CK's Blog

Riddle Me This, Marketers: Why oh why should brands have a social media presence?

I've covered the need for companies to use social media to listen to their markets more (and talk less). And I've covered social media best practices (a ton of them). Yet even after all these years, and all these posts, I repeatedly get asked a question, and a core one at that.

While it may seem a basic question to many who are already actively using social media, the question has much merit given that social media is still very new territory to many companies, and it's up to us to guide them in their learning curves. And their learning curves undoubtedly begin with this core question:

Why oh why should a company—whether a B2B or B2C organization—have a social media presence; what are the true gains to be gotten in going to the time and trouble of launching and maintaining a social media presence?

The thing is this: that there isn’t an answer to that question.

Well, there isn’t one answer.

There are many.

So it’s sort of a trick riddle. (Yeah, I'm tricky like that.)

Why, then, should companies establish and maintain a social media presence? Well marketers, the reasons are both vast and varied, ranging...

Love me, Buy Me, Trust me...and while you're at it, Riddle Me, too.

We marketers sure ask a lot from our markets.

We're asking for attention (their time). We're asking for money (a percentage of their disposable income).  We're asking for loyalty (more of that disposable income).

We're asking for love ("please-oh-please buzz about my amazing product to all of your WOMmy friends!").

And we're asking for people to consider a new way ("Don't buy that one, buy THIS one!").

We're also asking for commitment ("Of all the good causes, THIS should be YOUR cause."). And we're also asking for much trust ("You can trust us, because we deliver with quality and care.")

Geez, we're high-maintenance when you think about it.

Yep, needy people are we.

So riddle me this: What is--or are--the most complex and difficult "things" we're looking to attain...of all that we're looking to attain? While time and money are tough for sure, it seems changing habits and dispelling long-held perceptions (be it about a brand, company or cause) are the toughest of the toughies.

But this riddlin' fool might be wrong. What say you, oh high-maintenance marketers?

PS: Thank you for your time, trust and thoughts. (I'll wait until next time to ask for money).

Trust, worry and waste (a riddle)

Riddle me this, readers: How can companies stop the Web 2.0 worry? Here's a hint, the answer is really simple. In fact it's so darn core, it's Marketing 101.

Sure the act of marketing spans analysis, strategy, planning, implementation and optimization...but the purpose of marketing is, was, and will always be value creation.

Which means what? We need to focus on identifying opportunities so we can create value for our markets. Why? Because when we create value (that's valuable to them not just us) we no longer need to worry. Worry is such a waste of time when time-to-market is a critical success factor.

What's more? If we focus on gaining opportunities we're no longer focused on losing control, or customers. What's more better? New technologies create a world of opportunities to enter newly formed markets in which to gain market share. That's a lot of gain, opportunity and value. Not so much loss, worry and waste.

So why do so many companies worry? Because they don't trust the value they're creating is actually (gulp!) valuable. Net/net: When you worry you don't trust...but when you trust you don't worry (just trust me).

Told ya it was simple and yes I tell this to my clients. Why? Because I want them to worry less, create more. It's, um, valuable. The rest is just plain waste.

Want more riddles? Don't you worry, just go here.

Riddling left, right and center.

Riddle me this, readers: What's this so-called, newer-than-new-media, Web. 2.0 economy best called?  It's sure called a lot of things, eh?

We've been knocking around the "knowledge" economy, "innovation" economy, "creative" economy, "social" economy, "experience" economy and the "idea" economy. But where do knowledge, innovation, creativity, experiences, socializing and ideas stem from? What action--er, uh, interaction--fuels this fervor?

• It's Share. Yep, it's "The Share Economy". Can't really get smart, creative, social , innovative or otherwise without a whole lotta share. Do wish I could take credit for this gem, but I can't. It was Vaspers who threw it over to me in an e-mail months back and I've been singing it ever since.

This riddle ain't finished yet. Not even close.

So...what's the cost-of-entry to this Share Economy? Money? Nope. Power? Nah. Popularity? Negative. Fame? No way.

• It's Contribution. Whether you contribute: open-source software, smarts, new tools, tech, content, methods or best practices, contribution is your key to the hearts and minds of this medium.

Moving right along, then.

And what's the currency of this new media? Information? Ideas? Lots of links?

