I was having breakfast with a friend and fellow marketer recently and, after covering updates on kids, cars and recent travels, the conversation turned to the marketing world. We started discussing how the rapid growth of social media as communication or interaction channels is changing the way traditional "old school" marketers approach building awareness and generating demand.
I believe that too many organizations are focused on "needing to have a social media strategy" vs. challenging their marketers for the best big ideas. It's true that social media like LInkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others are revolutionizing the speed at which a message or campaign can go viral. However, it's still about the content and relevancy of the message or idea.
Too many marketers are getting caught up in the mania of having their channels of communication include social media rather than focusing on the big idea that generates buzz without requiring a ton of budget. Think about the resistance movement in other countries who are leveraging Twitter as a way to communicate updates, location of the next protest rally, etc. Yes, engaging via Twitter and other social media channels is a good idea but what MOVES people to ACTION is not the use of Twitter but the BIG IDEA that is being communicated.
An example of applying a modest budget to achieve a measurable result through implementing a creative, big idea happened this summer in Washington, DC.
Blackboard Inc. (Nasdaq: BBBB), a global leader in enterprise technology and innovative solutions that improve the experience of millions of students and learners around the world every day in education, professional, corporate and government organizations, is headquartered in Washington, DC. A major industry conference was being held at the convention center that is just steps away from headquarters. After pursuing some of the creative, but more costly ideas to capture the attendees’ (Blackboard prospects and current clients) attention and to welcome them to Washington (like hanging a multi-story sign on the outside of the Blackboard headquarters), the ProEd Division at Blackboard instead chose to “Think Big” and execute a low-cost, guerilla-style mock protest outside the convention center. The result not only caught the attention of their target audience, but generated measurable results. Check out this YouTube clip to see the protest and results.
Don't forget when incorporating social media into your marketing mix that big ideas still matter!
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