Social marketing is about second chances.
If a marketer makes a mistake and angers a consumer-through the power of conversation they can get a second chance to win them back. We have learned this through countless examples (i.e. Dell Hell) but I always enjoy bringing new, close to home examples to light.
I recently got a Facebook request asking me to join the group for eComm Emerging Communications Conference. Having an interest in telecommunications-and all the other topics being covered at this conference-I joined the group. Next, I got a personal Facebook message from someone (who will remain nameless) on behalf of Lee Dryburgh requesting that I join the eComm FB.
While I was connected to Lee, I was not connected to the other person messaging me- and was a bit annoyed at the impersonal nature of the message-still, I was interested in the conference and saw there were openings speakers and extended myself as a potential speaker-I never heard back.
A few days later I got another personal Facebook message from yet another person on behalf of Lee Dryburgh. The message had the exact same language as the one prior. It too was letting me know of the formation of the new FB group.
At that point I was sort of pissed off and was about to let the world know. I twittered and commented on Facebook about the incident. Within 10 minutes of my actions I got an irritated message from the fabled Lee Dryburgh-alas, he was real!
He was not happy and asked me not to make accusations and slanderous statements in public.
I told him the story and he did exactly what I would have had him do if he were a client of mine;
He listened!
Not only did Lee listen, he apologized and asked for my help. He could have written me off as a blogger with a bad attitude, but he decided to take this negative experience and turn it into something positive.
Lee and I took the conversation offline and I learned he was a nice, witty guy-a guy capable of something that all of us are capable of-making a mistake.
This was not the most pleasant experience while it was occurring for Lee and me, but through conversation and partnership we were able to turn this into something positive. As a result, eComm is the official sponsor of this post! I am going to be talking to Lee more about the conference-I will keep you posted!
If a marketer makes a mistake and angers a consumer-through the power of conversation they can get a second chance to win them back. We have learned this through countless examples (i.e. Dell Hell) but I always enjoy bringing new, close to home examples to light.
I recently got a Facebook request asking me to join the group for eComm Emerging Communications Conference. Having an interest in telecommunications-and all the other topics being covered at this conference-I joined the group. Next, I got a personal Facebook message from someone (who will remain nameless) on behalf of Lee Dryburgh requesting that I join the eComm FB.
- Rule #1- Personal Facebook messages are just that-personal. They are just as, if not more personal than email.
- If you are going to use personal Facebook messages for marketing (I only recommend you do this in a very calculated, personal manner-if at all), you should abide by the same best practices that govern email.
While I was connected to Lee, I was not connected to the other person messaging me- and was a bit annoyed at the impersonal nature of the message-still, I was interested in the conference and saw there were openings speakers and extended myself as a potential speaker-I never heard back.
- Rule #2- Facebook messages are not email (I know, I know-that is counter to Rule #1-but we are having fun here). If you send a personal marketing message (not a message to a group, which is totally different) and get a response with a question or nicety, you should feel obliged to respond.
- You started the conversation. You should commit to carrying on the conversation as long as your consumer wants to. A vocal consumer is a good consumer.
A few days later I got another personal Facebook message from yet another person on behalf of Lee Dryburgh. The message had the exact same language as the one prior. It too was letting me know of the formation of the new FB group.
- Rule #3- Don't use templated emails in personal messages-that is what group messages are for.
- Also, if you think you are fooling anyone by doing a mail merge and inserting the person's name in the salutation-you are wrong.
At that point I was sort of pissed off and was about to let the world know. I twittered and commented on Facebook about the incident. Within 10 minutes of my actions I got an irritated message from the fabled Lee Dryburgh-alas, he was real!
He was not happy and asked me not to make accusations and slanderous statements in public.
- Rule #4 If you are marketing in public places, expect the conversation to be public.
I told him the story and he did exactly what I would have had him do if he were a client of mine;
He listened!
Not only did Lee listen, he apologized and asked for my help. He could have written me off as a blogger with a bad attitude, but he decided to take this negative experience and turn it into something positive.
- Rule #5 If there is a dialog going on (good or bad) there is an opportunity turn that dialog into something productive.
Lee and I took the conversation offline and I learned he was a nice, witty guy-a guy capable of something that all of us are capable of-making a mistake.
This was not the most pleasant experience while it was occurring for Lee and me, but through conversation and partnership we were able to turn this into something positive. As a result, eComm is the official sponsor of this post! I am going to be talking to Lee more about the conference-I will keep you posted!