the computer had. If you tell someone you are afraid of making a purchase online for fear of losing your identity people will most likely laugh at you. But years ago this was the BIG fear of using the internet! Yes, losing your identity is a risk. But every single day millions of people make purchases online and never lose anything, other than the money in their bank account. But they are willing to lose that for what they gain! The item they are purchasing! The result they want. Never forget it.
Social media has been attacked as removing connection when in fact the data shows quite the opposite, it has made us MORE connected. Senior Citizens are healthier because of social media. Young people spell better because of it. OUR LIVES are being changed by social media. Are there risks? Of course there are but the benefits far outweigh the risks.
If you run a restaurant or any other brick and mortar business you can offer a one-time coupon on a Facebook page or InstaGram and see customers come into your establishment within minutes! NO other form of marketing ever had that power before.
As you create your marketing campaings and you build your profiles, pages and more, remember to build CULTURE.
A great example of this is The Free People Facebook page. Watch their Facebook page! It's not all about the clothes they sell. Posts on their blog are about makeup, diet, and even spirituality. Where I give prophetic words on my page, they give horoscopes. Different practices of course, but the same motive. CULTURE. They know their audience. They know that boutique customers want to look good, feel great, they pay attention to hair, makeup, skin, diet and more! CULTURE is key. (I'm so excited to share that one of their top photographers is flying in to do my photo shoot for my book next week!.. but that has nothing to do with this article! My excitement about it however has everything to do with CULTURE and their business. )
If a company mentions their product every day they'll lose followers and customers. Your bottom line is directly connected to how well you can build culture. So, get to know your customers. Feel what they feel. Know what they know. Stay one step ahead and serve well. That's the best ROI tip I can give you.
Serve well and out serve your competitors. That is how you WIN and build a sustainable business on social media.
With love,
Sandi Krakowski