We’re always looking for patterns. When you find a good pattern, you’ve found an opportunity.
One pattern we have noticed are the similarities of our clients. To this end, we now ask ourselves if a new prospect meets three basic requirements, the three ingredients we see assetting them up for Social Media success:
Do they have Good Stories? - This might be a unique product or their special attention to customer service. It might be their proprietary processes or their location or their value chain. They always have amazing, interesting, multifaceted people on their teams and as their clients. It may be one of these elements or all of them. In any case, a good story goes a long way with “Don’t sell it, TELL IT!”- Do they build Relationships? – They are not looking for a quick hit on sales, they are looking for a long term relationship with their customers. Their company philosophy takes the long view. They are interested in the client that is loyal, that comes back for repeat business and shares their story with other potential clients. The science behind this is understanding our strong-tie friendships and our weak-tie acquaintances and how social can help us manage and extend each of these relationships.
- Do they foster a Sharing Culture? – They enable their employees… and customers… to share their stories. The organization needs to have a culture, or the foundations of a culture, that is open to sharing – sharing information, sharing great stories, sharing successes and failures, and, most importantly, in sharing relationships. All of this sharing enhances the overall performance of the organization. Both top down and bottom up support is essential to convey passion and convert relationships into sales and referral opportunities.
If your answer to these questions is “yes”, then you are a great candidate for leveraging your story through social media.
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