Being bombarded by ads is not something that anyone wants to have. Think about when you’re watching your favorite program on TV or getting really involved in a movie on FX; now, ask yourself, how much do you love those awesome commercials asking you to buy the latest sexual health pills and how awkward that is sitting next to your parents or grandma. How about your email inbox? Don’t you love when you have some random person emailing your from a foreign country or selling you the deal of the century? Check out this funny take on this scenario by Callback on YouTube.
The same goes for Social Media. Customers really don’t want to be bombarded with messages day after day. The Harvard Business Review recently posted a study where they discussed three myths about what customers want.
Below are the myths and the study findings.
The Myth, The Legend…Oh Wait, Just the Myths
Myth Numero Uno:
Most customers want to have a relationship with your brand.
Study Findings:
77% of people don’t want to build a relationship with a brand. That’s a huge chunk! Companies need to keep a vigilant eye on this. There is a reason that some times there is just T.M.I. (too much information). 23% is certainly not an insignificant number however.
Most people said that they were more inclined to have brand loyalty without being bombarded with ads and posts. They trust their families and friends far more than your company. Most of the time people that are interacting on Social Media are looking for discounts.
Find out which number most affects your business. 23% or 73%, who represents your brand the most?
Myth Number 2:
Interactions build Relationships
Study Findings:
Nope. Nada. Das ist falsch. Clients and customers want to know that your brand meets their needs and values. That is what really makes the relationship solid. Effective brands share their beliefs of why they are the best choice however, they do not bombard their audience with nonsense about nothing.
The facts of the study were this, 64% of study participants that have relationships with a brand say they have that relationship because of a shared belief or value. That’s mighty interesting to an SMO like myself. Yet, at the same time, not surprising. As the old adage says, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.
Be genuine. The brands that are the most successful are the brands that present their message to consumers in a relatable way.
Three Times a Charm:
The more interaction the better.
Study Findings:
Big ole flopper on the judges table again. Just like those pesky emails in your junk box or flipping through the stations during commercials, people just skip over the posts and ads in their feeds and TV sets. People want to enjoy their daily lives without being bombarded. Oh hell, there’s that word again! It must be the word of the day. I mean post.
My Conclusion:
I seem to remember way up there in the body of my post saying something about doing unto others as you’d have them do unto you. I really feel that Marketers should look to this more often. The message to me is fairly clear. SMOs must make sure that we avoid the pitfalls that less experienced SMOs tend to fall into.
Having too many messages simply bloats your message. It doesn’t give the message any more substance or make the intended consumer “stickier”. Information overload is simply better off avoided. Look at 3CPO when he has a freak out moment. Chewbacca had to hit the reset and then put him back together at a later time. Don’t hit the reset on your efforts. Follow common sense and manage your clients with a rockstar ability and remember sometimes, less is more.
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