Reaching Audiences using Social Media

Entry by Courtney Sampson, Marketing and Communications Intern, Indiana State Fair

Social media – talk about a “buzz phrase.” The mere thought of social media evokes some serious emotion from people – You either seem to love and embrace it, or you dread the thought of “tweeting,” “tipping,” or “tagging.”

NEWSFLASH! Here’s the thing: social media is not for every person or every single thing. Well, I guess that’s my opinion, but here’s why: You have to actively update your presence online! Online time = real time. If you’re not willing to update and participate, you might as well stay offline.

The best part about social media is connecting with a virtual community; granted, some of your “friends” and “followers” are neighbors, best buds, and co-workers, but face it, you probably haven’t met face-to-face with a significant portion of your social media community. Why then, would any person (or company, for that matter), want to take part in the virtual world of social media when they can simply participate in “real life”?

Well, people have opinions and stories to share; they have pictures to show relatives who live in fair-away lands. Times are tough, and coupons, discounts, and incentive programs are abundant throughout social media networks. Reviews, tips, and tricks (in other words, more opinions…) are shared. Companies can showcase their “human side;” they can offer “perks” for their social media followers and friends; they can participate in conversations with competitors, consumers, and community members. And, in the grand scheme of things, for now, social media is relatively cheap, quick, and easy.

Sure, companies utilizing social media can (and should) promote their products and events to their social media community, but if that’s all companies use their social media tools for, then they’re missing key opportunities to build their customer loyalty and simply engage in a dialogue with potential and existing customers. In my case, the Indiana State Fair facilitates an online community with fairgoers, media, commodities groups, and plenty of other audiences.

Some companies may be fearful of using social media because it “opens up a can of worms” or they don’t see the numbers and results of their efforts. In my opinion, the truth is that a company should approach their social media strategy with as much enthusiasm, effort, and funding as any other part of the overall communications plan. That means – save time and money to evaluate the results of your social media efforts! There are plenty of legitimate analytics tools out there; so in my opinion, not seeing the “results” is no longer a valid argument!

Sure, there is the potential for customer backlash or isolated criticisms, but as a company, wouldn’t you rather participate in the conversation than shy away from it? For example, Kraft Foods, the parent company of Capri Sun, made an investment (time, money, etc.) in Facebook to help show customers the company response regarding their isolated case of “mold,” found in a Capri Sun drink. However, by the same token, the consumer who found this “suspicious moldy substance” in her Capri Sun created a Facebook group and blog to drum up support for her side of the case. This “pro-active” response of outrage, disseminated via social media, allowed the consumer’s voice to be heard and resulted in news stories appearing in the Chicago Tribune. (Bummer for Kraft Foods, but a win for the consumer!)

Whether you are the manager of a company’s social media profiles or you’re just an Average Joe, tweetin’ about your interests and posting pictures of your kids for Granny who lives in Florida, social media is something we should take seriously. And, if you’re a student, intern, and/or job-seeker, check out one of my favorite online tools, Student Branding; it’s a great resource to explain how you can utilize social media tools to enhance your portfolio. 

Several social media tools are in-the-works for the Indiana State Fair. I hope you’ll consider checking out some of our tweets, tags, and tips.

http://twitter.com/IndyStateFair
Facebook “Like Page”
Weekly E-Newsletter for Subscribers
YouTube Channel
Flickr Photo Pages
Foursquare, a Location-Based Community Social Media Tool
Blue Ribbon Blog
FREE Smartphone Application (iPhone, Droid) — Launches before the Fair, Aug. 6-22