Ask anyone what one of the biggest stumbling blocks for businesses and social media is and the over-riding answer will probably be understanding. Or lack of it.One look at Starbucks could offer some answers. The Seattle-based coffee giant has embraced social media with some great initiatives that any business could learn from.
For instance, while other brands are deciding whether micro-blogging site Twitter is for them, Starbucks has tackled it head on. Better still, they’re actually engaging their customers into the bargain. Instead of simply using Twitter as a broadcasting tool, Starbucks is actively conversing with its 17,000 followers (although weekends seem strangely quiet).
By helping people buy Starbucks-related products to sharing information on various charity projects the company is involved in, the Starbucks Twitter account is the perfect example of great brand usage.
On top of that, Starbucks has also set up an interesting project over at My Starbucks Idea. Here customers of the company are invited to share their ideas on how Starbucks can improve. An open forum approach sees users post their ideas and other members vote for the best. These are then looked at by Starbucks for viability.
As an idea in improving a company through the people that matter – the customers – it’s brilliant common sense. As an example of interactive social media at work, it’s perfect.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be surprising that Starbucks is embracing social media as well as it is. After all, the company has long been an advocate of social responsibility with their eco-friendly projects. With My Starbucks Idea and their Twitter account, they’re merely transferring their offline ethos into the social media world. And a fine job they’re doing too.
How does your brand compare?
photo credit: betsyjean79
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I love to see companies — even better IMO when they aren’t tech companies — embracing social media! It’s a great way to interact with customers, and we definitely notice when companies do this.
If a company wants to learn how to reach its audience in a efficient, cost effective manner, then they really need to think about using social media tools, such as Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Michael “Shogun” Hatamoto´s last blog post..Tech sales okay; consumers wait for Cyber Monday
You know, I’m very surprised more companies have not embraced Twitter yet. They know who their followers are by using search and they get free marketing. Additionally, the companies that do it first get free press…
It just doesn’t make sense why more big companies didn’t hop on this as soon as possible.
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Hey Danny!
Thanks for the great example of a big company making the most of the social web. I have been a long time fan of their use of consumer idea generation in My Stabucks Idea and would love to bring just such a thing to my company. What’s even more amazing is how active it is with customers posting non-stop. If I were SBX, I would be making even more of that loyalty.
Appreciate your sharing.
Lance
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@ Michael. That’s the best part, when “non-tech” companies are embracing it. It’s proving that the message is getting through, for sure.
@ Derek. Perhaps now that the economy is biting so much, we’ll see more companies turning to the most cost-effective methods of promotion and advertising, and they don’t come better than social media. Whether they use it to its best is another matter altogether…
@ Lance. The My Starbucks Idea thing is such a no-brainer as well, it’s surprising that it’s not being used more. It’s like having an employee suggestion box for your customers, and what can be better than that?
I’m always on the lookout for good business SM examples and this one will be reused. Thanks for the head-ups.
WRT the general question on why businesses don’t make more use of SM, I agree – understanding is perhaps the main barrier; but then whose fault is this? Ours, as service providers for not being more convincing; or theirs, for not being open to new ideas.
I’d also suggest many businesses are aware of SM’s potential for negative feedback and stay away as the last thing they want to do is justify themselves to customers. Take Banks and Energy providers in the UK. They know they’re profiting by not passing on ‘rate cuts’, but have no intention of answering these criticisms, which would form the vast majority of postings. How would you advise these companies in their use of SM?
Hi Greg,
Coming from the UK originally, I’d agree that banks and energy providers are definitely some of the worst culprits for non-communication (Scottish Power were one of the worst).
If I was advising these companies from a PR point of view, I’d make it as clear as possible:
Businesses cannot afford to ignore social media. It never sleeps and very often its proponents and users are more up-to-speed on what’s happening with your business than they think. By staying silent, they’re missing a wonderful opportunity to engage unhappy customers as opposed to enraging them even more. Explain why rate cuts aren’t being passed on; advise when something can be done; invite the most vocal of criticizers to form a “customer board” that the company can open discourse with on a variety of topics.
In short, stop saying you don’t join social media because you’re scared people will say bad things about you – they already are.
Get out there and meet it head on (but with empathy and understanding) and you might just keep your customer base from going elsewhere.