Changing the way brands and consumers interact
In an industry filled with so-called experts it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff. With so many people offering advice (much of it contradictory) how do you know who to turn to for the real deal.
I value advice most from people who are actually doing what they’re telling others to do. Which brings me to Scott Stratten. I met Scott at Blissdom Canada this past fall. While I spoke on a panel, Scott gave a spellbinding keynote that got people laughing and crying (literally) and wanting to hug him. Yes, I hugged him too. Scott is the president of Un-Marketing (which is also the title of his book) and is considered the elite of Twitter.
- Almost 80,000 people follow him and Klout says about 36,000 of those folks actively pay attention to his tweets (they retweet him, talk to him, mention him, etc)
- Some of Scott’s messages have reached 1 million people
- He influences other Twitter influencers like Erica Ehm and Jacki Yovanoff and even brands like Wynn Las Vegas.
Visit Scott’s site and you’ll see accolades from global companies like Pepsi as well as both traditional and new media marketers. But numbers and brand love aside, what make him so amazing? Simple – his message. It’s a message more and more marketers are starting to hear and, more importantly, understand. Social media is not a megaphone for your marketing message.
Social media gives everyone (brands and customers) a voice. That voice can be powerful, positive and even devastating (as Kenneth Cole can attest to). But Scott understands the true magic lies in the empathy, not the power. It’s about being human.
Social media for brands
The humanization of brands means being there for customers when problems arise. When customer service shapes the core principals of a corporation, it shines through on social media. If customer service is seen as something that can be sacrificed, that’s evident as well. When consumers invest their valuable dollars on a product, brands have a responsibility to be there. Social media gives customers a voice that can be heard when the company can’t (or won’t) hear.
Some CEO’s tell me they’re afraid to be on social media because of the possibility of negative reviews. My answer is always… seriously? Bad stuff happens every day and you can’t always predict or prevent it. But handle your social media strategy correctly and you have the power to turn a negative review into something beautiful.
If you’re not on social media, you’re missing the easiest and quickest way to turn customers into fans.
On the flip side, brands can enjoy their fan love in the spotlight as well. Brands that consistently over-deliver reap the rewards of that hard work. Business that boast thousands of fans got there for a reason.
Social media for the rest of us
Scott’s message is clear here – we have as much of a responsibility here as brands do. If you have a problem with a brand, the right
thing to do is pick up the phone or send an email – do you best to solve the problem yourself. Social media is not about unleashing hell’s fury on a brand because they didn’t deliver. “Next time you’re about to rage, make sure you give the business a chance to make it right first,” says Scott on his blog.
There’s a flipside here too. When you love a brand because it makes your life better, it’s time to start evangelizing. Social media gives us all a bigger soap box to stand on when we want to share good news with our friends. When companies get it right, we can give them a public pat on the back and isn’t that great?
Most people and (some brands) know social networking is about sharing, caring and making friends. It’s about spreading the messages we believe in – and sometimes helping correct others. It’s like the coke commercial from 1970, only this time we’re joining virtually instead of on a hilltop in really bad clothes.
There are two other things I love about Scott that have nothing to do with brands but everything to do with being a great human being.
First, Scott has a wicked sense of humor. And we all know learning is easier when you’re having fun. He makes social media a lot of fun.
Second, Scott holds himself to the same standards as he does brands. He doesn’t take anything for granted and when he stumbles (like we all do) he shares it to help the rest of us learn.
TEDxOakville – Scott Stratten – Keep Going Until We Stop
If you haven’t read Scott’s book, UnMarketing, get it now. You can thank me later. If you don’t follow Scott on Twitter, do it now. You can thank me later.
In the interest of transparency, I’m a fan of Scott’s. This is not a paid endorsement – I’m just taking Scott’s message and making it my own, which is what social media is all about.
Are you on LinkedIn? Are we connected? If not, send me a connection request and let’s start the conversation. Follow me on Twitter or friend me on Facebook – I’m always on.
Thanks for sharing this post & this video. All I have to say is Wow. The speech Scott gave on that video was so moving and honest. Definitely makes me take pause and think about relationships and what’s important in life. Love the message.
Suzanne
@YoungDrivers
http://www.facebook.com/youngdriversofcanada
I agree, Suzanne! Scott is a master of social media but he has an even more powerful message to share in the video. Like he says, so what if you’re a big deal to the world but not a big deal to those who matter most to you. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your message with me!
Excellent message!!! I am an “unmarketing” staulker…I just love his directness tempered with passion. He keeps it real and you have carried his message well! In business and in life, in the virtual world or the real world, the message applies! Together let’s make it happen!
Hi Laura, thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and read – and for leaving such a lovely comment. I’m glad I’ve translated Scott’s message well – it’s one that deserves to be told – over and over and over!
See you on Twitter 🙂
J~
I am absolutely humbled to be included in this post. Great post and so true. Twitter, above all other forms of social media, really shows someone’s true voice. A fake can be sniffed out fairly quickly. Put some time into it. Be yourself. Don’t be an ass. Everything else will fall into place.
Thank you so much for visiting my post, Jacki – and for taking the time to comment!
You are a great influencer yourself so it doesn’t surprise me that you’re leading your community. And you’ve got a wicked sense of humor (as I learned last week during the snowstorm!!!) which makes life so much more fun. Looking forward to seeing you again soon.
Stay warm!
Julia,
Thank for this insightful post and giving me an opportunity to learn more about Scott. You are a respected resource for social media yourself and your opinion of Scott is valued accordingly.
Look forward to the day we get to share ideas, hugs and smiles together. Appreciation and admiration to you my friend.
Best,
Jim
Jim, thank you for reading my post and taking the time to comment. I was very fortunate to meet Scott in person and everything I’ve seen since then has amazed me – in a great way. Gotta be real on social media, cause that’s what it’s all about.
Looking forward to meeting you too Jim – it will happen one day. I’m sure of it!
Julia,
You are spot on, as usual. Scott is one of my heroes in the “socialmediasphere” because he reminds me of what I already know. He is one of the first people I began following and I am never disappointed. You’ve done such a great job of capturing his essence while helping us to understand even more about yours.
Keep up the great work. I consider you one of my leading go-to sources when people ask about dropping their business in the social media pool.
Bravo!
Hey Felicia,
You are too awesome for stopping by and saying such nice things. What I love most about Scott and his message is that he makes it accessible. There are no such things as social media experts – it begins with being a good human being. We have to be the same person online as we are in real life – no delineation. And if we start with that truth and stay true to it, the rest is just common sense.
Thanks again for commenting!
Hey Julie,
Thanks for posting this, I have probably watched this video 100 times. Scott is a brilliant and humorous guy and it’s nice to see other people spreading his message. It is so important to have a voice if you have a company, but Scott really shows (you as well) how to do it well. Be real online, because (like Jacki said) otherwise people will sniff you out. Thanks Julie
Jason
@jasondyk
Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words, Jason. Looking forward to meeting you tomorrow in real life!
Julia