It seems pretty clear the executive mandate of 2009 is “we must get into social marketing”. It doesn’t matter whether you are a Fortune 500 brand or a HVAC distribution company, the people have seen the future and everyone is trying to figure out how to get on. So when is social right? Let’s first take a minute and look at the definitions of social marketing as spelled out on Wikipedia :

Social marketing is the systematic application of marketing along with other concepts and techniques to achieve specific behavioral goals for a …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_marketing

Use of marketing techniques to improve social well-being by changing attitudes and behavior in regard to a specific product or concept.
www.rho.org/html/glossary.html

Marketing and advertising that reaches potential consumers via social networking website, such as MySpace, Facebook and Bebo. They appear at the edges of users’ profiles and can be targeted based on keywords in their profiles to match their stated interests or recent activities.
www.mediasmart.org.uk/parents-media-glossary.php

A marketing message designed to promote a social concern or political idea as well as a product.
www.glencoe.com/sec/busadmin/marketing/dp/ad_serv/gloss.shtml

What’s important to note is that Social Marketing does not necessarily have to include Facebook, or Twitter by that matter. It’s about how we connect amongst our peers, family, and brands. Sometimes that great tool of Facebook can be a launchpad. But consider this… Would you become a fan of your local pool supply store? Yes that is correct. I recently passed a billboard in front of our local pool store advertising the great opportunity to “fan” the pool store and stay tuned for deals. This I believe is a mistake and an in-appropriate use of a social platform. Sorry Mr. Pool store man if your out there reading this – It was a novel effort.

Social networks really haven’t changed over the years. The advent of the digital version of social networks has though. It has created a great platform to get engaged and have a voice out there. If used properly – it can make a difference. We’ve seen this both in the B-B and B-C space. However a lot of those examples didn’t and do not include “Facebook”… Start thinking outside of the norm. Forums, influential blogs, and other relevant trade and audience specific sites can be fertile ground for getting your message out. Especially if you need to communicate to specific target audiences. Use them properly and don’t “get in” just for the sake of “getting in”…

There’s a lot of value to be had by getting online and going social. However this always needs to be taken in the context of the rest of your marketing mix. Keep it cohesive and remember… You have limited control of your message once it’s out there….

Think, do your homework, and make sure to clearly understand what you want to get out of “getting into social” before you get started.

Brian