LazBro, Inc. - A social marketing perspective

Social Marketing - A Perspective

Social

Social media and marketing is changing the way brands and consumers interact. It is time brands pony up and become a friend.

The majority of brands are generally fearful of taking the plunge into the world of social. "What happens if they start talking badly about us...?", "We don't have the resources to take care of that problem and then we get loads of bad press...!"

There is no doubt that opening yourself up to criticism is not an easy thing. We have all heard the horror stories of word spreading around, and the brand launching into damage control, trying to save as much equity as possible. What if the brand WEREN'T listening though? Would the damage be far worse? Social media has given the brand the opportunity to open up the lines of communication, giving the consumer a voice.

Social media only works when the brand is listening though. Don't expect to launch a blog, or community forum and reap the rewards of social marketing. The only way this can work is if there is a dialog between brand and consumer, with the consumer giving feedback (positive and negative), and the brand responding with relevant content or addressing the consumers concerns. When a brand steps up and becomes a friend, the consumer responds by becoming a brand ambassador, helping to spread a positive word about their experience with the brand.

OK, sounds great you say, but what about the resources. Well, can you afford not to involve the consumer? Can you afford to not be involved in the dialog? It is important to look at your marketing mix, and balance out your traditional spend with newer methodologies that are currently driving consumers to build a relationship with your brand.

Download our whitepaper on social media and marketing, and sleep on it. Then contact us to help you put together a plan of attack that fits within your budget, and helps you achieve your goals.