In the world of social media, the term engagement is frequently used .It is said that all of a company’s marketing actions must have the search for commitment as one of their objectives.. It talks about create community, where we all support each other and receive support around a common interest.All this leads us tobaseof social media in general and social networks in particular is the relationship. Therefore, let’s spend some time defining the relationship strategy on social networks.
The clients Noarenumbers from a database, nor buyers of a product, butpeople with whom we want to maintain a relationship. In this environment it is important that all components of the community perceive thatThe important thing is not a simple transaction, but maintaining a relationship of trust and commitment that makes them continue to prefer us over the competition. This is what is known as relationship marketing or relationship marketing.
« Customers are not numbers in a database, nor buyers of a product, but people with whom we want to maintain a relationship. The important thing is not a simple transaction, but maintaining a relationship of trust and commitment «
Although isolated experiments focused on achieving short-term results are very common with social networks, the most successful approach is one that considers all social media as a long-term relationship tool. We are therefore talking about strategy and relationship.
Any advertising strategy is resolved by responding to the followingfive starting questions:
- Whom . Determine the profile of the target audience. It is so important that it conditions all the others.
- That . It refers to the basic message.
- As . The way to tell the message.
- When . It is the moment chosen to issue the message.
- Where . The medium through which the message is issued.
It is true that the rules for using social media are not exactly the same as those of a traditional advertising campaign, among other things, becausea campaign is usually a one-way communication while social media is two-way. However, both agree on the importance of having clear answers to the previous questions. Therefore, as in advertising,The communication strategy will follow the following steps:
- Determine the target audience: who we are addressing.
- Precise the message: what we say.
- Define creativity: how we say it.
- Build the media strategy: where and when we say it.
All this is very well known, it is nothing new. In fact, at the end of the 1920s Ludwig Von Bertalanffy presented his General Systems Theory where he indicated that the last three points above represent a small system of interdependent elements in which each one depends on the other and all support each other to persuade. to the people to whom the communication is directed.
« The interest of using social media is to relate in one way or another with clients, consumers, users, potential clients, suppliers, investors, candidates for vacant positions, competitors and any other relevant actor «
We are not going to go into describing what, how, where and when, but we are going to insist onthe importance of always keeping in mind who. As many studies and research have shown in recent decades,Companies that focus on the client, the consumer, the user of their products and services simply do better.. In this relational environment we could say that practices that are appropriately oriented towards the other interlocutor will be more efficient.
Who are we addressing?
The interest in using social media is to relate in one way or another with clients, consumers, users, potential clients, suppliers, investors, candidates for vacant positions, competitors and any other relevant actor.. These are all people, and as we know, each type of person is comfortable with a different type of relationship. Typically, a young person is uncomfortable with being talked about or using very formal language. If we address an investor, he or she may prefer rigorous and direct content. Therefore, before starting communication (message, text, publication, video, advertisement, etc.) it will be important to know what type of people we are addressing.
Generally, social media communications are directed to one of the following groups:
- Customers . Here we can encompass current, past or future (potential) clients, users or consumers.
- Prescribers . We refer to all those people who, through conviction, experience or interest, can influence others to make the decision to become clients.
- Rest of actors . The rest of the participants in the environment in which we operate would fall into this generic group: suppliers, investors, partners, shareholders, employees, candidates for vacant positions, distributors, competitors, subcontractors, institutions, etc.
Interestingly, the people behind each of these groups can change their role at different times or environments.The communication strategy, creativity and the chosen medium should ensure that each of these groups commits to the brand, company or product in one way or another.. For this,It is important to identify the desires and motivations that each one has. Therefore, knowledge of each of the actors is essential to adequately define the strategies and tactics aimed at achieving the set objectives.
About clients
The actions, relationships or messages directed to customers usually have the objective of engaging them with the brand(build their loyalty), if they are already customers, or, if they are not yet, convince them to try our products or services.
In general,To define the profile of the target audience, two criteria are usually taken into account.:
- Sociodemographic . They are those that refer to parameters such as age, sex, social class or place of residence.
- Psychographics . They are those who discriminate based on tastes, ideologies or lifestyles.
For example, if we started marketing a new wine online, it is possible that after appropriate studies we would come to the conclusion that our customers are « young couples, without children, who both work and who like to make purchases online. » , especially brands, gourmet or wines. This definition includes both sociodemographic and psychographic parameters. In fact, the latter criteria are often more useful than the former.
About the prescribers
In the face-to-face world we give great importance to the recommendations that our family, friends or work colleagues make to us.. If one of them tells us that they are very happy with their car, that brand may have a preferential place in our purchasing decision. Even more so if we recognize that person a certain personal, social or technical authority.This practice of recommendations takes on special relevance in the social media environment., since the number of prescribers (recommenders) increases considerably.
The Internet is full of blogs, forums and comments in different types of online communities where all types of brands, companies, products and services are evaluated, compared, recommended or criticized. Although, certainly, most of them have a very limited power of influence, there is no doubt that some are very followed and valued. Therefore,Having the collaboration of certain influential prescribers can be very useful for our objectives.
Prescribers can share their experience spontaneously or induced. In the first case, they decide to write a comment simply because they like it, because they have had a bad experience, out of vanity or simply by chance. We can say thatThe motivations of spontaneous prescribers are of the type:
- I am a fan of that product or service and telling it makes me feel part of the user community. I share your values.
- I have had a good experience and telling it makes me feel generous.
- I am outraged and want to get revenge somehow.
- Telling what I discover, good or bad, makes me feel smart.
- Use this experience to tell something funny.
- I sit alone and tell everything that comes to mind.
Spontaneous prescriptions are emotional and possibly more sincere; However, they have the danger that Spontaneity is usually encouraged more frequently by bad experiences or bad opinions than by good ones.. When it happens, being on social media will allow us to detect it in time and limit its effects.
As to induced prescriptions, the motives are usually both emotional and rational. When it comes to doing a favor or helping a person, company or brand for whom I feel sympathy, we are talking about emotional reasons. On the contrary, rational motives seek to achieve a direct benefit for me or for the person receiving the message. Again, without wishing to be exhaustive, we can say thatSome of the reasons for induced prescribers are:
- I do it for friends. Someone asked me and I couldn’t say no.
- I do it to help someone. It makes me feel good.
- I achieve a discount or direct benefit (affiliate programs, etc.)
- I get an economic benefit both for myself and for those with whom I share it.
- It’s my job ( Community manager , journalist, etc.)
In general, prescribers (bloggers, tweeters or people of special relevance within the target market) will want to show objective and neutral behavior. Therefore,The best way to induce a good comment is usually to collaborate with them, help them do their work by providing them with data, information or experience. It’s not so much about making a payment for your recommendations, but rather maintaining a good relationship. To achieve this, providing them with products for evaluation, sending them documentation (catalogs, books, etc.), putting them in contact with experts from the company or facilitating their attendance at various conferences or events can help.
Therefore,It is important for the company to identify the most relevant prescribers and collaborate with them in the most appropriate way possible.. Prescribers are generally classified into five categories:
- Consumer related . They write about our target audience. For example, we market an affordable sports car and these people write texts of interest to young professionals.
- Related to a generic category . In our example, it would be those who write about cars.
- Related to the brand . They write directly about our car brand. They love the brand and feel good talking about it.
- Related to the competitor ‘s brand . Identical to the previous case, except that what they are talking about is the competitor’s brand.
- Related to a distribution channel . For example, they are people who write about dealerships or e-commerce (if we sell online).
- Related to external factors . These are people who write about topics that have some type of relationship with the product, brand or company. For example, those who write about pollution, ecology, transportation, etc.
