Know-How Exchange : Social Media

I think the place to put that money is educating the retailers. I remember when LG came to the US. First, only in refrigerators. I was shopping with a friend and the price point of major brands was out of reach. The retailer educated us, told us about the product and the company. We went to other retailers and you could see where LG had done their homework. Another retailer told us he had no idea who LG was we shouldn't invest that kind of $$ in a nobody. Today we all know LG isn't a nobody.

Point is, pulling thru sales via social networking is a good idea. But the retailers can kill the deal. Or when they know the product well, can create the deal.

Think of your sales cycle. My closets are full of items I bought without intent. Meaning, I might have stopped in the store just to see what is new and ended up buying. That doesn't happen with dishwashers. A couple isn't going to say, hey, I'm curious -- lets see what is new in dishwashers. The person who enters that department usually is in the market for that product. And that salesperson holds the key to their purse strings.

Carol is spot on. If you're totally welded to the whole SM idea, maybe use FB/Tw to support sales people with answers to any questions they may have.

In other words, give them a live person at the end of their phone/internet connection.

Might want to set up a 1-800 number too. Stores are bad places for cell phone reception and they may have no internet connection to the sales floor.

In this case, a social media plan would be a good long-term strategy, not necessarily something for a product launch, for many of the same reasons noted by the experts above. Now is a good time to begin plans for a social media campaign and smart usage of SEO based on strong keywords. You'll want to be sure to get initial purchasers talking about the product to others who will soon be in the market.

Dear Simone,

There are a few people who might, through ignorance, arrogance, or stupidity, attempt to pick holes in Carol's argument above.

But they'd be wrong (and reckless) to do so and for the following reasons:

Many consumers do research on large-scale, high ticket items like domestic appliances (or white goods as they're sometimes known) because to NOT carry out due diligence can sometimes lead to problems.

Savvy retailers are aware of this and, if they are wise, they'll use it to their advantage.

Here's why.

When someone makes you feel smart or intelligent, how does that make you feel? Does it make you feel all wooly headed and that you can't trust yourself to tie your own shoelaces?

Or does it make you feel happier, or even somehow wiser, if only for a little while?

Most people when they are told they've done something right are overtaken by a slight sense of euphoria—it's almost as if they're taller, suddenly richer, or in some way smarter than the average schmoe.

When this tactic is employed by a smart sales professional (not to swindle the customer of course, but the HELP THEM make the best choice) the customer feels, and rightly so if it's done well, that they're getting the inside scoop, that they're essentially, sticking it to the man, so to speak.

All sounds a bit airy fairy and up in the air I know but trust me on this. When a consumer or shopper is given inside information, they are suddenly in receipt of new information that they might not have expected to receive, so they feel they've learned something, and when this happens, an incredible thing occurs:

They become EDUCATED.

They were curious enough to stop and look, or to ask for more information, but now, they're educated and this is the first step in
a complex dance.

Why? Because an EDUCATED consumer is an ENGAGED consumer. A ENGAGED consumer is an EMPOWERED consumer, and EMPOWERED consumers ... drum roll please: SPEND MONEY.

So it makes perfect sense to invest in in-store education, both for associates AND for consumers because each helps the other and then everyone goes home happy—or at least somewhat happier.

I hope this helps.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Really great answer from MikeSKing. It actually addresses the original question (I am guessing that the company wants to make a small bet on what they consider a long shot after they have all the other bases covered).

The only thing I would add to King's answer is that you need to have something buzz worthy - this is where you will win or lose. If it is the same-old, same-old, then yeah, it will be all those negative things you mention in the question.

I would consider borrowing a page from the wildly successful "Will It Blend" playbook [see MarketingProfs story: https://bit.ly/7NtZ6r ] but change it up enough to make it somewhat original. You could try a "Can it Clean" approach and stick all manner of weird items into the dishwasher and let it run - old tires, rusted bumpers, the N1H1 or ebola virus, a politician, maybe even a banker. :)

If you have fun, then your social network will too!