Social Marketing Insight from Kris Kringle

Business-To-Business Social Marketing

I recently heard author Paul Gillln speak on the topic of social media’s emerging role in business to business marketing.  He came to Chicago to promote his latest book: Social Marketing to the Business Customer. Having benefited from his 2007 book on blogging, The New Influencers, I seized the opportunity to hear him speak in person and gain his current insight on B2B applications and best practices.

Paul opened his presentation by siting the dramatic decline in subscription statistics of traditionally strong print media brands. He also noted that the average age of a newspaper reader is 57.  The average viewer of the network nightly news is 63.  Paul himself authors a blog titled Newspaper Death Watch.

“The Trust Gap”

Paul got a laugh from the audience when he asked if anyone is starved for information today.  He then noted that while information has reached overload status, the over abundance of sources combined with the decline of traditional sources has created a trust gap.

There is an old joke that’s on a death watch of its own.  It’s that sarcastic statement: If it is printed in the newspaper, it must be true. Today we renew the statement’s relevance by replacing the word newspaper with internet or Twitter.  So Gillian asks: As consumers of information, “where do we go for trust?”  All too often, Google is our new source of trust.  The top ranked, search results get the most creditability.  From there, today’s information consumers seek to filter further as they view content. They also look at rating and ranking systems, when they exist.

As a business-to-business marketer, your site’s “About” page is critical for answering credibility questions.  And beyond the “About Us” page, business shoppers observe how you interact with your audience over time.

Social Marketers’ Challenge

As purveyors of information about our services or products, how do we gain a reputation as a trusted source? Gillian suggests that today’s marketers take care to put the interests of their customers and prospects ahead of their own. When a customer has a need that is better served by someone else, send them there.  How novel is that?

Send ’em to Gimble’s?

While it may seem new to some, we can go back to that seasonal favorite, 1947 film, Miracle on 34th Street for an early example.  Macy’s store Santa, Kris Kringle, sent customers to Gimble’s when Macy’s couldn’t fill their needs. The loyalty and trust from that selfless gesture did wonders for Macy’s customer loyalty in the movie.  If we really want to put a date on the idea of advocating others’ interests, how old is The Golden Rule?  Yet over centuries, we forget to appreciate its power enough to habitually apply it.

Time Tested Social Marketing Advise

In 2011, it is more challenging than ever to become a trusted source of information. The media are new and evolving.  Are the fundamental rules really different? Just remember to ask yourself:

What would Kris Kringle do?

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