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You Talkin' To Me? - 5 Social Media Lessons From 5 Classic Movie Lines
May 17, 2011
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The 64th annual Cannes Film Festival is underway. The French festival is not only a great place for new films to make an impact in front of a global audience, but it’s also a time to celebrate the movies that remain popular today because of their memorable quotes.
Quotes that are so classic they offer lessons in social media.
“Who's on first, What's on second, I Don't Know is on third...” Abbott & Costello - “The Naughty Nineties”
Guidelines
Managing chaos is what we set ourselves up for when we haven’t created parameters and expectations of who’s doing what and where socially. Who is still using a Facebook private profile page and not a ‘Like’ page? Why would they Tweet that? What are they blogging about?
Okay, I’ll admit it - I see things that stations do on social media and oftentimes I Don’t Know.
Create guidelines for effective social communication; this allows the staff to manage what is expected from them.
While it’s best to create a policy before an initiative starts, in reality your staff is probably already somewhere socially. Be sensitive about the tone you’re seeking, as many people view social sites as an unrestricted playground and may view guidelines more as “Big Brother” policies.
“You complete me.” Tom Cruise - “Jerry Maguire”
Dedication
When you’re on social sites it’s about understanding their primary purpose and committing to the reality that it takes at least two people to have a conversation.
Consider social sites as a challenge to be more open to your community and to always respond when they comment. Most of all, it’s about wanting to make the commitment to participate, and “completing” the crowd that is online with you.
"Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." -Clark Gable “Gone With The Wind”
Strategy
Consumers are teaching themselves how they can “Unlike” brands or worse, “Hide” them because of smothering tactics that include self-indulgent promotions or trivial personal facts.
The basics remain the same. Just like with our traditional channel -- the air sound -- it is still about conversations on our social channels.Develop a conversation strategy. What emotional triggers can start that dialogue? What kind of content can you create that stirs up talk around the brand, but not about it? Develop conversation starters like this one from WCSX/Detroit on Mother’s Day:
When you choose the right topics at the right time, you can move an audience. How can you make them “Frankly, give a damn?”
"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and nice Chianti." -Sir Anthony Hopkins “The Silence Of The Lambs”
Awareness
Know your audience and manage your brand on social media channels before they eat you alive. Have a plan in place to respond when a thread doesn’t go the way you expected from what are assumed to be your most “loyal” consumers. Look at this nightmare below:
The growth in the use of Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social sites has presented a huge challenge for some. Suddenly, all those private conversations are now public. Be aware of what your socially minded consumers are saying.
"You don't understand! I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am. -Marlon Brando - “On The Waterfront”
Opportunity
Are you going to get lost to irrelevancy because you’re still waiting for some sort of intrinsic proof that social channels in fact make a difference, can increase listening occasions, top-of-mind awareness, recall, buzz and brand equity?
Here are some recent numbers on key channels that provide you with cost-effective opportunities to reach your audience on different levels:* In just six months, Facebook has grown from 500 million to 600 million users.
* YouTube announced 700 billion videos viewed in 2010.
* A total of 300 million users send over four billion texts a day.
* Six of every 10 Internet users read blogs.
Don’t use the excuse that the core radio station is all that matters. We all know the “mothership” comes first. No one ever disputes that.
But the fact that your audience is all over these social sites, searching, reading and, yes, getting exposed to your competition should be inspiration enough to let go of the fear of not knowing/understanding social media’s potential.
Using social media effectively, you can be a contender. Find the people internally and in your audience who will complement your traditional product, and keep you and your brand relevant with today’s consumer behaviors and cultural trends.
See you at the movies!
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