It was pointed out to me through this article on mashable.com that the Facebook "Like" button is one year old today. Of course before the Like button a consumer could show support for a brand by becoming a fan.
But the Like button is so much more than a way for consumers to connect with brands. The Like button is quite possibly one of the best things that has happened to social marketing. It has made it less obtrusive for a consumer to follow a brand, allowed consumers to interact both with brands and other consumers without actually saying anything, and allowed brands to more easily use their sites to encourage social interactions.
For a consumer it is much more of a commitment to say that they are a fan of something than it is to say that they like something. By changing the term to like Facebook has made it much easier for brands to gather followers and interact with them through Facebook.
Of course the Like button extends to the consumer-to-consumer level as well. Many consumers will now interact with each other and show their support for each others posts without having to directly interact with each other. Facebook understands something that other social networks have missed: most people do not want to actually talk to many of their connections. Instead, by providing the Like button Facebook provided the solution, now consumers can give a kudos without having to directly interact. They can now feel connected without having to break into actual conversation.
Finally, the Like button has enabled brands to have simple terminology and one recognizable button that allows brands to remind consumers about their brand (encouraging return visits) through social interaction.
The most important point of this is that through what seems so simple, and by understanding the needs of both consumers and brands, Facebook was able to become more relevant in the everyday life of both brands and consumers. For consumers because they can now interact without breaking social barriers, and brands because easier interaction with consumers makes Facebook a more effective marketing tool.
So here is a big "Like" to Facebook for paving the way for better social interaction!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Simplify Marketing - Or - You Don't Have to Be a Champion . . . Yet
During the last few months I have started to train for a triathlon. This event will be the most that I have ever tested the abilities of my body to condition and perform. I knew there was a lot I needed to learn so I started to read about what others had written and talked to anyone I knew that had done triathlons. I quickly discovered that there was a lot to think about, and to focus on. Between workout times, training techniques, diet plans, fueling during the event and training, etc.
Needless to say it can be easy to get lost in everything trying to figure out everything that you need to take care of. Fortunately I do not have plans to be a competitor with the top triathletes involved, I am just a guy who has a life goal to complete a triathlon. What to do?
After diving into training and trying out a few things I came to the conclusion that I really only needed to focus on three things: Endurance, Strength, and Fuel. You don't want to hear all the details, but I will give a brief explanation of each.
1. Endurance
The biggest hurdle to a triathlon is having the endurance to last through the whole event. The process of developing endurance is a long and constant one, that allows an athlete to go strong through the whole race.
2. Strength
Strength conditioning allows your body to build up the necessary structure to avoid injury and gives you the strength to power through the uphill struggles of the race.
3. Fueling
Learning the right methods to keep fuel in your body is crucial to having the energy to make it through a long endurance race. Without fuel a racer runs the risk of hitting a wall during the race and possibly causing long-term damage to their body.
The Application
As you are starting with a marketing plan it is easy (even for an experienced marketer) to get caught up in all the things you can do to grow your business. More often than not a person ends up getting lost and isn't sure where to start.
That is when it is important to focus on a few key elements that will simplify your marketing, integrate it into your business, and focus on the most important aspects. These areas of focus are the long term, short term, and fueling growth.
1. Long Term
The long term focuses on developing long-time loyal customers. So many business owners only focus on how to get a sale immediately, almost like they want to trick a customer into a purchase. By looking at the long term you can focus on your core customers and how to best serve them.
2. Short Term
Of course, only thinking of sales in the future often means they will never come. The saying goes that 'cash is king' so ask for the sale, and know how you can get sales in the short-run. Combining short and long term focuses allows you to not only get the sale, but keep the customer as well.
3. Fueling Growth
Finally you want to look at how you can grow to new markets, new segments, or just serve more needs of current customers. Don't wait until it is too late to fuel growth, or you will stall and may not recover before it is too late.
So don't worry, by focusing on the right things you will get your business off to a good start, and by doing the simple things you will be able to grow into a champion marketer with time and experience.
Needless to say it can be easy to get lost in everything trying to figure out everything that you need to take care of. Fortunately I do not have plans to be a competitor with the top triathletes involved, I am just a guy who has a life goal to complete a triathlon. What to do?
After diving into training and trying out a few things I came to the conclusion that I really only needed to focus on three things: Endurance, Strength, and Fuel. You don't want to hear all the details, but I will give a brief explanation of each.
1. Endurance
The biggest hurdle to a triathlon is having the endurance to last through the whole event. The process of developing endurance is a long and constant one, that allows an athlete to go strong through the whole race.
2. Strength
Strength conditioning allows your body to build up the necessary structure to avoid injury and gives you the strength to power through the uphill struggles of the race.
3. Fueling
Learning the right methods to keep fuel in your body is crucial to having the energy to make it through a long endurance race. Without fuel a racer runs the risk of hitting a wall during the race and possibly causing long-term damage to their body.
The Application
As you are starting with a marketing plan it is easy (even for an experienced marketer) to get caught up in all the things you can do to grow your business. More often than not a person ends up getting lost and isn't sure where to start.
That is when it is important to focus on a few key elements that will simplify your marketing, integrate it into your business, and focus on the most important aspects. These areas of focus are the long term, short term, and fueling growth.
1. Long Term
The long term focuses on developing long-time loyal customers. So many business owners only focus on how to get a sale immediately, almost like they want to trick a customer into a purchase. By looking at the long term you can focus on your core customers and how to best serve them.
2. Short Term
Of course, only thinking of sales in the future often means they will never come. The saying goes that 'cash is king' so ask for the sale, and know how you can get sales in the short-run. Combining short and long term focuses allows you to not only get the sale, but keep the customer as well.
3. Fueling Growth
Finally you want to look at how you can grow to new markets, new segments, or just serve more needs of current customers. Don't wait until it is too late to fuel growth, or you will stall and may not recover before it is too late.
So don't worry, by focusing on the right things you will get your business off to a good start, and by doing the simple things you will be able to grow into a champion marketer with time and experience.
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