* "Only connect. . ." E.M. Forster, Howard's End

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

MAPPING SOCIAL MEDIA USES

When we talk about how we’re going to use social media to build relationships and sell and things like that, do we ever come out and map what we really mean? In the simplest form, the graphic above represents one iteration of that. Maybe I want to help Josh sell more shirts at Secret Superhero Gear. I can tell people about the stuff. I can ask them to tell their friends –but wait! There’s the first opportunity to think more about this!


If I replace ‘ask them to tell their friends’ with ‘install Facebook LIKE button next to the shirts,’ then I’ve just used social media tools to advance a marketing goal. Let’s carry on. If I want to listen for people who might need a shirt that Josh is selling, I’m sure to be a bit intrusive, but maybe if I listen to people asking about gifts to give, etc, I could politely butt in now and again on Twitter.


If I spend some time on Twitter, on Facebook, on Blogs, on forums where they might care about Josh’s products, then I can look at a more integrated approach to selling.
That last one: “Make someone a hero with it.” I think that’s the gold standard of marketing, isn’t it? My Camaro isn’t just a car. It’s my own personal therapist. It’s my batmobile. I feel like a hero when I get in that car. It makes me a hero. Does your product make your customer the hero? If no, then rethink this.


THIS IS JUST ONE SIMPLE MAP


If I’ve done it right, then I’ve opened your head just a little and now you’ve got some creative ideas brimming with how else you can map the various social media uses. For instance, if you need a lot more inbound links, then you’ll have to make a delectable prize for people to consider linking to, and that prize will have to be remarkable and hero-making for the people you hope will create those links. See how that map would go very much differently than what I gave you up top?


So, what will your maps look like?


ChrisBrogan.com May 20, 2011

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