4 Social Media Methods for Generating Word of Mouth
From 4 Social Media Methods for Generating Word of Mouth:
Want to get people talking? Want to use social media to generate word of mouth? Here’s a secret: there are really only 4 ways to do it:
Social Media Tool #1: Value
Marketers have realized that if you provide incredible value, consumers will line up around the block for you.
Social Media Tool #2: Status
Our social media economy has forced us to prove who we know and where we go. Our value is derived from status – and the more public that is, the better. How many Facebook friends do you have or Twitter followers? Do you wear the badge of honor that comes with more than 500 connections on LinkedIn? Are you a top 100 Blogger?… The key to status is everyone wants to share it. And the more you have it, the more you’ll do just that. If you make it simple for people to share their connectivity, there won’t be a tight lip in the house.
Social Media Tool #3: Scarcity
Nothing gets people talking like something they can’t get their hands on. Years ago, Google launched Gmail as an invitation-only experience. You had to know someone who knew someone to get your own account, which came with 5 – only 5 – invitations you could share with your favorite friends. Limited supply not only made you choose wisely, but also created infinite demand.
Social Media Tool #4: Exclusivity
Finally, if you’re going to get people talking, try yanking the exclusivity chain. It’s what makes you jealous when someone whips out their Black Platinum Centurion Diamond credit card, or why you feel so special eating tasteless tiny no-crust hummus sandwiches in the British Airways Club Lounge. Exclusivity is the velvet rope of social media: everyone wants to be special enough to be on the right side of it.
But exclusivity isn’t limited to stuff. Information and knowledge can be the basis for incredible chatter. Why do we all want to talk about the secret ingredient in Coca Cola (it’s water, silly!)
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Who are the new influentials?
From the Engage Blog:
Corporations and advocacy organizations are struggling to adjust their outreach in the new media environment. Some send press releases to prolific Tweeters and bloggers, conversational style mass emails to press, and grassroots updates to bought lists of regular people. The result: a lose-lose situation where your audience has no love for you, and thus, you have no love for your audience.
Based on my experience, most political and advocacy organizations readily admit they can do a better job communicating effectively. They are eager to change, but they don’t know where to start, so they just lump everyone into one category and guess about how to communicate with them.
Why guess? The key to successful communication is identifying who your audience is, how they like to receive information and what content they will find compelling.
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101 Social Media Marketing Terms Explained
From The Ultimate Glossary: 101 Social Media Marketing Terms Explained:
On the web today, things change fast. New applications launch every day and existing applications continue to evolve and add new features. As we all learn about social media and inbound marketing and we teach others about it, having a resource that quickly and clearly explains all of the basic terms and applications is critically important.
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Reaching ‘Social Media Mums’
From MediaPost Publications, Social Media Moms Diced and Sliced:
According to the results of the 2010 Mom Social Influencer segmentation study by BabyCenter, five unique segments of social moms are broken down into two categories, the Influencers, Field Experts, Lifecasters and Pros, and the Influenced, labeled in the report as Butterflies and the Audience. The Influencers make up only 18% of social moms, but they wield 78% of the influence.
Tina Sharkey, Chairman and Global President, BabyCenter says “Since 2006, the number of moms using social media has skyrocketed more than 500%… marketers can shift their mindset from social media to social marketing by gaining a better understanding of who the mom influencers are… “
Influence, in this study, was measured by how often social moms post or comment on social networks and the size of their networks on these platforms. All five segments of social moms have distinct characteristics and behaviors consistent across the major social media platforms.
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4 Tips for Managing Online Criticism
From 4 Tips for Managing Online Criticism
1. Try Not to Be Hurt – Sometimes people criticize because they have a legitimate concern, and sometimes they criticize because they’re having a bad day. If you take things too personally, you will end up causing yourself undue stress, and you won’t enjoy your work as a result. Take everything with a grain of salt, and consider the source.
2. Differentiate Complaints from Venting - Not all criticism is constructive. Think about it from the customer’s perspective. Venting acts like a release—it allows someone to express their frustration when something goes wrong. Complaining often has no resolution—the complainer is trying to use their dissatisfaction to reinforce negativity. Customers venting provides an opportunity for a response, while complaints have no next step. Figuring out which is which will help your business and your stress level.
3. If You Are Wrong, Apologize – Let’s face it, no one is perfect. Sometimes we make mistakes, and when we do, the best response is to accept fault and apologize. This does not mean you should apologize every time someone doesn’t like what you have to say. A good litmus test is the “defensive” test. If you’re feeling defensive, it probably means you could have done something better, and it’s best to admit your mistake and move forward rather than ignore it. Be careful not to belittle the opinions or feelings of your followers, as a bad apology can do more damage than no apology at all!
4. Seize the Opportunity – If people are talking to you about something you can change, you’d be remiss to dismiss it. Think of it as a chance to speak to your followers to let them know you are listening and taking their feedback seriously, even if you don’t agree. Better still, learn from your mistakes so you can avoid making them again in the future.
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