Do You and Your Customers Have a Common Enemy?
As we’ve mentioned, getting a brand to talk about something other than itself can be difficult. But creating lasting relationships involves finding a common ground — and no matter how wonderful your brand is, no one wants to talk about you 24/7. (Even you.) So…
Bad PR Won’t Kill Your Business, But How You React to It Might
Just 16 months ago, Domino’s Pizza was living a corporate nightmare. A YouTube video showing three of their employees engaging in unsafe and unsanitary food prep had gone viral, and the public was appalled. Today, Domino’s Pizza is celebrating. Its second quarter profits were up…
How Could Your Brand Use Flickr?
Most companies consider Facebook, Twitter and blogs to be the cornerstones of their social media strategy. If they invest in a fourth channel, it’s usually YouTube, because video is often a high-impact media asset. But what about photos? That’s where Flickr comes in. While most…
How Do You Convince a Brand to Talk About Something Else?
Let’s say you’re at a party. It’s casual. It’s social. Everybody there is talking to somebody else — some in groups, some in pairs. All except one guy. A guy in a suit. A guy who’s moving from group to group and arbitrarily shouting unwanted…
Setting Limits: Examples of Social Media Policies
To help your employees understand what is (and is not) acceptable online behavior, we’ve previously discussed the need to draft an in-house social media policy. But if you’ve been wondering how other companies craft their policies, now you can see for yourself. This online database…
How to Remind Your Customers That Your Company Is Human
Social media is about people. Companies are about profit. Finding ways to bridge that gap can sometimes seem tricky. But there’s one commonality that’s always worth discussing: charity. Most companies have at least one charitable cause that they feel passionate about, usually for personal reasons….
Does Social Media Work Best as a Band-Aid?
In a recent Buzz Bin post, Priya Ramesh notes: As I continue to convince the C-Suite at client companies to trust in social media, I find that it’s an easier sell when the company is struggling to fight a negative image online. This makes sense….
Facebook Is Not Twitter: Treat Your Audiences Differently
If you’re just beginning to use social media, Twitter and Facebook may seem very similar. And while it’s true that both services… Are built around publicly shared “status updates” Enable users to “follow” or “friend” each other Can be simultaneously updated through third party services…
What Should Your Customers Expect from Your Social Media Channels?
As eMarketer recently reported, when it comes to online retail sites, “usability” is a customer’s most important concern. Yes, your customers enjoy “bells & whistles” like online customer service or access to social networks, but if they can’t figure out what your product costs —…
Sometimes Your Customers Are Your Best Fact-Checkers
A few years ago, we helped our client, Bigelow Tea, produce a video showing viewers how to naturally decaffeinate an ordinary teabag. (Why would someone do this? Because sometimes a cafe doesn’t have your favorite flavor in a decaf version, so wouldn’t it be great…