So the landscape of social media seems to change daily: new tools, new tactics, new opportunities. People know me as ‘the social media guy’ already at Yum, so I’m already fielding a variety of interesting questions. One topic that seems to surface most is a version of this: [paraphrased] “so this RSS/YouTube/blogging/Facebook stuff… how do I get more hits and awareness with those things?”
Well I can click the link you sent 100 times and then email the link to my friends with the instructions to follow suit but the point of social media is not hits or awareness. Social media is just one more instrument in the toolkit of business and marketing strategies used to actively engage people. Like remarkable marketing is supposed to. In an environment where tallying ‘hits’ or ‘impressions’ seems to be the primary element of measuring success, I have begun the Sisyphean task of [un]educating many folks about what really matters in today’s climate: engagement, influence, and conversations with those that matter.
Without an overarching business strategy in which objectives and tactics are defined, many companies fall into the ‘me too’ trap of social media in which objectives and tactics do not match or are not articulated at all. In that vein, I’m still learning all there is to know about social media and what it means to brands and businesses. Anyone that claims to be a social media expert should be ignored, in my humble opinion, because we’re all participating in a game that evolves by the minute.
Regardless, I maintain my focus as a business strategist first and foremost. A growing cadre of tech-based communication tools allow me to apply business strategy in new ways via online media outreach, so that brings me back to my original thought: give me some business objectives and I’ll suggest some innovative ways to connect strategy, tactics and results. An example I used recently… just because a screwdriver, antifreeze, and new fuses could all be used to ‘fix a car’, that doesn’t mean I should change a tire with jumper cables. As with anything in business, give me a specific need or problem and I’ll try to solve it in a way that makes dollars and sense.
Engaging consumers of the world’s largest and coolest brands is one of my primary roles these days, so it is imperative to understand what elements of the brand people identify with in order to figure out how they will perceive and participate with media we provide or solicit. Take Jason Falls’ strategy and execution of involving social media with Jim Beam’s sponsorship of Robby Gordon in the Baja 1000 race, for example. His thought leadership captures the essence of the brands and demographics that identify with this event. Fans can track race updates via Twitter, blog-by-phone Utterz, and YouTube videos. I don’t have intimate knowledge of the strategic objectives of Beam and their sponsorship of this race / driver, but by using the tools that parallel the needs and behaviors of Beam and Baja target influencers [note: I didn't say audiences], Jason brings a creative and entertaining solution to a unique opportunity. Will these efforts generate ‘millions of hits’? Unlikely, but they drive and influence the fans of the brands that matter. And those influencers make waves and drive the conversation around the brands with others.
So as I prepare to craft dozens or, more likely, hundreds of new/social media strategies and tactics for brands like KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, I’ll ask myself and my peers repeatedly: who are my influencers and what behavior [read: type of engagement] do I expect from them as a result of this plan? If I fail to define these parameters and anticipated outcomes, I’ve failed as a strategist and we’ve failed as brands to engage our consumers.
With some world-class thinkers and doers on my team and in my sphere of influence, I am confident we’ll someday shed the dependence on ‘hits’ and focus instead on engaging action. …Just as we did for World Hunger Relief Week recently, but that’s another blog bloviation for another day.
