Use social media to listen

I just found something interesting. I follow a blog called The Mission Paradox, with the modest under title "The Best Arts Marketing Resource in the World". But it is really very good… and the following just makes it better: The blogger, and head of the Mission Paradox Adam Thurman, is commenting on an article where the company Starbucks talks about how they view social media. The online magazine AdWeek has made an analysis of the hypothetical money value of Facebook fanbases (that is their group of "fan" or friends). Another site Mediabistro spoke to Starbucks about how they respond to that according to their big fanbase.

The answer:

"We don't view social media as a marketing play," said a company spokeswoman, "but rather as a customer engagement channel where we can have real connections with our customers, engage them in the brand and answer their questions. We are in constant dialogue with customers, participating in the communities of MyStarbucksIdea.com, Twitter and Facebook. Our engagement allows us to understand their needs, stay top-of-mind in an increasingly competitive retail environment and share interesting news about the company with a captive audience."

Thurman underlines "social media are tools for conversation, NOT SELLING…. If you're clogging up the airways with constant sales pitches then you're wasting the power of the medium."

That's really good. This is what I mean when I say that I think Facebook is just used as a sophisticated email system, all those mass emails asking you to take part in this and that event.

Social Media as in LISTENING, not TALKING. That's today's thought.