From Elektrik Ink: Integrate Social Media and Traditional Marketng
Integrated marketing strategies include multiple platforms with a coordinated message. There’s a lot of discussion about social media with respect to marketing – how much time to spend, what social media platforms, and whether social media should replace traditional media. Additionally, traditional marketing refers to any type of marketing that isn’t online. This include print, broadcast and like outdoor advertising manchester.
I share the opinion that social media should integrate into your overall marketing strategy and business plan, and should not stand apart from or replace traditional marketing tactics. Rena Bernstein of ElektrikInk wrote a blog post recently about integrating your social media tactics with more traditional marketing methods. Her four points are:
- You can’t control social media
- Traditional marketing clarifies Social Media
- Social media amplifies traditional marketing
- Testimonials: the mother load of social media
In particular, in the “social media amplifies traditional marketing” section, I liked the example Rena shares about Estée Lauder cosmetics:
Estée used social media and online PR to offer free makeovers and free professional headshots. After each makeover, women would have a glamour photo taken of them (including of course an Estée Lauder logo in the background) and upload the image as their social profile photo before ever leaving the counter.
Have you heard of similar creative cross-media techniques? I’d love to hear ones that moved you…
Nikki,
Thanks so much for reference. Your post is spot on and I totally agree that every place that a firm can connect with their customers, from advertising, customer service, packaging or even the way they answer their phones, MUST connect with each other. It’s amazing how many companies are diluting their own brand by offering inconsistent messaging.
By cross referencing your own promotional efforts, a marketer stands to increase the return from each channel.
Keep up the good work. -Rena
Great post Nikki. In no way should social media “replace” anything; The operative idea, in my opinion, is to use what works. Just as every social media tool is not going to be as effective for each business, often companies will stick with strategies that just aren’t worth the investment because they don’t know of a better way. Social media and traditional marketing work best when they feed and improve one another. I think the big roadblock comes not in the integration of efforts, but the fundamental shift in thought required to stand apart in the social space. Companies that just blast out info on twitter or blog without inviting comments are missing out on the opportunity to really connect with and understand their market, the opportunity to humanize their company and the opportunity to create evangelist consumers who have a stake in their company’s success.