Building Community (or, the New Face of Marketing)

In previous articles, Linda illustrated how to use various social networking tools such as Facebook, Friendfeed, Twitter, LinkedIn and Posterous. While many other tools exist that can be used by the designer and/or programmer, at some point the user might consider why these tools are necessary in the first place. Building community is one answer, and the answer is deeply integrated with marketing for many people.

Community and Marketing

Whether you think it's crass or not, community in the sense of social media also may lead to how you market your goods and services or your clients' goods and services. This concept, if not the actual word, "community," has been part of the sales marketing approach for years, but few people know and understand the time, effort and sincerity it takes to build that type of marketing success.

Partially Channelling Zig Ziglar

At this point, I want to partially channel Zig Ziglar, a motivational leader who also happens to be a Christian and a bit "hokey." My father introduced me to Ziglar when I was in my teens, so this guy has been around a while. Through Ziglar's books, I've learned how to take what anyone offers with a grain of salt (taking what I need and leaving the rest); but, specifically, I've also learned how to build business plans for clients based upon his tips.

When I thought of Ziglar while writing this article, I reached for his book, Top Performance: How to Develop Excellence in Yourself and Others. The version of the book I own is from 1986, but as I leafed through it to see if Ziglar had anything to offer on this line of thought about community and marketing, I came across a list that could serve as guidelines for today's social media atmosphere.

The following list actually came from an article that James L. Hayes wrote, entitled, "The Art of Self-Promotion," and that Ziglar included in his book. Hayes was the president of the American Management Association, and the article focuses on ways to build self esteem. It might be important to note here that Hayes pointed to a difference between self esteem and self importance as it pertains to self promotion among executives:

Managers who are skilled in promoting themselves know that it is a delicate art. There is always the risk of promoting too much. Nonetheless, there are certain promotional constants that can be applied to some degree anywhere and at any time.

That quote may have been prophetic, as the following list can pertain to how goods and services are marketed on the Internet. As a nice sideline, these guidelines also pertain to ways to build a community of like-minded people who are focused on the same goals:

·         Compliment Colleagues: When you Twitter a compliment or make note of someone's achievements on Facebook or some other social media tool, you can demonstrate confidence and security in your own abilities by drawing attention to others' achievements. This action, when done sincerely, can reflect positively on you.

·         Circulate Memos: This is a no-brainer, as many social media tools allow people to share information that is newsworthy or worthwhile to others. In fact, Twitter is the prime tool for spreading information quickly – this is how many individuals understood that Michael Jackson had truly died, while CNN reported simultaneously that Jackson remained in a coma.

·         Implement Creative Innovations: Worried about someone stealing your "great idea"? Then don't talk about it – just do it. If you develop a better way of doing something, implement it and share it. Your efforts may be recognized and your value may increase to someone out there – and the best way to touch a lot of minds in a hurry is through social media. This innovation does not need to be earthshaking – in face, a blog entry sharing your thoughts can be considered a 'creative innovation.'

·         Volunteer: Learn more about special projects that may need some help. Even if these projects do not pertain to your profession, you can meet new people who might know people who need your help professionally.

·         Talk Up: If you know information that can help others make positive decisions, then speak up. Social media allows you to speak directly to decision makers in some instances (look for decision makers at Twitter by using Twello or some other directory). Or, you can take indirect action by writing about how you feel or about what you know and then make sure that decision-makers learn about your information. This process is easier than it was in 1986, thanks to social media!

·         Know All: If you plan to engage in a project (such as community building or a client's marketing), make sure you are not content with what you know. Learn more, and you can do this by asking questions discreetly through direct messages or through contacts you make in places such as LinkedIn.

·         Observe and Respond: Many Twitter users do not follow this guideline, and the fallout can be brutal. For instance, Guy Kawaski, considered a social media guru, also is considered a spammer because he believes that Twitter is a "numbers game." Since he auto-follows everyone who follows him, there's little room for Kawasaki to read every person's time line and to respond to every person who sends him a message. Sometimes, the only way to observe and respond to others is to keep your numbers low. Keeping low numbers sometimes is a sign of building community, rather than a sign of weakness.

None of the above actions require flamboyant behaviours. But, they do demand visibility, and that's what every community needs and what every marketer wants. Also notice that none of the guidelines above focus on the "hard-sell," or pushing goods and services. Instead, these actions are meant to create an atmosphere of open communication and building trust.