Chris Dessi

Hey Brands: here’s a gift from me to you: Everything has changed! 

If you have a business today, you must be engaged in social media, period.  The barrier to entry is low, the engagement is swift, and the results can change your business for the better (if done properly).

Follow these 5 tips on how to engage in social media and you’ll be off to the races:

1. Authenticity: I’ve written on here that the internet is the Truth Machine, and it’s true.  Brands can no longer get away with being inauthentic.  Authentic, from the heart and truthful is the name of the game.  If you don’t play by these rules, you will get called out, and your brand will suffer.
   
2. Niche is the norm: Mass markets are dead.  Get used to this. It’s a good thing for your brand.  You where never going to survive mass marketing anyway (I’m biased because I have a masters in direct marketing), but I knew in the late 90’s that one to one communication was better than one to millions.  Now there’s a rich ecosystem where you can engage with your users in each Niche.The power of these niche’s are just being felt.
3. Bit-sized communication is the norm: Twitter = 140 characters. Facebook page statuses are limited.  Wall posts are minimal, but his is how we communicate with family and friends. You need to learn how to communicate this was also. Figure out what your brand message, and get out there. We’re a fragmented society with a short bit-sized attention span.  If you don’t change and get used to quick bits of information about your brand being put out there, you’re in trouble. Let loose a little and allow trusted employees to tweet, you’ll reap the rewards tenfold.
   
4. Utility – Push to a pull mentality: You can no longer jam a message down a consumer’s throat. You need to offer value so that they come to you. First you have to reach them where they spend the most of their time: Social Networks like Facebook and Twitter.
   
5. The CONSUMER owns your brand – Your brand is not your logo. Your brand is not your tag line. Your brand is the emotion that a person feels when they think of you.  This intangible emotion is forged by trust, and relationships. Today, more than ever consumers expect you to engage  and care.  The customer is always right has never been more true than right now.  Not only would they destroy your brand if you told them they weren’t always right; they’d Tweet about it, blog about it, and post it on their Facebook status.