In my previous blog I eluded to the concept of driving your brand and business in social media without focusing on the dollar signs it’ll make for you. I know what you’re thinking, “You don’t want me to focus on making a profit for my company? What’s wrong with you? What about capitalism?” And yes, quite frankly, I am saying that. Think socialism, but wait, that’s already a thing (and a completely different topic).

Try moving your business with a new ideology – “Social-Media-ism.”

For some of us it may be difficult to be social. For others (especially in the business world) being social is practically the key to success for your company. It should be no surprise that the marketing/advertising world has heavily begun using social media. That’s all marketing and advertising is, talking. The difference now is we don’t just talk to our customers. Social media has allowed them to talk back. The challenge is whether or not we choose to listen and respond.

Now I will brag here for a bit to get my point across. Prior to working at Ivie, I worked full-time at Best Buy. One day I decided to try promoting things within our store to local customers using a Twitter handle. This was a challenge for a store that had 0 followers. After much effort in searching specifically for local customers, I simply began listening. I was a silent spectator with my eye on key words that I could tie back to the store. But that’s not all that I did (I don’t want to contradict my entire message here). I began replying to people’s tweets that had nothing to do with the electronic retailer for whom I was tweeting. Users quickly started noticing that I wasn’t a store, but that I was an actual person.

After much fishing I got a bite. A user I had conversed with before publicly mentioned the eagerness to pick up a new video game. I then began a dialogue with the user and offered a discount. 30 minutes later I met this customer face to face and sold them the game. The customer happily took their discount and purchased the game. I was a human version of a coupon in the mailbox. Direct mail, eat your heart out.

Once this occurred one of our fellow followers noticed the conversation and praised me for being one of the best example of how a brick and mortar store could use Twitter. People began spreading the news about what the store could do for them via Twitter. This resulted in promoting not just the single store in a positive light but the brand as a whole. All because I listened to customers and offered solutions.

twitter header

Since then Best Buy has nationally jumped on Twitter with thousands of their blue shirt employees offering tech-advice to those who ask for it. Customers ask.  They respond. It’s that simple.

Now this method of engaging with customers may not work best with your business, and that’s where the individual challenge comes into play. But there are tons of brands out there that are doing it in interesting and successful ways. These are merely a few examples, but I strongly recommend searching for a few of your favorite brands online to see how they are trying to talk to you.

That’s the only way to hold a conversation with your brand/customer. Think and act like a person first and as a brand second. The customer is smart enough to know you want their business from the get-go, but they are giving you the chance to be more than that. And that’s what it means to be a Social-Media-ist.