Marketing is an ever-changing target, is it not? We are all trying to figure out how to reach clients, what will catch their eye, what will make them attend our event, and what will make them talk about us.
I remember when social media first launched and the marketers in my community (San Antonio, TX) were all trying to keep up and change WITH the environment, instead of watching it just go by. We were trying to find our place, both personally and professionally. And we were trying to figure out how our brand fit into these new spaces. There were so many questions: who was hanging out on those platforms, what were they doing there (just looking around, posting, or seeking information), and what did they expect out of our business?
We certainly didn’t want to be the serious one, in the fun space. And we didn’t want to have too much fun, if others were there to be serious. There was a balance, and we had to find it. It wasn’t until I started to follow our local water company that it all started to click. Their tweets, their Facebook posts, and eventually their Instagram posts were brilliant. They talked about water and conservation –yet they were really funny and shareable and they made you want to check back for more. Their jokes, one-liners, or GIFs always left us (the followers) thinking about how to be smart with water and not wasteful—yet, we were laughing and having fun following along. Let me remind you, they were talking about water. They made water fun. Again, I will say it was brilliant.
That was over 12 years ago, and I must say that some of the questions we had early on are still relevant. Except now we have more platforms to look at: TikTok, Snapchat, and others. And the reality is that we need to be there! All of us need to be there because that is where the people are.
When we serve our clients, we work with them to create items and messages that will get their donors and clients talking and sharing. Social media is unique because it is a place where you can reach them to let them know your needs, AND it is a place where they can share what they have done with you (give blood, run a race, hit a milestone, or start a new job). Give them the thing that will make them proud of what they have done, but also, guess what? They will think about you every time they wear that shirt, sip out of that coffee mug, or stand their phone on their pop-socket, and chances are, that thing will probably make it onto their social media pages at some point. And when that happens, everyone wins.
Talk to us about adding on a social media toolkit to your next campaign!
