Intrusive advertising is dead. Long live social media !

12/28/08 05:49 AM

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It used to be quite simple; you develop a message, put it an 30 or 60 second ad, run the ad for maximum reach and frequency within your target audience and watch sales take off. Not so anymore ! Now consumers want to know about your brand reputations, return policy and customer service. They'll go and talk to each other and if you break your promise with just one customer he/she will go online and tell 3,000 other customers who will avoid your brand like defective merchandise.

Consumers can go to this Website to list complaints about product and get responses within the same day

Pete Blackshaw lists these six drivers of brand credibility in his book and from what we see on social media sites this is becoming more true everyday. Consumers are mad and they're not going to take it anymore. There is even a website called "Get Satisfaction" where companies and consumers can register complaints and get immediate answers.

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What does this mean for marketers?

1. Time can be your enemy or ally. The Internet is about "now" and "immediacy" and if you can respond to customer complaints right away you can build a loyal client following. If, however, your company processes and procedures don't allow you to respond in a timely manner than it can lead to an erosion of customer confidence in your brand.

2. Radical Transparency is a standard not an option. If you screw up it's best to just admit your mistake, ask for forgiveness and try and reestablish your relationship with customers.

3. People don't give a damn about your brand anymore. Your brand had better perform on every touchpoint or the money you spend on marketing will be wasted as consumers trash you online via social media. After Apple launched the 3G iPhone headlines were everywhere about the failure of Apple's Mobile Me online service. Apple immediately went online apologized and offered all customer up to 3 months free of their Mobile Me service.

4. Awareness is not enough to drive product sales. In an age of closed pocketbooks and wallets simple awareness is not enough to drive sales of anything. Consumers are going to scrutinize your brand from top to bottom and you're going to have to spend more resources go get sales.

5. You need a change agent to start selling new marketing principles to the organization. If you don't have one than be prepared for a lot of Power Point presentations to people who don't get it.

If your company signs up you had better have the resources to answer complaints

Tags: Social Media marketing guidelines