Small Talk

January 10, 2012 »

Social Marketing Success: Take A Holistic Approach

As the value of social marketing begins to mature in our industry and companies get more comfortable with the incorporation of social media channels into their business, questions still persist about the right way to utilize all that these social tools have to offer.

Today, two studies were released that provide somewhat conflicting messages about the role of social marketing, and are well worth a review.

The first study, featured by eMarketer, challenges the widely-held belief that consumers mention and learn about brands through Facebook and Twitter.  In fact, only 42% mention brands in their updates on these channels, perhaps much to the chagrin of brand managers who are hoping for influential digitally savvy consumers to spread the word.  Ironically, TV, print, and word-of-mouth remain as the three core channels for consumers to learn about brands.  Go figure.

The other study that was released today offers a strong call-to-action for companies to connect with consumers in the social space.  An overwhelming 49% of respondents “would essentially never consider a brand again if their questions or feedback went unanswered on Facebook, Twitter or any other social platform. Another 38.8 percent said they would be less likely to buy from the company again.” 

Think about that for a moment. Never consider a brand again.  That’s a strong statement, and one that marketers need to take to heart.

So what is a pharma marketer to do with this information?  Continue to rely on traditional media and WOM to inform consumers about your brand, and help them understand why your product is right for them.  Use social media as a way to help them fall in love with your company, increasing the positive perception of your organization with exquisite customer service and rapid, consistent responses.  In fact, this simple strategy aligns quite nicely with the general guidelines issued by the FDA a couple of weeks ago. 

There’s no silver bullet tactic that’s going to be your solution - but a smart and well-orchestrated approach to media outreach will pay great dividends in the year ahead.

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