Do They “Like” Me?

Since the first product or service was sold, an effective sales and marketing campaign became a necessity. How these items were advertised could make or break the future of that particular product. Certainly, in the case of similar products, it is the one that positively influences the most consumers that will sell the most products. Sounds like an easy enough formula, right?

Maybe not.

Today, there are so many outlets through which a company can reach its potential customers that it is sometimes difficult to decide which will be the most effective route. In truth, there is a degree of risk involved with whichever advertising method(s) are chosen. To add to this variety, is the prominence of cloud computing and factoring in how much influence this will have on consumer decisions. Social media swept on the scene several years ago but has grown at a frenzied pace since the advent of the likes of Facebook and Twitter. It has almost become socially crippling to admit that you do not have a Facebook page or that you don’t Twitter! Not surprisingly then, companies have started to insert their own presence in these mediums and leverage these platforms to increase customer loyalty to their brand. With the simple click of the “Like” button, a customer can not only let you know how they feel, but also let everyone in their list know how they feel about your company. The question is: Is it working? It’s still a bit early to tell.

According to a recent report published by Razorfish (click here for the full report), companies have a long way to go to consider social media as an effective method of influence for consumers. There are certainly a few companies that are doing very well in this atmosphere; it is not without calculated effort and dedicated interaction with their audience. A key factor in success of any social media campaign or presence seems to be trust. With this in mind, to use these outlets effectively, organizations are going to need a clear focus on what they hope to accomplish, who they wish to reach, and how they are going to make it all happen. As this graphic shows, the possibilities for interaction with customers are plentiful so lack of direction will only serve to minimize potential impact.

This will certainly be a trend worth watching and making further analysis as the social marketplace continues to grow and more and more companies take advantage of the exposure that this medium affords them. In the meantime, Sylver Consulting is proud to announce that you can now find us on Facebook. We will definitely be watching this phenomenon unfold from inside AND out.

Categories: Customer experience, Strategy