Rhetoric 2.0; the art of speaking in social media
January 13 2010
Propelled by the evolution of the Internet and new digital instruments, recent years have shown a flood of new communication solutions. For you as a communicator and marketer, social media offers a whole new space to operate in; a platform to talk to potential and existing customers, building trust and brand loyalty.
Considering that the digital change started to happen several years ago, one can wonder why a large part of companies with highly developed communication skills have not managed to migrate these skills to the digital world and social platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Instead they are lagging behind when it comes to social media rhetorics. One wonders what happened to the art of creative communication?
Back to square 1
Traditional marketing strategies and tools that have long been applied in commercial communications are being blown apart by new opportunities. This means that experienced communicators are brought back to square 1 in terms of core competencies within the field of communications.
Fear limits the development of new communication skills
I would argue that one of the biggest obstacles to the development of the communication arts in this respect is the fear of new technology, and the inability to be curious and adopt new beliefs in the context of digital communication and social media.
The consumers’ power has vastly expanded thanks to the information and communication revolution, which has also changed the very dynamics of the marketplace. Companies no longer rule, the consumers do. Effectively, enterprises can no longer expect customers to be impressed by grand campaigns or exaggerated product benefits. Consumers cannot be fooled.
Most importantly, consumers want to be let into the process where strategies and decisions are being made. Your trade mark will be created in symbioses with the consumer, and due to the speed of information today, it will be re‑created every day. There is no way around it; companies need to be on their toes in order to satisfy the market in these “new times”.
Survival of the fittest
It pays to be sensitive to changes in consumer demand, and to meet these expectations just-in-time. This means that listen and learn are now crucial behaviors in the marketplace. The company that can adapt most swiftly will survive. The company that can provide the best service and user experience will win. All the knowledge you need to make good decisions is out there if you dare to listen to your customers.
Personal interaction & co-creation of brands online
Consumers in the digital space are not easily seduced, but demand influence. They want to be listened to, taken care of, and feel important. Through new digital platforms, the relationship between the consumer and the company becomes personal again. The cost of reaching out to your consumers via the internet is close to zero. The distance is none. Companies no longer create brands on their own, rather they are co-created with the consumers. If consumers are not let in, they will break in.
Training your social media skills
In order to be more specific I want to share my thoughts on how communicators can train their “social media-skills”.
What does ’social skills’ really mean?
There is no uniform definition of social competence, but two important building blocks is the ability to listen to other people and to understand their situation.
A receipt of social skills might be other peoples’ judgments about a person, e.g.:
“he is so pleasant”,
“she is a very likeable person.”
“she makes people feel good”
What do you want your audience to say about you, when they interact with your brand online?
The art of speaking with other people.
Let´s think about common sense, and how this should impact our actions online. Internet platforms offer companies and individuals a place where they can talk to consumers and friends. However, the platform itself offers no intrinsic value. If a conversation contains no content, there is no value generated. Hence, neither interest nor confidence is being created.
Let´s take a look at a few examples:
-If you were the owner of a consumer electronics store, would you stand in the door of the entrance, shouting out random offers through a megaphone to every customer about to enter? (Many online banners have the same effect. Offers are not targeted, hence irrelevant to the exposed consumers).
-Would you stand up on the table during a dinner and begin to brag about how good your products are? (This would be totally out of context, even if the offer would be relevant to the crowd).
-Would you interrupt midst of an exciting film during a cinema show, in order to put up a big advertising banner with an irrelevant offer? (Some online video ads have the same disruptive effect).
The three pillars of communication on the internet
Many consumers think there is too much noise and narcissism in social media. If companies would put more effort into calibrating their communication better, social platforms offer an excellent place for business. The tone of the communication is crucial, as well as the relevancy of the content and the value of the offer.
Do-it-yourself philosophy
In the last few years, social media consultants have emerged like never before, and many communications agencies have increased their focus on viral and online communication. The quality of this kind of consulting vary of course, and so far, it may be difficult to assess what is good and what is less good, because of the immature nature of the business. However, I believe that much of the job can be done and quality checked by yourself, simply by asking some questions before launching a social media campaign, or fleshing out your social media strategy.
