In a recent video post, Time Managing Editor Josh Tyrangiel explained how to tell a story across multiple media. I found this fascinating because it reminded me that social media is about telling a good story.


Think about it. Why else are companies getting into Social Media if not to give their customers a compelling story to share with friends and colleagues? After all, you need to have a story worth talking about if you want them to spread positive word of mouth.
Here are some examples:


  • A confused customer asks for help on a company's fan page in Facebook – and both an employee and a fan offer to help, even though they live in completely different areas of the country.

  • A dissatisfied customer posts a Tweet asking for an earlier appointment. Six minutes later, a customer service rep tweets back "Can you DM the info to me, I will take care of ya–"

  • A happy customer purchases a baby stroller, shoots a video review, shares it on YouTube, and someone else leaves a comment saying, "My wife and I were just looking at this stroller – and will probably go for it."

  • An executive at a retailer shares a fun and interesting photo on Facebook showing what his employer used to look like, thus making a connection with the past and sharing it in the present.


These are all real-world examples from H&R Block, Comcast, Graco, and Meijer (*).
Bottom Line:
Don't pigeonhole Social Media solely as something that's "cool." Use the tools and platforms to empower your fans and advocates to share a really good story with their friends and colleagues.


(Hat tip to Guy Kawasaki and Alltop for the video)
(*) Disclosure: Meijer is a client of my employer, Empower MediaMarketing. This is my own opinion.


Your Turn
Do you have other examples to share of companies using social media to help fans tell a good story? Please share it.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

With his mantra “it’s about the people, not the technology,” Michael E. Rubin serves as the Social Media Strategist for Fifth Third Bank. As one of the first employees of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) and the Social Media Business Council, Michael has made his career helping Fortune 500 brands put Social Media to work.

With more than ten years experience in marketing and PR, Michael has partnered with the world’s leading marketers and industry experts to develop Social Media and Word-Of-Mouth into a mainstream marketing disciplines.

Michael serves on the Advisory Committee of the Institute for Social Media at Cincinnati State University, and has lectured on social media at both the University of Cincinnati College of Business and Leadership Northern Kentucky. He resides in Cincinnati with his wife Pam, dog Ruby, and cat Chainsaw (long story). Last but not least, Michael remains a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan and proudly eat hot dogs with ketchup.

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Michael E. Rubin
Call me: 847-370-3421
Email me: merubin@gmail.com
Tweet me: https://twitter.com/merubin
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The views expressed in this post are my own and not those of Fifth Third Bank or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries or of any person or organization affiliated with or doing business with Fifth Third Bank.