The objective is not "buzz"... it's buzz that leads to brand ROI. (Because 2.0 talk ain't cheap)

I'm seeing a lot of brands seeking buzz--and I'm seeing a lot of companies and consultants promising it.

What I'm hearing A LOT less of is talk about results (or, ROI).

Yes, you want people talking (or, buzzing) about your brand. And you really want them saying great things. Negative buzz isn't a lot of fun -- well, unless, your goal is to provoke.

But you want the buzz you've worked so hard for to lead somewhere. Think of buzz as a bridge. That bridge leads to a destination, but is not the destination in and of itself.

In other words, that buzz is a means to an end. It's not the end.

What is that end? Well, it could be many things, including:

• Buying your brand
• Re-purchasing your brand
• Referring your brand to others who will actually buy your brand--and hopefully refer it to even more people who will actually buy your brand.
• Increasing the perceived value of your brand so that people will pay more for your brand or so that other companies might be interested in buying or investing in your brand.
• If you're a cause then you want for your buzz to increase sales (donations) or involvement (volunteer) with your brand, too.

So any of your buzz-oriented programs need to:

• Resonate with your target audience(s).
• Encourage your target audience(s) to act (see list above)
• Make a lasting impact on your target audience... not just for a day or a week of buzz that is quickly replaced by a day or a week of buzz by another brand with a goal of seeking buzz.

The way to remedy this is pretty darn simple. Ask your professional/agency/firm/consultant/expert to:

• Clarify not only the amount of buzz they are seeking to attain but the end results of it -- that way you're not sitting in a traffic jam of buzz on a bridge to nowhere.
• Pinpoint how this particular program targets your particular audience(s) of interest -- that way you're not selling steak to vegetarians or dentures to teenagers.
• Map out how the ROI will be evaluated -- and over what period of time. ROI is not always instant, these things take time.
• Identify how the buzz will be monitored. You see, many times you will need to optimize your program and or messaging -- thus you need to learn from the qualitative nature of the buzz, not just the quantitative number of impressions. Remember, you're looking for maximum impact, not maximum impressions.

Because in social media, talk ain't cheap. Just ask any company who is paying retainers to professionals promising them buzz. Now, go forth and buzz with a real purpose, and a strong business model supporting it.

(And yes, all of the above holds true whether you're in consumer, business or cause marketing.)

PS: In preparing for results, not just buzz, this post might also help you plan.

Comments

[Eric Brown]

Hi CK,Hope all is well in the Big Apple! Spring is just around the corner!

Great Post. We may well see a huge surge in this space we play in coined Social Media. There will be lots of experimenting and practicing, some things will work, and some won't.

May we all focus more on Remarkable. Remarkable really isn't all that complicated, simply put is it worth talking about, Remarkable, as defined by the legend Seth Godin;
• Remarkable doesn't mean remarkable to you. It means remarkable to me. Am I going to make a remark about it?
• Being noticed is not the same as being remarkable. Running down the street naked will get you noticed, but it won't accomplish much. It's easy to pull off a stunt, but not useful.

To your point, there may be more 'Stunts" than quality marketing.