Below I have made a list of some questions that I believe is important to consider at any given time:
Ask yourself these questions:
1. Do I deliver value?
What customer benefit does your blog or e.g. Facebook campaign generate? Respect your customers’ time and realize that they are smart individuals.
2. Am I being relevant?
Talk about subjects that have a natural link to your field of activity.
3. Am I speaking with my customers, or am I talking to them?
Consumers are much more interactive than 5 years ago; they want to have a dialogue. If you can relate to your customers in this interactive way, you will soon discover that your customers will begin to talk about you, convincing others that your brand is superb.
4. Am I being transparent?
Transparency is one of the most important building blocks in the digital marketing. Transparency in combination with complete access to information means that you must be completely truthful and open. If you try to cover up facts or incidents, you will get caught.
5. Am I engaging my target group?
Invite your customers to co-creation, or make sure you supply them with quality entertainment. Consumers have developed incredibly efficient “bullshit-filters”, after many years of media noise.
6. Am I thinking of my brand as a personality?
Choose the right tone for your brand and be consistent in the way you speak. No one likes schizophrenic or obsessive personalities. No one will listen to shouting or bragging. Be nice, self-confident and charming.
7. Am I taking my brand too seriously?
Keep the playfulness and the self-distance. Ice cream is good, but it is not the most important thing in the world. :–) Again, remember that your brand has a personality.
8. Am I being sensitive and flexible?
The world is constantly changing, and the Internet changes even faster. It is important to reflect upon trends, and concurrent happenings in the communication. Because of the dynamics behind communication, it is difficult to make a perfect communication plan that you can rigidly stick to for a whole year. It is impossible to know in advance what events whose waves you can ride of.
9. Am I realizing that everything talks and has ears?
Your brand is communicated from a variety of sources on the Internet, not just from the sources you choose. This means that your message can not be isolated to e.g. your blog, your website and your Facebook page. The viral power of the Internet, will operate both to your advantage as well as to your disadvantage. So make sure to keep track of what is said about your brand, in order to meet the criticism in a clever and brand building way. One method is to search micro blogs, in order to find out what your customers are satisfied and dissatisfied with. Also, ensure that it is not only bad PR at the top of your search results on Google. The grass root movement is a fascinating internet phenomenon.
The DNA and building blocks of a brand
An important insight may be that a lot of companies are not built for a social personality from the start. It is difficult to be an interesting brand personality if the core business is the making of mechanical products. Despite this, it is interesting to think about a company or a brand as a personality. If Caterpillar was a man, would he go to a lot of cocktail parties and stand up on the table and dance? Probably not! What would Coca Cola do? Is your brand´s personality reflected in the way it is expressed in social media? Do stay close to your brand´s core values and personality when interacting with your clients online.
The mobile revolution is here and intensifying
The evolution of digital does not end with the internet. New platforms will emerge and revolutionize the way we communicate, over and over again. The flavor of 2010, is that communication platforms are being engined by increased mobile access worldwide, and will be the next change in the way we communicate and do business. Mary Meeker, internet analyst, stated this in her annual trend report for the Internet. Meeker establishes that the mobile Internet is, and will be, greater than everyone thinks.
Last but not least, remember that courage is a very forgiving thing. Consumers will appreciate companies who dare to try new things, and that are humble to changes.
Kim Alltorp
Kim Alltorp
Kim Alltorp works with the marketing of Google’s Consumer Products in the Nordic markets, and has worked in the company for three years. She graduated from the Gothenburg School of Business, Economics and Law in 2006 and during her studies, she worked with the marketing of brands such as Volvo Cars, Kilroy Travels, AstraZeneca and P&L Nordic AB.
Thank you for an interesting and instructive blogg. What I often miss in the debate of social media is the aspect of B2B brands. Anything interesting ideas on this topic?
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Hi Elisabeth. We will have that in mind. Its an interesting topic indeed!