Promotions 2.0Blurring the line between interactive advertising, promotions and social network marketing.

April 10th, 2010

Managing the Consumer Experience with Social Media

Let’s face it: If you have a brand, somewhere on the web your market, your consumer, is talking about your brand. As the web emerged as a medium for social communication, brands struggled with how to approach consumer commentary on their product, service or image. Do we issue a cease and desist? Do we engage directly with the consumer? Do we care? Do we ignore it, and hope it goes away?

For the longest time, the talk in corporate marketing circles was community. “We need a website that keeps the consumer engaged with our brand and on our site constantly. We’ll build forums, comment forms, chat channels, wikis – brand portals and allow consumers to set up their own profiles.”

These assignments were often followed, usually before launch and sometimes just after, with this question: “How do we manage the consumer’s commentary, opinions and complaints?”

We’ve always (as webziens ourselves) stood on the platform of open communication. But often, there were other procedures put into place that made it more difficult for the consumer to be heard and ultimately worked better for the corporation. For instance, comments were not posted instantaneously – they were moderated. Forums were dropped altogether as a platform, as conversation could go south quickly. Wikis were locked. And profiles became private [- not that many users created profiles anyways- necessary?].

But this lockdown of consumer messaging on the brand website and un-communalization efforts doesn’t really stop the consumer from saying anything. They just say it elsewhere, which leaves brands in need of strategies for the external management of brand commentary.

The internet is now in its adolescent phase and we’re seeing a new invocation of consumer-to-brand communication channels and, with that, an opportunity for brands to become netizens themselves- to speak with a unified to voice, to listen, and participate. Sites like GetSatisfaction provide manageable channels for fielding customer questions for support and quality control while allowing consumers a forum for suggestions. This type of conversation management is a great tool, but 1. it costs money and 2. users’ must be directed to the experience.

The true brand conversation, however,  IS happening in the social ecosystem.  This means that Facebook, Twitter and other social networks are where the conversations about your brand exist. If a consumer has a less-than-par experience and they’re connected, chances are they’re commenting on it within their social web experience.

While we focus primarily on promotions, the methodologies that we use apply to any brand management experience. There are three types of messages that we’re spreading around within the social ecosystem:

1. Promotionally Aligned Messaging (talk about the promotion and relevant topics).

2. Make it Real Messaging (where we announce winners and prizes).

3. Consumer Experience Management Messaging (where we give guidance to optimize experiences) [would stray away from les than par]

Promotionally Aligned Messaging is probably the easiest for a brand to pull off. You’re talking about your latest product launch, a great deal or, in our case, the promotional messaging surrounding the incentive experience. Use this messaging to continue to bring buzz and add value to the program.

Make it Real Messaging allows you to make the experience that your consumer is having real and personal for them. We announce winners on Twitter & Facebook and, when a winner – or a winners friend – sees this messaging, they react and instantly validate that the program, the chance to win, and your brand are legit with call outs like, “wow that’s me! I love brand X”. Because of the personal connection visible within the platform, a user is more likely to participate knowing that Sally in Austin won some prize and she’s here, on Facebook.

Finally Consumer Experience Management Messaging is still, even in these adolescent internet years, the most challenging for brands to tackle. Being out in the social web and addressing issues is often a very daunting task. It’s always best to start within your own real estate– a Facebook Fan Page for example. Encourage positive feedback and an environment for fostering a better user experience.

The first goal with any experience related consumer contact is to not react with a defensive measure. Rather recognize the experience and evaluate the situational possibilities. A: Is this a scenario where a business decision can be made to positively impact the consumer group as a whole? B: Will giving the consumer (or group) some benefit or freebie potentially eleviate the situation? C: If neither of the first two fit, then provided the scenario requires a response, craft a thoughtful positive and brand reinforcing response. Finally recognize that ever situation involving a consumer experience begins with one personal response – with that response comes emotion and the failure to respond can lead to elevation of that dialogue. Just Google Nestle + Consumer + Facebook and you’ll get a sense of how mismanagement of the consumer experience can elevate and additionally be used by opposition groups to launch an assault on a brand.

The continuing consumer experience mantra should be to use Social Media to openly and holistically engage with your consumer bringing value to their experience of your brand and to encourage and nurture their feedback and allow it to enrich your product, brand appearance and message. Creating a true relationship between the consumer and the brand – allowing the brand to take on an identity of it’s own – will create a stronger trust for the brand and additionally encourage more consumers to advocate the brand to their peers.