Consumers synergism
“Today people don’t trust in companies. One of the things marketers want to do is humanize their brand. What better way to do it than put a live person in from to them”. Jackie Huba.
According to Jackie Huba Social Media is shifting the old style companies marketing their products. This powerful tool has integrated people as a real part of the market, listening and allowing them as part integral of their business culture, not just having them as a final consumer without any active participation in their brand.
Since I consider myself as an outdoor fanatic person, I have researched two outdoor gear/sporting goods companies such as Recreational Equipment Inc (REI) and Sierra Trading Post, both state to have a high commitment to support the environmental conservation efforts through dedicated teams of volunteers, members, customer and employees.
REI and Sierra Trading Post Facebook pages are very similar. Both companies use background pictures to encourage fans to experience outdoor activities, encouragement that consequently stimulate their fans and customers interest on its sporting goods. As business strategy, REI and Sierra Trading Post promote outdoor events through Social Media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Google +, G+1 to engage and have direct interaction with clientele. Sierra Trading Post has its own Social Hub Blog.
They have put together two strong marketing concepts, Social Media connectivity and effort to reduce environmental footprint. Those are two unquestionably components that need to be present in corporate values for companies competing for market niche in the business world. By encouraging clients to use online tools they are reducing significant amount of printing paper, and saving thousands of dollars as well.
Sierra Trading Post has implemented a business Social Media strategy using Facebook as a hook, “give us a Like and get 20% off”, method that has increased Facebook’ page visitors and therefore its sales revenues. Another tactic that Sierra Trading Post has set up to attract new customer is a referral program to invite friends to shop with them, that gives to new customer a coupon.
There are so many clear reasons why these two outdoor/sporting goods companies have implemented and increased Marketing Social Media strategies, below some of them:
- To open new doors for business.
- To engage with customers and answer their questions.
- To have direct access to fans and clients and cut marketing intermediary.
- To get direct feedback about products from customers.
- To amplify their message.
- To gain trust through human-to-human interaction.
- To make Social Media part its corporate culture.
- To integrate communities into its environment protection philosophy.
On how they are using this touching communication Social Media, I have found on REI and Sierra Trading Post the following tactics:
- They are getting direct knowledge from fans and customers.
- They are catching relationship with followers.
- They are creating a direct-to-consumer mode.
- They are maintaining blogs to grab attention of customers. Usually posting topics directly related to their product/service.
- They are listening clients instead of doing all the talking.
Social Media interaction have done what marketing business could not make for years.It has integrated final consumers in business stratagem. The real stick point of this effect is synergy between companies and users.
