We’ve all heard it. Businesses need to use social media to engage! Build relationships!
This quote, taken from IBM’s “From Stretched to Strengthened: Insights from the Global Chief Marketing Officer Study” sums up the great disconnect that too few social media advocates seem ready to accept:
More than half of all CMOs think social media is a key channel for engaging with customers… Yet, an earlier study shows that many executives don’t understand what triggers customers to ‘follow’ their organizations. Nearly 70 percent assume that customers interact with them via social media to get information, express an opinion and feel connected to their brand – whereas, in reality, customers are most interested in receiving tangible value. Indeed, when asked why they choose to follow a company, the top reasons consumers cite are ‘getting discounts’ (61 percent) and ‘making purchases’ (55 percent). Only 33 percent seek out companies to ‘feel connected.’
The tools are new but the behaviours aren’t. People want a deal. Not a BFF.
photo credit: State Library of New South Wales collection