Jacobs Media’s social media maven, Lori Lewis, continues her Friday series on “Balance” – best practices for radio’s use of the digital toolbox. Thanks for all the great feedback to Lori’s earlier posts, as she takes each letter of B-A-L-A-N-C-E to provide tips about social and digital strategies and tactics. Here’s the letter “N” to usher us into the holiday weekend:
On the season finale of Saturday Night Live last weekend, there was a Lady Gaga parody about the special relationship she has with her fans. The video comically speaks to this week’s post in the B-A-L-A-N-C-E series:
Notice what it takes to build loyal, motivated relationships
>EMAIL RECIPIENTS: CLICK HERE TO VIEW SNL LADY GAGA PARODY<
Too often you see celebrities and sometimes radio stations and personalities brushing off fans as if they’re some sort of nuisance. In fact prior to social networking, it was essentially word of mouth that validated celebrities and the consumer’s excitement to meet them. A bad “brush with fame” can totally deflate the magic of meeting someone who is inspirational. But as the biblical saying goes, “What’s done in the dark shall come to light.” Social networking is here to shine the spotlight on just how some celebrities (and some radio stations) treat its fans.
Just cruise through Facebook Like/Fan pages, Twitter accounts, and blogs and you’ll see threads of neglect, unresponsive tweets, and blog comments that go unacknowledged. What is funny is that even folks who work in social media, who say “engagement” every tenth word, don’t always interact with or follow the majority of their fans.
We have a great opportunity to go beyond the ordinary with social networking and create meaningful fan experiences. You may have read where Lady Gaga fed her fans pizza as they camped out on the streets awaiting her performance on SNL last weekend.
We’re not talking about racking your brain each day for that “next big thing” that will take your brand to an ultra-viral level. Oftentimes, it’s about the little things, as the Lady Gaga story displays. Those little things can be extraordinary moments that lifts a fan – or lots of them. Perhaps it’s a blog that resonates and inspires. Or it’s a Facebook update that might cause someone to consider that “I never thought of it that way.” Or it’s a funny tweet that just happens to make someone’s day. Those experiences can have a major impact.
So how can you make your brand extraordinary? Extraordinary brands do the following:
Validate – When you make people feel welcome, important, and “validated” on your social channels, they feel free to participate and return. This also gives cue that you care, which will generate more interaction.
Inspire – People look for inspiration and ideas that connect to their passions. Many times people get their sense of self-worth from brands. Your connection to the community, your music, and the things they care about can provide that inspiration.
Inform – Creating reliable rhythm with your interaction builds up recall for people to know you’re there online with them, and that they can trust the information they get from you.
Understand what it takes to build and sustain relationships. People are starving for attention because in today’s world, everyone gets to be mini-stars with YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and of course, Reality TV. Raise the bar to what matters by tapping into unmet consumer needs. You can kick start the passion of your audience as well as broaden your reach and increase your cume by building stronger relationships.
Notice when we only look at our audience based on what they can do for us, we will come up short of being an effective brand serving loyalty motivated relationships.
Please leave your comments, and if you’d like to read Lori’s earlier “B-A-L-A-N-C-E” posts:
B – Balance
L – The "L" Word
A – Analyze This
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Love it! I am amazed when I attend a seminar or read a article and the speaker or author is a “expert” on networking or promotion and you visit their Twitter account and they have 70 followers and the last post was three weeks ago.
That made me laugh JJ – probably because I used to be one of those PD’s that thought my station was on the top of the list of the important things in my listeners lives. *clearing throat* I was wrong.
We get so caught up in our return on investment do we ever consider our consumers return on their investment?
I agree Michael!
I remember sending an email to a well know social media ‘expert’ and his assistant sent me an email telling me “he doesn’t have time to read the email right now but thank you for submitting”
Can you believe that? Funny…
I admire your work Michael. Looking forward to meeting you at The Conclave?
Amen, Lori. The radio mindset of “if we build it, they WILL come” has never been good and today more than ever we need to VALUE our listeners.
They are our customers, after all, and if you believe your radio station is toward the top of their list of important things in life…good luck.
Amen, Lori. The radio mindset of “if we build it, they WILL come” has never been good and today more than ever we need to VALUE our listeners.
They are our customers, after all, and if you believe your radio station is toward the top of their list of important things in life…good luck.
I wanted to share Michael Brandvold’s response to my question of him being at The Conclave this year.
Michael left this on the Jacobs Media Facebook page:
“Thank you Lori, looking forward to meeting you as well. Minneapolis is my hometown so it will be nice to get home and see family.”
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