Engaging the Disengaged Through Social Media

I'm a tough cookie. It takes a lot to sway me one way or another. I've worked on marketing teams since I was a freshman in college - I won't tell you how long that's been - and it's even harder for advertising to convince me to buy into a product, lifestyle or brand unless it's really excellent.

Since becoming heavily involved in social media in June 2007, my opinion towards brands and marketing has completely evolved and my ability to be swayed changes on a daily basis. There are a lot of great case studies on big brands doing good things with their consumers to connect on a one-on-one level with their customers, something impossible without social media, but there are a ton of stories about how local businesses are leveraging these free and simple tools to create business.

With that said, I know I'm not the average consumer. I am, however, someone that finds a product they love and immediately becomes a brand ambassador. With social media, forging relationships with people like me is easy if you do it right:

This weekend, a friend and I set out find a coffee shop to get some writing done (we both blog for personal and professional reasons). The first thing he did: send out a tweet to his 3,000 followers on Twitter asking for recommendations for coffee shops in the Friendship Heights neighborhood in Washington, D.C. Within a few minutes, suggestions from his followers came pouring in, including one from a local food blogger we both follow.

That was it. The plan was set. We were going to meet up at the @TynanCoffeeTea the next day at 2pm.

After a few hours in the coffee shop, we quickly grew hungry and remembered there was a pizza shop that just opened about a mile away that recently followed both of us on Twitter. My friend DMed (direct messaged) @petes_newhaven and asked if there was a discount for Twitter followers. Even though there wasn't an actual deal for the Twitter followers, the administrator of the account quickly replied and offered us a free round of beer with our pizza and we needed no further convincing.

Being the social media nerds that we are, we instantly checked in after being greeted by the incredibly friendly staff. We told the manager about the Twitter special we were offered and they happily obliged.



When our pizza came, we took pictures and then took a bite. Impressed with the quality of ingredients and excellent flavors, we all instantly tweeted pictures and reviews of our experience.

If a brand can engage me, an individual otherwise insusceptible to promotions, marketing and advertising, they can really do this with almost anyone involved in social media. Here's how:

• Seek out influencers and connect with them. I don't consider myself a huge influencer on Twitter, but people in Washington, D.C. do follow me closely and regularly converse with me. Pete's started following me a long time ago and paid attention the first time I tweeted something about a pizza craving. Even though their delivery range didn't reach my apartment, I remembered them and set out to eventually stop by either location. I've seen them regularly contact D.C. food bloggers inviting them to the restaurant and giving recommendations to my fellow Washingtonians on Twitter.
• Have a quality product or mission. Pete's New Haven has, hands-down, the best pizza I've had in Washington, D.C. We got the "Edge of the Woods" (one of the pizzas referred to me by the administrator of the @petes_newhaven account) - a pizza covered in fresh mozzarella and ricotta, spinach, caramelized onions, and perfectly crisped eggplant. Nothing was greasy or undercooked. In addition, the parmesan on the table tasted as though it had recently been hand-grated.
• Understand why people care about your brand. Who doesn't care about pizza? I most certainly do. After years in the city, I also support local businesses that have good products. Put those two together and I'm sold. Pete's understands that and, their two locations in Washington, D.C., are quickly becoming leaders in the D.C. foodie movement.

 

Because @petes_newhaven did these three things so effectively, they now have three brand ambassadors already planning future visits, and potential Twitter events, in their restaurant. All it cost them was a little time, and a few @messages and DMs that probably took a few minutes to write.

If a small two-franchise pizza chain in Washington, D.C. can do this, why can't you?