Once upon a time, buying a product was just the act of making a purchase to obtain the desired object. It was a simple process to market to the masses, then sit back and wait for your revenue to come in. For millennials, it’s the experience that factors into the purchase; and the item is only the byproduct of that purchase. After all, it’s about how the consumer feels about the experience that will drive the sale and repeat sales. Marketers must consider the consumer’s journey and glean insights to ensure this experience is outstanding. One way to gain a constant opportunity to dialogue with the consumer is using social media. Think of social media as the 21st century approach to “word of mouth.”
While a sale may be transactional in nature, social media vehicles can influence shopping and purchasing behavior. Social media allows businesses to delve into the consumer’s world via their associated online communities. It permits businesses to develop a relationship and build trust to foster more consideration before a purchase is made. It also affords two-way conversations where businesses can gain insights on how to improve in-store and e-store experiences and answer questions or respond to complaints. Social media lets businesses talk about a variety of other topics including sustainability, employee practices, and community involvement. Each of these has proven to be important when deciding whom to buy from.
Finally, the most significant aspect of social media is where consumers can become your business advocate! This is getting an endorsement from the consumer, which could take on a viral life of its own and influence many others’ views. Of course, social media can also work against you if anything negative is posted about your business or product.
A plethora of data is available to observe and analyze social media conversations or trends across a variety of communities. It allows visibility into consumer’s behavior! This behavior gets you closer to the triggers that encourage a purchase.
Social media practice continues to evolve with new learning and methods to apply when deploying upcoming campaigns. Most importantly, know that your customer base is already using it. If you haven’t dipped a toe into executing a test campaign, maybe the time has come that you do it.
Adele Lassere is a marketing/advertising consultant, freelance writer and author of “Elements of Buying” (a self-help advertising guide), available at Amazon.com. Adele was listed as Black Enterprise’s 2016 Women of Power in Advertising & Marketing and 2013 Top Women Executives in Advertising & Marketing. Contact: [email protected]
