A social media “front door pitch” means directly contacting folks to promote something only when you already KNOW with certainty that the future-friend (target) you’re engaging WILL love what you offer. While manipulative, the interaction serves all parties.
The ability to identify the passionate interests of community site-users is a modern media miracle. Conversational marketing is the true promise of demographic research embodied and a pillar of social media. That’s the beauty of SMO. The specificity of networking site tools facilitates stunningly detailed research into the habits of individuals for friend-making and holistic exploitation.
Same As It Ever Was
The art of grass roots promotion is timeless. Throughout the history of humanity, relationships have been forged one by one. We meet each other on the street, at the gym, poolside, trailside, waiting for the bus, at a party, and on double blind dates over Gruyère.
When one person has something the other wants, connections are made. As we promote our personal or corporate agendas & wares, we strive to mingle where potential converts hang out. It’s only natural to do so. The interplay begins. Friends are made, evangelists are recruited, and widgets are sold.
It used to be more difficult to identify potential customers. The 1950’a vacuum cleaner salesman went house to house and door to door, selling with semi-confidence and verve. This Mr. Suit & Tie American Salesman sold Hoovers with conviction, by working to find potential customers who actually needed vacuum cleaners. Each household was hit or miss, the epitome of “walk by” traffic.
Sell by Saying “Thank You”
These days Mr. Social Media Marketer personally contacts 12 authority StumbleUpon users known to have tagged 10+ posts with the keyword “New York.” These individuals are KNOWN New-York-lovers as expressed by their behavior and bookmarking patterns.
Mr. Social Media Marketer writes, “I really enjoy the New York posts you bookmark in your SU profile. Thanks for the resources you share with our community.” Mr. Social Media Marketer asks for absolutely nothing as he leaves his smiling avatar badge behind with the private thank you message.
Nearly every SU New-York-lover contacted WILL follow the private message to check out Mr. Social Media Marketer’s SU blog, where (conveniently) the “New York” content he is promoting is conspicuously posted at the top-just about a beautiful picture of…you guessed it… New York. The New-York lover can’t help but click through and further propagates the promoted content’s viral future. It’s a beautiful thing.
Manipulate to Serve
Manipulative? Yes… It is true that the contact initiated was manipulative. However the engagement was truly designed to serve all parties. We KNOW what people are interested in by the profiles they keep, content bookmarked, and friends made. Like a vacuum salesperson that can predetermine which house has dirty floors, we make our SMO way and choose our grass roots targets.
The well-researched human connection always has and always will be the ultimate target for brand evangelists. Manipulate to serve by identifying and initiating respectful contact with susceptible individuals. THAT’S the Holy Grail for conversational marketing. It has always been and will forever be.
