A great post on Mashable yesterday from Daniel Stein got me thinking about the blurred lines of the digital world and real world and how it relates to businesses without consumer products or several places to check in on Foursquare.
In the article, Stein offers suggestions for taking social media initiatives to the next level by “looking at new ways to mobilize your social media audiences to take action in the real world.”
I agree these methods are inventive and the results can be impressive, however, I still believe it is all in the initial interactions. If you build strong relationships with your consumers, they will want to be active in the real world for you. Maybe a service company could offer something tangible to the person who interacts the most or makes the best contribution. Other suggestions?
How should smaller companies translate social media interaction into tangible in person results?
The first step: Getting them to believe social media is a must. Small businesses and nonprofits are the worst to truly adopt social media to build relationships. They also have to understand that social media is just part of an overall plan to network with consumers, get more LOYAL buyers/donors who are your advocates to others. When you get customers/donors who advocate for you, then you can get them to advocate for issues important to you and your business – like joining you to participate in a Habitat for Humanity work day, or doing projects on Make a Difference Day.
Social media should 1) introduce the small business to consumers who don’t know them 2) offer free tips to consumers viewing the blog, etc. 3) be a constant interactive feature for strong supporters. Don’t just create a page and let it run itself. That is boring.
Value added content is key. If you own a some plumbing business, do a blog about plumbing issues people can do at home. They WILL call for the big jobs that pay.
Great comments, Angela! I look forward to reading more of your insights in the future!
-Aurora
Good post!