In 2006, Time Magazine chose as its Person of the Year, “You,” collectively speaking. What matters now is, YOU. As the editors of Time explained, “We’re looking at an explosion of productivity and innovation, and it’s just getting started, as millions of minds that would otherwise have drowned in obscurity get back-hauled into the global intellectual economy.”
In 2013, “You,” is still the person who counts.
Businesses must find out what matters to you – you is, after all, your target market.
Redefine what Matters to YOU…
When a B2B business opens its doors to the social media matrix, it finds thousands, if not millions, of people wanting to come in. But only companies involved in social media are seeing this kind of excitement about their products, an interest, a demand for give-and-take, rapport with the company. Those not involved can’t seem to track their customers down even though their customers are out there.
Newsflash for the social media-phobic business: customers want to and can and help your business. Let them help you …
They may not work for you, but the consumer is full of great ideas, especially for a business about which they are passionate. Their ideas can boost business. Why in the world then, would a business not want to hear from its consumers, its fans? They have ideas and they want to share them. Hear them out. And give them a little something in return for the favor. An incentive to help; a thank you for helping. A splash of recognition; a dash of cash (such as discount for referral or percentage off for taking a survey). Consumers – your target market — can and should be giving your feedback about your business, virtually free. In return your business will get just what it needs: feedback, virtually free. You can ask them to do this through social media – a Google review, a “like” on FB, a shout out on Twitter. It’s called crowdsourcing, a term coined in 2006 by a variety of different people including Jeff Howe, a contributing editor to Wired Magazine, who writes the blog crowdsourcing.com and Don Tapscott, a business guru and author of Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything.
A business not involved in social media is turning a deaf ear to its consumer. Don’t make the mistake of telling your loyal consumer that you are not interested in them. A consumer shunned will find a new business to frequent. Feedback from the consumer on that new ad campaign, new product launch, new website design without the expensive of a time-consuming focus group study is the 21st Century model.
It’s the consumer who can help you hit the marketplace running.
The consumer is your target market.
Find out what matters to them!
And find it out easily, through social media.
