It’s been a busy week of news and business. It’s always good to take a moment and think about what you can learn from it. Or, better yet, how it reinforces what you already know. Here’s four I can share — what about you?
1. Celebrities still rule. As much as corporations are trying to steer away from using celebs as spokespeople — the average person still pays attention to the celeb. Especially online. Celebrities are aspirational in a tough world right now. And, if you look at the online records broken (streaming and others) by the marriage of Prince William and Kate today — you could say they’re “hopes-perational.” Many people still believe in the fairy tale…and hope they live happily ever after.
2. If you build it; they will come. But not instantly. As much as the world tuned in via their computers to watch the royal wedding; many are not sure how Social Media works. Yes, they can talk a good game, throwing out phrases like: did you see that YouTube video that’s gone over-the-top viral this week? Sounds like success, but not every video is a viral homerun (in fact, the average YouTube video gets about 12 views). And an overnight viral phenomenon is rare. You need a strong campaign to push it through. Be strategic, then patient.
3. The Social Media Fab 4 aren’t for everyone. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube are on everyone’s minds. And all four can play a role in your business. But small business should choose wisely, since it takes a lot of push-pull of other activity to drive consumers to you. Evaluate the right strategies for your budget. Don’t be pushed into something you can’t keep up with — or consumers will see that right away and it will become a negative for you.
4. Email is still king (queen?) for women. As much as the world is now smaller because we’re all connected on Facebook and other social networking sites, women — and Mom’s in particular — still rely on their own circles via email. So even if buying an email list sounds antiquated — it isn’t. It’s a direct line to Mom.
