The Banana Peels on the Soapbox

Social Media advertising provides a unique opportunity for businesses to really “reach out and connect” with their clients. Think about this : A little more than a dozen years ago, a business would require a toll-free number with an army of “customer service-reps” to deal with an offer or promotion - heavily amplified through traditional print, radio, or television. Remember the old TV pitch - “Call now, our operators are standing by!” Laughably, some businesses still use this tired old come-on, but it is generally associated with a product intended for the geriatric demographic.





The wheel has been reinvented however, and the “contact us immediately” pitch means just that. Social platforms will generate responses before the questions are even formulated! The “Soapbox” no longer requires a megaphone and it is covered with banana peels. The best intended offer can be twisted or perverted into a YouTube gag faster than you can say, “Try our new product.”!





So how does a businesses negotiate this new platform; this new “soapbox”? To begin with, climb off it!        Nobody will listen to you shouting about how much better you are than "Product B". The only way to catch anyone's attention with that route is to build a comedy routine out of it and it's going to cost you a bundle producing the ad.






The “soap box” of the Social Media platform is your very own home. Invite your potential clients into the kitchen for a coffee, or sit them comfortably in your den and talk to them as you would speak with a new neighbour invited into your house and you will have a chance at telling them a bit about your product or service. But be very prepared to listen to their story first. In the age of Social Media, the subject is no longer your product, it is your client. Once you have heard all the "me” your clients can give you, you may just be prepared to tell them about what you have to offer them. This isn't market research. It is the reality of Social Media Advertising. No one gives a tinker's damn about your product. They only want to tell you about themselves.


Get on the soapbox and buy a good insurance policy. It is littered with the cast off banana peels of those who have lost at the approach of “telling the world about their truth”. It's now about listening and the question should always begin with “Tell us about yourselves and what do you think our product can do for you?”


Our firm has become quite adept at using the various Social Media Marketing platforms available in the online world, and we have helped more than a few businesses step delicately off the soapbox and into people's lives with a good degree of success. Contact us for a confidential consultation and be careful not to slip and break your neck on the banana peels on your way to getting in touch with us.
www,RoamBusiness.com

Did We Get Your Attention?

In the flood of images and news feeds that make up streaming social media offerings, advertisers and story tellers (much the same thing) have to really be imaginative to snag the attention of consumers. So what's the recipe for online ad success?


The newest buzzword “content”, is really just a self-serving argument for copywriters. The “infinite monkey theorem”, whereby a universe of monkeys with typewriters, given enough time, would eventually produce the complete works of Shakespeare has virtually been proven true with 100,000 tweets and six new Wikipedia articles being produced each internet minute of every day.

So how do you get people's attention in the Vine world of 6 seconds or less? It's simple really, then again, it's not easy. People want a good story, one that touches them on an emotional level. They want images (pretty pictures) and they will give you about 2 seconds of time to catch their attention. If you are reading this, chances are good it's because of the two sleepy tigers pictured with this blog spot.


The big agencies are very good at using this recipe for online advertising. Take a look at the number one trending Superbowl ad this year, “Puppy Love”. Opening frame: a sign reading “Puppy Adoption”. Pretty pictures (puppies and horses) + a touching reunion (emotional story, told in 30 seconds) = hundreds of thousands of shares, re-tweets and over 36 million YouTube views. Some would argue that the ad has nothing to do with beer, but wait - what kind of horses are these? . . .Clydesdales. Unmistakably the Budweiser brand. And just in case you missed the closing frame while reaching for the tissues, it's the Budweiser logo with the hashtag “BestBuds”.


Smaller businesses cannot afford the million dollar production costs for an ad like Budweiser's Superbowl spot. The recipe, however, is free. The preparation would be better served up by an agency specializing in online advertising, but any business can give it a try. Tell your story, do it with a laugh, a cry, or something that makes people ask a question. Use vivid imagery and grab their attention in 2 seconds or less making sure they identify with your brand in under 10 seconds.


After your office intern has had a chance to prove their “expertise” at using Social Media and you've burned the toast a few times, contact us at  www.roambusiness.com