It can be easy to build a social media presence when you are working with an established brand. Potbelly Sandwiches already has a big enough following that it’s really just a case of making sure your customer knows about your Facebook or Twitter page and feels that going there is essential. If you’re starting your own business working independently from the ground up, well then things get a little trickier. The bad news is that, if you are running an independent jewelry store for example, you’re never going to have the advertising budget of one of the chain stores. The good news is thanks to social media you don’t have to.
Threadless was started in 2000 with the prize money from a t-shirt design contest and has grown into an online retailer with a huge cult following. They’ve managed a social media following on par with major retailers without major advertising dollars. One way they’ve managed a fiercely loyal fan base was by promoting themselves as a major hub for fan interaction. At the onset of their launch they advertised a massive promotion that got people to create their own t-shirts. That initial investment paid off and they instantly became a place to buy and create fan made merchandise.
The general rule I follow with consumer based social media advertising is that the most you can expect to get is roughly a third of your core audience on your fan sites. (i.e. If you sell 150,000 TVs, you can’t really expect more than 50,000 Twitter fans.) Threadless (twitter.com/THREADLESS) has roughly 700,000 loyal customers according to their latest numbers, but they have 1.5 million Twitter followers. They’ve conquered Twitter by making sure it is the place to find out about all their latest promotions, contests, and sales. Looking at their Twitter page, it’s clear they haven’t forgotten what put them on the map. They build their Twitter around their followers and make sure to answer all questions and return comments. Even though they have 1.5 million followers ,it feels like you’re part of something small and intimate.
As I’ve said before, great companies use social media at all levels. If Threadless had seen their Twitter blow up and said, “That’s enough” they wouldn’t be so successful. They went on to develop a comprehensive Facebook page (www.facebook.com/threadless) that complements their Twitter ads nicely. They do Facebook-exclusive contests and promotions and constantly change the look of their page based on what new brands the company is promoting. They also use Facebook to showcase photos of products and events they sponsor to show that they are the hip place to be. Threadless has the kind of advertising campaigns that Ed Hardy and other small press clothing retailers can learn from.
If Threadless proved anything it’s that if your going to start an independent retailer online the launch is a major part of the advertising campaign. Runka Green Products (twitter.com/recycledstuff) took this lesson to heart by launching a massive campaign centered on an Earth Day online store opening. Even though they’ve only been around a few weeks now they have managed to steadily build a loyal group of over 700 Twitter followers. That’s very good for a company less than 3 months old. (Once helped launch a product line via Facebook and we were ecstatic when we got 35 fans our first 2 weeks) Runka took advantage of the huge audience that is online and into green products by creating a Facebook Application. (an inexpensive way to get people talking about your products. )
Runka also realized the value of constant updates to your Facebook and Twitter feed especially at the start up period. Just like writing letters if you don’t write them, people don’t write back. If you don’t tweet or post you won’t get any followers. Sure you might feel silly for a few weeks sending a message to 10 people but in the end those 10 people will build you a following. Any company from Runka the Threadless had 10 or 15 followers at one point but those followers soon turned to hundreds and for some, they have hit millions.
www.allfacebook.com/2010/06/facebook-myths-rumors/
Last 5 posts by joshuasinason
- Accurately Predicting The Next Big Thing In Mass Media - September 7th, 2010
- The New Frontier: Advertising And The E-Book Reader - August 22nd, 2010
- Advertising to kids with Social Media - August 11th, 2010
- Using Demographic Research for Search Engine Optimization - August 3rd, 2010
- How automobile dealers and Big Ticket retailers can leverage Social Media - July 8th, 2010
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And don’t be surprised by the time it takes. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Going social isn’t a magic elixir. Think of it more like a plant that needs loving attention and care. You have to water it everyday and provide sunlight. If you take care, with time it will grow strong and tall.