Think about it. Sometimes social media activity can be compared to watching an entertaining, interactive movie or tv show, and then, BINGO, there’s another commercial. Do you go to the kitchen for a snack and wait for it to be over, or do you turn the channel and move along?

How many times do you take action based on the commercial?

This is what happens when marketers use social media as a broadcast medium for their latest sales pitch. It may have worked well in the past for some, but now it’s like blowing hot air into the wind. Over saturation = hot air!

Instead of walking away in frustration and condemning all social media for marketing purposes, let’s take a look at what’s changed in the overall philosophy of social media marketing and how the “pitch it” mentality can be overhauled.

The customer is always right

If a marketer is pounding away with ads, posts, and targeting and not getting results it’s too easy to point the finger at the consumer and walk away defeated.

It’s not the customer’s fault, it’s the marketer. You know the quote, “If you do what you always do, you get what you always get.”  Then why would promoters think broadcasting, in the same way, time after time, will finally work instead of taking a cue from the customers. After all, the customer truly is in control.

SOCIAL marketing is done at the backyard fence

Why is it so hard to understand the meaning of social? Can we socially sell? Of course, we can.

Everyone remembers cocktail lunches, ala Mad Men, where deals were brokered and signed over a brandy and cigar. If truth is known, better deals were sealed in social settings than pitching in the boardroom.

It’s nothing new, but for some reason, marketers struggle with the constant pitch. And, when beating customers over the head with it, they conclude that XYZ social media platform isn’t working for them, but, they continue to push harder, or leave the platform altogether.

Social marketing has always been around, and always will be part of the scene, whether online, over the backyard fence or the neighborhood coffee klatch. How do you think we learned about the best detergents, kids’ school, or restaurants?

It may be a different product lineup, but if you can’t socially communicate with your online neighbor about it, how will the word get around?

I’m not here to shop!

People aren’t participating in social media to shop. Customers will go to shopping sites to make purchases, however, they may be highly influenced by marketing tactics used on social media sites.

Remember when you noticed that Saturday Special at the local health food store on Facebook? You went to their page or website to get more information and they drew you into their store. They shared a personal experience from the store and made us all a part of it!

Marketers must be more creative in finding ways to connect with potential customers. By creating a friendly and engaging atmosphere on your business page, offering news about specials or discounts, and highlighting new products changes the “selling” atmosphere. Start the conversation, offer some polls or quizzes, and have fun with it.

Make customers an integral part of your business and use them to promote by sharing their own good experience over the backyard fence.