Social marketing: Influence the influencers
“In the future, the Web you know will be based on the Web that knows you.”
That sentence jumped out at me while reading a post titled “The Future of Marketing” by Todd Defren on his great blog, PR Squared. It states simply — and memorably — what many Web 2.0 thought leaders have been suggesting about the future of the social Web.
Defren writes:
“When we surf and when we search, beyond the Social Network sites, we’re going to be taking our Friends with us; we’re taking our known online activities with us. Sites and search engines will re-orient themselves dynamically to match our identities. The entire Web experience will re-architect itself on-the-fly based on where we’ve been, what device we’re using, what we’ve looked at or purchased in the past, who we are friends with, what offers and content our contacts have been sharing and purchasing, etc.”
What does this mean for small businesses, organizations and professionals? We’ll avoid a protracted discussion of Facebook Connect, Google Friend Connect, Open ID and what they all mean for the future of creating online identities. Read Defren’s full piece for his insights. My take:
First, it means businesses and professionals better be investing time in their social capital. Your business not on social media? The time is rapidly approaching when a company’s social identity online will far outweigh its Web site messages. Without a history of interacting with your customers online, your online identity will slip and customers will go elsewhere.
Second, it means targeted marketing will enter a whole new realm. How will companies reach specific audience segments? By trying to influence their influencers. Or, as Defren writes:
“We’ll become more sophisticated: we’ll be able to identify micro-influencers and influencers-of-influencers.”
In other words, as people increasingly turn to their friends and trusted online sources for recommendations on products or services, companies wanting to reach certain people will target . . . their friends and trusted online sources.
While we’re talking the near-future of marketing, it’s really a logical extension of what’s already happening in social networking. If you’re a professional trying to expand your reach, you can use LinkedIn or other social media to identify new leads and seek introductions through people you know.
Business has always been social, about connections with people. Business 2.0 is about using social media strategically to build digital connections, which in turn lead to personal relationships. And better business.
With apologies to Dale Carnegie, it’s no longer “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” In marketing, it’s becoming How to Influence People Through Their Friends.
Your future depends on social media
Jim Keenan’s blog is called A Sales Guy. I keep coming back to his May post titled “Online Presence — Asset of the Future: Why Your Social Graph Will Be Worth as Much as Your Home.” Actually, he does suggest your house could be worth more. (Thought: If the real estate market ever recovers!). Jim writes, more as a futurist than salesman:
“In the not to distant future, a baseline online social presence will be required for the most common of life’s exercises, like getting a job. In the future, if you don’t have some semblance of an online presence you won’t even be considered for the job. If employers, or recruiters can’t learn about you online, through your social graph, they won’t be interested. I expect online vetting of dates, baby sitters, potential employees, etc. will only increase. Having an online social presence will be the required price to play.”
Jim paints a future in which failure or success correlates to your reach or influence through social media. It doesn’t sound all that far-fetched to me. Look at the success already of people such as Guy Kawasaki or Chris Brogan in recognizing the power of social media. Where would they be without social media?
Jim suggests “investing” now in your social capital. I completely agree. Unlike Wall Street, this is one market that requires your investment. Otherwise, what will your future look like?
No matter how you spell it, have a plan
Recently, I’ve been researching several marketing firms and analysts for their thoughts on how brands can connect with their customers through social media. To keep their suggestions simple and memorable, some of them have even used acronyms for their steps to build social capital. A few examples:
• Joel Davis of Britain’s agency:2 writes about KUDOS. A brand should be Knowledgeable and Useful, Desirable, Open and Shareable in its efforts.
• John Sheridan of the Canadian firm SocialMedia404 says a successful strategy must include OASIS — Objectives, Audience, Strategy, Implementation and Sustainment.
• Forrester Research’s Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff wrote in last year’s influential book “Groundswell” about the POST framework for finding the proper social strategy — People, Objectives, Strategy and Technology.
All of these strategists are excellent sources of information if you’re jumping into social media. No matter how you spell it, though, their writings make it clear. You must have a plan. More details to come.
