Managing Polarization

Most brands try to be plain vanilla and not upset anyone. These tend to be the brands that can technically sell to everyone. I remember my first job interview out of college in 1991 was to sell copy machines. I went on a ride along with the Sales Manager who wore a polyester suit (I knew I wasn't taking any job offer because I don't work for Polyester people) and we went to a road with businesses and knocked on every door. Because every business could use a copy machine.

But some brands are willing to risk being polarizing. Walmart, FRS, Jockey, Chick-a-Fila, Nike have either made choices or decisions that risk alienating a portion of potential customers. Sometimes it is damage control like for Nike do they drop Tiger Woods after his womanizing scandal and risk losing him to a competitor when he regains grace. Others like Jockey and FRS decided to use Tim Tebow prominently in their advertising. To Walmart with their questionable employment practices. To Chick-a-Fila who refuses to be open Sundays and supports anti-gay groups. I know I chose brands I have issues with being myself secular and progressive. Plenty of Brands have to deal with environmental issues, animal cruelty, conservative or progressive positions that alienate portions of the population.

Most of us have no idea if most brands do things that upset us or not. But we do vote with our wallet when we do know these things. And if you make a decision to be polarizing you have to plan properly.

1] First analyze the choice. Can you afford to alienate a portion of your potential customer base? Will the loss of sales be made up for by the sales you gain? If the answer is yes the rules of Finance - Net Present Value (NPV) say yes make that decision because it will maximize your return.

2] Social Media - the elephant in the room. You also have to deal with attacks on Twitter, Facebook and Blogs as well as private emails and word of mouth. In the past Brands could put their head in the sand and make believe no on cares. Now it is possible there can be a landslide of chatter beating down on your social media team. What do you do?

• Don't respond to the negative chatter individually. You will lose this battle.
• Do think about posting a statement supporting your decision on your website.
• Focus on your products and why they benefit me. Maybe your case can be  so compelling I have to stay or become a customer.
• Create a listening program to monitor positive vs negative chatter and be prepared to change course if your sales dip. The key is as long as your sales growth is larger than your loss stay the course. But you must have a plan to manage this decision if it goes wrong.
• Lastly do you need to be polarizing? Why did you make this decision? Could choosing to not be have been a better choice?

So What is Twitter and Facebook Good For?

Yesterday I claimed marketing using a Twitter account or Facebook Brand Page is Dead.

This is true. But this doesn't mean to not have a Twitter account or Facebook page and be active with them. They have value. And while they won't drive your sales growth, they will impact your business. A Fan and a Follower is not someone who is anything more than a passive customer. Don't count everyone as a champion of your brand. But the people who talk with you can become brand champions.

So here are some reasons to not only have these accounts but to actively manage them.

1] Customer Service - people know phone calls and emails for simple things are dead. They won't go to your site and fill out a form. They are just going to tweet or post on your page that you blew it, or suck or they are pissed. This is a chance to fix things and make them feel you care. Twitter should be fairly quick response. Facebook people will give you some time.

2] Community Building - don't give this short thrift here. You can create a brand army by actively engaging and grooming customers. These people will have your back. They will eagerly promote your brand to friends. Our Chief Alien is part of Chobani Yogurt's Army. He regularly converts people in the supermarket dairy section without pay (well there has been a few free cups of Cho but no cash!).

3] Sharing happens - Who cares if only 1% of your fans see your posts or tweets and only 0.1% respond in some way. Every time a fan or follower does respond people in their networks have a chance of seeing this person identified with your brand. This will help you slowly gain more fans and followers. While sharing per person is very low with most twitter accounts barely used and Facebook users barely clicking Like or Commenting. Why not take what you do get and view it with value.

4] Fun Fun Fun - the networks really are fun platforms for consumer brands. So give them a reason to talk with you or talk about you or visit your page. While many surveys say people only care about deals, if that is what you use these channels for you are just degrading you pricing power and wasting your resources. Use these as value added channels. Run contests. Share interesting content about your brand. Tell your story. Highlight your employees. Showcase your customers.

5] Focus Groups and Listening - View your fan base as a large focus group. Gain insights. Learn about what you do right and wrong. Shorten the development cycle for new products. You can learn about quality issues really fast.

As you can see there is value to being present on Twitter and Facebook. They help give your brand a human face. And yes you can still pitch and promote things, you just can't reach most of your customers that way,

Social Media Marketing is Dead. Marketing Lives.

Get over it. Social Media for marketing is dead. It doesn't work anymore. I have clients asking if Twitter and Facebook are worth it. Not because they don't see results. But why focus on 1% of your sales.

Why? They are not seeing a return on the effort.

Why? Because getting seen in anyone's Twitter or Facebook feed is impossible.

Why? Because as we slowly add connections it creates more volume in our feeds.

I can not remember the last time I was reached via Social Media by a brand via my feed.

The number of people my clients reach and have react are low. Oh it is due to poor content you say? What about massive bribes? They don't work either. When clients can't give away high end products and goodies just for responding via Social Media that means no one is seeing our promotions. 

So what to do? 

Traditional Marketing and Advertising still works. TV. Billboards. Digital Marketing. SEO. Google Ad Words. Great product or customer service. Your street sign. Your location. Your inviting store or website.

Just think. 99% of your customers do not follow you on Twitter or like you on Facebook. So you can't reach them. Of the 1% most will not see your posts or tweets. At last with Twitter you can call people out directly one or four at a time.

As I last blogged you should focus on being talked about. And some customer service via Social Media. But Marketing or Selling? Dead. get over it. Toss out the book by the Guru. Stop reading the Guru's blog. You need to market. But Social Media will not work for you. Prove me wrong. You can't. But I can show you how to market. Just ask.