Bands and businesses should all pay attention…
With the growth and power of the social networks your fans and customers are becoming your voice and doing your marketing. They will let everyone know what they think; good or bad, about your product. Don’t write them off as a “few” vocal customers who don’t matter. They do matter, they can lead and influence. Today you want these “few” to become your evangelists. You might not like it, but you have lost full control over your message and brand. Your customer is now in control and is not going to follow the approved “speak”. They will say whatever is on their mind.
Here are five tips for small companies and even bands seeking to leverage the power of their prosumers and fans.
1. Identify the key online influencers.
Do some market research and identify the key online influencers for your product, brand, business or industry. These are your target prosumers. They are the people who are interested in your products, brand and business and are likely to talk about you in their online conversations.
2. Join the online conversation.
Once you know where your prosumers already spend time online, join the conversations that are happening on those sites and online destinations. It takes time and persistence to get on the radar screens of prosumers, so be sure to consistently participate and offer information and insights that add value to the conversation.
3. Develop relationships.
Simply joining the conversation is not enough. You need to take the time to develop meaningful relationships, particularly with your key online influencer audience, by interacting with them, providing useful information and being accessible and human. Building relationships is an essential part of social media marketing. The indirect marketing that prosumers are capable of igniting through their own online influence, relationships and discussions can be massive.
4. Acknowledge the key online influencers.
Once you identify your target online influencers and develop relationships with them, you need to acknowledge those people in new ways that can lead to indirect promotion of your products through more online conversations. One way you can do this is by sending product samples to them, requesting their opinions.
The key to successfully acknowledging prosumers is to avoid self-promotion or directly marketing your business and products to them. Instead, focus on indirect marketing tactics that put your name, product, and services in front of them, and show them how your business can benefit them. If they have a relationship with you that is already built on trust and respect, and you don’t try to sell to them but rather offer products, information and insight for their consumption, they’re more likely to value what you give to them and share it with their own audiences, particularly if they believe your product or business can benefit their audiences. Allow them to take control of the conversation to let it spread for maximum exposure.
5. Make sure conversations lead back to you.
Your online efforts should always lead back to your own core-branded destination, which serves as the central point of your online marketing efforts. Take the time to create branded destinations across the social web using tools such as a blog, YouTube channel, Twitter profile, Facebook group or page, LinkedIn group, podcast and so on. For example, all of your social web participation could link back to your business blog or website where the conversation can continue and visitors can get more information or make a purchase.
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