Comments on: The Three Bears of Social Media Marketing: Part 1 (Mama Bear)

By: Gabriela

Gabriela — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:30:25 +0000

I’m trying to find a clue to this “invisible reader or customer” in my humble case.
40 years ago all I knew about America was: the hippies, the great literature,
the beautiful landscape and the greatest rock music (Joe Cocker , Clapton …). I’m a pyrographer, a good amateur I would say, and I love this art and craft a lot. I came to America from Transylvania (very honnest and friendly people live there) and for a decade I’m trying to understand the American, especially since I opened on etsy.com an on-line shop with a few of my crafts in it, no big deal, only a few sales in one year, but a lot of funny conclusions based on my Google Analytics. Here are a few:
-none of my customers contacted me before or while purchasing an item, although I keep repeating, through my shop, that I’m a very convo-friendly person. It’s like their silence means “OK, OK, we know it…”.The conversation (always a friendly one) comes after they received the item, and the love I put in my craft is payed back by their great feedback.
-my visitors come mainly from the South, South-West or New York City (I have no clue why…);
-before I started a shop makeover based on SEO’s “cold but more professional” keywords, I had item titles like “Have fun cooking with woodburnt roses on a sturdy spoon”, and I sold all my spoons. Lately, my shop is dying (it’s true, I’m not advertising at all). I, somehow, had more fun visiting my own old shop than now: it was more of Me in it.
I’m an intelligent person who loves to work from home (no boss, please) and I read a lot of articles, trying to sell more and transform my craft into a job, but I have no clue what’s the market and customer I’m targeting..If anybody will have the great patience to read my comment,I apologize for my English.

By: Heidi Strom Moon

Heidi Strom Moon — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 09:36:05 +0000

Another company for which social/conversational marketing is a good fit is Zappo’s. They have several blogs on their site and so many of their employees Twitter — perhaps none more so than the CEO — that they have an entire page for those users (http://twitter.zappos.com/).

But again, like Southwest, this was a company that already had a reputation for customer service and communication, so using new forms for that communication to customers is just an extension of corporate identity.

Looking forward to the Papa Bear model because that also has importance, particularly for companies’ reputation management.

By: Michael Martine | Remarkablogger

Michael Martine | Remarkablogger — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:14:10 +0000

Love the bear thing. I took the red pill a long time ago, and the cluetrain continues to roll on, unstoppable.

I really like what you're saying about those who do not actively participate in the conversation. It's absolutely true. Most people will never comment on a blog. Compared to the general population, very few people engage in social media. It is still pretty much a thing for the tech elite. And there's nothing wrong with that, because if you're selling something, those people have money.

By: Sonia Simone

Sonia Simone — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:40:28 +0000

Evan, my guess is you won’t like Papa Bear at all.

I think that’s very smart, James. There’s more room than people think to use these tools in a fairly traditional context.

By: Janice C Cartier

Janice C Cartier — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:27:04 +0000

Ooh, Goldilocks here. Cannot wait for Papa and Baby Bears because we are looking for just right. What a great analogy.

It's the blend and the balance. Not one or the other , IMHO.

By: Evan

Evan — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:40:00 +0000

Thanks Sonia.

An excellent analysis.

I've stumbled it - just in case you believe in socail media.

It sounds like Baby Bear will be the one for me. Looking forward to it.

By: James Hipkin

James Hipkin — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:34:38 +0000

Conversation may be a spectator sport for most but even those who are watching are probably best customers / heavy users of the category or they wouldn’t bother. Heavy users have the power to move your business. A small shift in loyalty can have a significant impact, either positive or negative. Just attempting a conversation, of demonstrating you are interested in their opinion and responsive to opinions when given, has a significant impact on behavior. So I believe that keeping conversation available in the tactical arsenal is important. It doesn’t replace current tactics but, when it’s feasible, include it in the mix.