Social Promotions: What Good Is a Party If the Hostess Isn’t Captivating?
Think of the worst dinner party you’ve ever attended. Maybe the directions you received were bad and you got lost. Maybe the food was terrible. Maybe an obnoxious guest dominated the conversation.
Think of the hostess of that party. It’s likely she wasn’t very good, either.
Social promotions are like hosting a gathering, and a really terrific hostess is essential. In your social media streams, the hostess for every promotion is your brand. Are you giving your guests great experiences they will be excited enough about to tell their friends?
Specifically,
- Is your social promotion simple to find? In this competitive environment, if your guests get lost on their way to you, it’s likely something else will capture their attention and divert them.
- Is your brand welcoming and attentive? If putting bits of text out into your stream is the final product of your social media efforts, you’re not getting it. Brands need to greet guests, participate in the conversations that develop and express genuine interest. These are your customers, potential customers and possible advocates for your brand. Make them feel comfortable and appreciated.
- Do you know what your guests want to do? Good hostesses don’t build gatherings based on what interests only them. They know what their guests like to do, and they know what their guests value. Brands must build promotions around this knowledge.
- Did you remember the goodie bags? If you’ve ever been to a kids’ birthday party, you know very well that party-goers are all about goodie bags. What is the hostess sending them home with? Adults like rewards, too. Your brand will want to thank its guests for spending time with your promotions by providing entertainment, information, discounts and prizes.
- What will your guests say about you after the party? You want your guests to share details about your party, and you don’t want them to say: “The hostess didn’t even talk to me; she was too busy with a single clique. And you wouldn’t believe what she was wearing!” As a brand, you want likers and followers to be excited enough about your promotion to talk it up. Make sure they come away with a good feeling.
