Thinking about Social Media Marketing Differently
As stated in my profile, I frequent marketing events around the D/FW area. A few weeks ago, I had the honor of hearing Seth Godin speak. I was surrounded by other marketing professionals who were all open to thinking differently about social media and marketing. It wasn't about how to get more likes on Facebook but the psychology behind why we like things on Facebook. This post will cover a few things I've learned from that event.
Seth Godin began by pointing out a brief history of marketing. Back in the day of Mad Men, a marketing agency only had to create an ad, with a likeable character or a catchy jingle, and make sure the ad was given enough airplay or seen in enough papers. Regular people were bombarded with marketing to the point that they gave in and converted to customers.
Seth goes on to explain the reason behind this. As a product of the industrial age, people were used to being told what to do. There were bosses and there were employees. The organizational chart of most businesses were set up so that jobs were expendable. If you weren't leading, you could be replaced. Do your job, retire later and get a pension. Look at this ad. Buy this and your life will be better.
It's just the way things were and no one questioned it.
These days, however, potential customers are talking to other potential customers. The internet has given us a place to discuss, share, compare, critique and adore. Seth describes this word of mouth marketing as building "tribes" around your product, service or idea.
Yes, there are still leaders of those tribes. However, now the leadership is more widely available. And the followers are more particular about which ideas they will get behind.
Seth's challenge to the crowd? BE REMARKABLE. Create something different, outstanding, something that will get attention. Build your tribe around that idea. Lead that tribe. Nurture and love those who are in your tribe.
It doesn't take a large tribe. You don't have to win over everyone. All that it takes is a few passionate people who believe in you and your idea.
Go against the status quo. There is so much room for originality and creativity now. Do what matters to you. Chances are - it will matter to someone else too.
One of my favorite takeaways was this:
Don't be afraid to fail.
We have a part of our brain (the lizard brain) that inherently puts us in fight or flight mode when it comes to fear. However these days, the internet is saying "It's cheaper to fail than ever before". Besides, if you're worried about failure, success is impossible. Some of the most successful people on the planet failed and then picked themselves back up again.
Seth Godin has made a career out of thinking outside the box. He has figured out how to stay original and remarkable. Or, as Unmarketing's Scott Stratten pointed out in another post that I wrote, he learned to stop marketing and chose to be awesome instead.
What idea are you too afraid to launch? Are you leading and nurturing your tribe?
Leave us your thoughts in the comments below!
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