Well, we made it to Austin. Here we are in the midst of Pubcon- lots of interesting people and interesting info. This trip is worth the time away from home, and Austin is everything everyone says it is. Glad to be here.
Pat spoke on a panel about old brands in new media. It was a great session, and the Q & A was pretty spirited. Lots of good questions all around.
So, let’s talk about place- an online place for those “old brands”. Are you a small, non-dot-com brand? Were you around before the bubble? If so, you’re probably wondering: where the hell does social media fit in with where we are now?
Here are two facts that you can take comfort in:
- A lot of old brands need a lot of persuasion before engaging in social media marketing.
- Most of those don’t take it very well.
So, if you’re scared of it, or upset about it, or just overwhelmed by it- you’re not alone. But… BUT… that doesn’t mean you can stick your head in the sand. Social media is here, even if you’re brand isn’t (yet).
The best way to start a social media marketing campaign is to know your place. What does that mean? First off, it means be quiet. Listen. Building your reputation online doesn’t happen fast, but it does start with being a good listener.
Knowing your place, listening, is also really about how to find your audience. Start out by looking around and doing the research on what your customers are searching for. This part takes a while, but so does everything else with social media. Search for niche sites that might cater to communities that are interested in you or what you provide.
Forums. Blogs. Videos. Ratings. Wherever they are, you now are. That’s your place.
It’s also your place to not go in there and start yelling about how great you are. Traditionally, old brands would focus their marketing on self promotion- the terms were synonymous. That’s just not the case anymore.
Self promotion can now take a backseat- way back- to being useful. Now, it’s easy for people to participate in your business. Your marketing efforts depend on how helpful you are online.
And how can you be most helpful online? By listening. Once you do that, you can start providing info value around your brand, because you’ll know what your customers want.
They’re out there. Your place is to be there for them.