• It's Trust (just trust me on this one). Whether you're brand or being, you have to earn trust...in fact you must be worthy of it. Sure, you can have fans, but you can't build meaningful relationships--or respected brands--without first building trust with your audience.

Still with me? Cuz there's more still.

So what do we call the people in this new economy? Consumers? Not. Producers? Not always.

• We're Participants. At least that's the closest one I can find to fit the bill. I liked Ben and Jackie's idea of "Participatory Economy" but Share Economy rang supreme with me, however, insofar as people, "participants" rang right.

Almost there--just not quite.

And what's lies at the core of this era's core value proposition? What, above all else, are we more NOW than we were BEFORE? Smarter? Closer? Richer? Thinner? Yes, yes, probably not and not likely due to sitting on our butts blogging so darn much.

• What we are is Empowered. I've often said it's the Empowerment Era (but in order to not confuse clients or colleagues I'm trying to stick to Share Economy). They say there's a revolution, a disruption, a change...I don't think any of these things happen without new power being given to where/whom it wasn't before.

Done riddling, but not done sharing...matter o' fact, I have a program launching very shortly that's all about share, baby. Can you guess what it is? Here's a hint: the answer is hidden in the riddle (sorta).

Riddle Me This: those tricky techies...

You know what the best thing about tech companies is? Why their technology, of course. So riddle me this: What's the worst thing about tech companies?

Ah, you've heard this one. Yep, it's a trick question. Their damn technology. Of course! But why?

Because they're focused on the technology. Not the customers and the market so much.

As soon as you've hit on a winning piece of technology that can do this, that, the other thing and then some, call a marketer right then. It needn't be me (but I'll take your call). Just enlist a "marketing type" at the beginning of the product cycle. We really add a lot of value at that point, too.

Many times building the business and marketing model after the technology is primed and polished can work. To be sure, you need a product before you can market it. But once you've got a product, or even a strong concept, that's the time to be thinking about the outside (the market) as much as the inside (the cool code).

I love working with smart, lightning-fast tech companies. It's just that because I'm on the consulting side I work many different companies at a time. And there's one commonality that's as true now as it was when I started working with tech co's years ago: Tech companies need to think marketing a lot more--and a lot sooner in.

It truly is your critical success factor (and my want is for you to succeed). These days the competition is too fierce, the customers too savvy, and the first impression too vital. I once told a client if every tech company was as focused on marketing as they are on tech, well, then we'd have a lot of apples.

On being human...

Riddle me this, readers: Why is the current Mac campaign doing so well?

• Because it's funny? Yep, that it is. But that's not it.
• Because it shows the weaknesses we PC users can all too readily relate too? Close, but no cigar.
• Because it makes the Mac so hip and user-friendly, the PC so dopey and cold? That it does. But even tho' he's a dud, we like the PC guy. Heck, he carries the commercial (though most will likely disagree with me here).
• Because we so don't want to be the PC guy? A contender, but not the winner.

By making the PC and Mac actual characters, Apple makes an otherwise lifeless, breathless pile of titanium and silicon human. We can relate to human (they're our species). We're character driven by nature. Human isn't an abstract metaphor or kitchy bent. Human is living and breathing. Fun like the Mac dude; flawed too, like the PC guy. Net/net, it's something we can all process. People purchase what they can process.

Remember when Apple unleashed its series of gem-colored desktops and notebooks? Those were fun, but look around you...everyone seems to be toting the same-color-of-silver powerbooks now. And who could forget the big brother, man-against-the-machine commercial by Apple, lauded as perhaps the best spot ever? It sure did pump some theatre into our commercial breaks, but loads of fanfare and Clios later, Apple still retained 3% marketshare--and likely lost money with how much that spot cost.

So why will Apple's marketshare spike now, after clocking a mighty impressive 25-year run of relentlessly good, original creative?  Because they've gotten away from promoting bells and whistles and moved to making steel and silicon human.

There's a lesson in that. A big one.

Be it our products, services, ads or blogs--especially business blogs--show your human-ness, let people in. Be accessible. It's the only way to truly engage your audience. And if we can engage we can educate. The human factor is especially vital with text posts.

Gettin' social is where this world is going, we might as well get a little more human while we're at it. For another example of making steel human, go here.

Shouts: To all you NYers, this determined heatwave is slated to stop late Thursday. Nothin' quite like a 101-degree packed subway car at 9am, eh? Even when the big apple is stinky, sweaty and sticky...I HEART NY.