The Power of Authentic Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing has become the latest trend in marketing and is fast becoming known as they only way to market, with large brands like Coca Cola, Colgate and even Ford itself jumping on the bandwagon.

Seth Godin says of the New Marketing:

"If the New Marketing can be characterized by just one idea, it’s this: Ideas that spread through groups of people are far more powerful than ideas delivered at an individual. Social change, education, new-product launches, religious movements…it doesn’t matter, the story is the same. Movements are at the heart of change and growth. A movement — an idea that spreads with passion through a community and leads to change — is far more powerful than any advertisements ever could be.”

For too long marketing has been filled with faceless hype in an age where we humans are feeling more and more isolated and craving connection. As a part of this very real shift marketers, I believe have a responsibility to bring connection; real, genuine connection back in to the marketing arena, and act in responsible and accountable ways in an age when people are becoming more and more savvy and less and less gullible.

A Return to Old Fashioned Values

Now is the time of the 'Conversational Marketer', the Authentic Marketer perhaps even the 'Spiritual Marketer' someone who takes their responsibility as a trusted expert seriously enough to develop real relationships with the people who rely on them for recommendations to products that will meet their needs.

There is no such thing as a quick buck and those who still crave it are going to find themselves on the outer edge as the new clients and customers make their needs clear. Real people who care as marketers and sales people, no faceless websites screaming hype at them, the age of the red and black large print website will go the way of the dinosaurs and back will come real connection and returning customers who have developed a trust of their chosen marketer, who will recommend real products of real value after having a conversation with their customers to determine their needs.

The fact that this may take place in the medium of the internet is testament to the fact that there is a return to old fashioned values, technology is not going to make us more faceless and less connected. Humans need for social interaction and connection has finally turned the tide and we are creating a change or rather an evolution of the internet. This evolution is putting back the faces on the people who are behind the screens, creating connections through genuine conversations between real people and this is going to mean a real change of pace and a learning curve for the older marketers who sat safely behind their disparate pseudonyms and websites.

Personally, I am relieved as I never did fit in with that style of approach although my teacher was adamant that this was the way to go. I just couldn't go against my own personal ethics, and being faceless did not sit well with me.

Viva la Change! I say and bring it on, finally I feel as if I have a direction, it has been a long time coming, I had an idea yet did not feel I really fit into any niche. Now however it is becoming more and more clear and I can see my path in the new revolution of the internet (or should that be evolution??).

One of the most powerful dynamics in this evolution has been the fact that the power of the people has returned. The average person now has the power, through 'word of mouse' and the ability to gather like-minded people from all over the world into groups formed around a certain topic. One only has to remember the Motrin and Kryptonite lock debacles or even the systematic way in which Obama conducted his online campaign to know that people power has returned.

The ability for 'the people' to topple companies must is now well known due to the huge viral spread of 'word of mouse' and social media of the stories of Motrin and the Kryptonite lock. I have to wonder how long it will be before we, the people will make the leap to toppling governments with that same power?

Social Media for Change

Social media is now becoming the new trend for marketing everything, but what about using these new strategies for real world change? Instead of promoting your latest product, promote high ideals, charities, and environmental and social forces for good. What a thought?

Social media has enabled many to harness the oldest and most useful marketing of all time 'word of mouth' which has by default become 'word of mouse', yet few if any of us have really thought about how we can change the world one mouse at a time.

Oh, I know there are heaps of charities, groups and forums all postulating about it, but how many do you join or enter only to find that most of the people there are only there to promote themselves or their products and few if any real conversations about real topics ever really take off and earn the respect of the community who joined that group or forum. Something as powerful as social media could indeed harness the power of real people by having real conversations that gain momentum right up to critical mass.

For those of you who do not understand 'critical mass' it is when something has enough momentum to tip over into a dynamic change, an altered state a new paradigm. Why not join us in starting a movement that will bring you and I, companies, organizations, and the ideals and values we hold dear together and change the world? If Coca Cola can up their sales by 200% using the power of 'word of mouse', imagine what we can do if we want world peace , real environmental change or any other cause dear to our hearts?

If enough of us band together and have the same conversations we might even get whole governments to listen to us? Imagine this, we start a conversation about peace or the environment here on FB that gathers force because all the people who add to that conversation are authentically interested in that message leaving their own ego, products and services at the door on their way in. Those conversations are so compelling, so authentic peoples passions are roused and the conversations are taken out to other networks and social sites, on the way articles, posts and hub pages written about these conversations with enthusiasm, verve and zeal. Next thing we know 100's of 1,000's of conversations about the same topic are being had all over the internet, on FB, Twitter, Plurk etc.. and video's of these conversations are being broadcast, group conversations on Skype, Oovoo and internet radio and then...

Right at the point when the passion for this cause is at it's peak a leader or many leaders come in and ask the group to harness and focus their intentions, to stand up and be counted for all the world to see. Imagine if millions, billions of us stood side by side, hand in hand and come together as one force with one message - for generations people have asked "What can I do? I'm just one person."

Not any more with focus like this we could tell all the governments of the world what we really want - peace , a safe, pollution free home and to live as one people of the universe rather than separate individuals who are powerless to change what needs to be changed.

That is the power of social media!