Years ago I read the book Something of Value by Robert Ruark. The book examines the clash of cultures between the British settlers and the Kikuyu natives in Kenya after WWII and how it affected both sides. It’s about how, when you move into a new society and culture and you want to ’sell’ them your ideas, like the English tried to do in Africa and India, you have to offer them something of value. I see a parallel here in how we go about social media marketing.
In a great post about her experience at the P&G Load of Hope charity fundraising event, Jory DesJardin gives these excellent insights into what works and what doesn’t when doing a viral campaign online.
!. Don’t rush at a new campaign like a bull at a gate. Spend a little time planning the best moves to get the best result.
I realized I wasn’t following the advice I give companies like P&G about reaching out effectively. I pulled up my personal blog and wrote a post, “Blog for your life…and save disaster victims,” then tagged it and Tweeted it, reaching out to 1) my personal readers who are interested in activities that I support and 2) people who know nothing about the P&G event and might actually be interested in helping disaster victims.
2. Create material that can easily be sent online and shared
Create a web page with all the info. Send a link, not an attachment.
3. Create blog-worthy content. Have a message that bloggers and their readers will care about.
Don’t endeavor to create a viral campaign; create something that deserves to go viral.
4. Don’t rely on favors from A-list influencers.
Several “top influencers” had started twittering and pointing their audiences to my team’s site. I was grateful, but I realized they weren’t engaged and virally spreading a message.
5. Be prepared to address comments and questions that are unrelated to your stated objectives.
I began to get questions and comments from women about the product (Tide) and about the T-shirts (no size XL). And although that was not the purpose of this campaign, these conversations are at the heart of genuine interaction with their customers.
6. Be mindful of your audience, their social media habits and their life schedules.
Reach your customers where they are, when they’re receptive to listening, with information that’s relevant. For example, by running this experiment across the dinner hour in every U.S. time zone, we actually picked exactly the wrong time to reach a demographic that P&G probably cares most about: Whoever’s making dinner for their family!
Final Takeaway: Social media marketing is an intrusion into another culture. You are starting conversations with real people. It ought to be about things they’re interested in, things that concern them and impact their lives. They will include you in this conversation, if you mind your manners and offer them something of value.
