Written by: Curtis Wech, marketing and communication specialist
On October 10, 2012, I attended the 4th Annual PR + Social Media Summit at Marquette University. I attended the summit last year and found it an enlightening experience. This year was no different. Throughout the coming weeks, I’ll share with you a few of the highlights.
Be a Storyteller
Many of the sessions focused on humanizing your brand; however, one session was a bit more humorous than the others. Tim Washer, senior marketing manager at Cisco Systems, stated, “73% of all people who read B2B (business-to-business) blogs are people.” That’s a good tongue-in-cheek reminder that whether you are working with consumers or businesses, it is people you are trying to reach.
Tim emphasized the need for storytelling as a way to humanize your brand. “Keep it simple,” he said. “Create a story concept you’re passionate about. Keep it conversational… Story trumps messaging.”
As a comedic writer and actor, with credits including The Late Show with David Letterman, SNL, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Tim also highlighted the importance of utilizing humor. Why might a brand use humor?
It evokes positive emotion,Cuts through the noise, andShows authenticity.You probably don’t equate much humor with Cisco Systems and the products they create; however, Tim did. Watch this video, Cisco Valentine’s Day Gift, for an example of how humor can effectively garner positive attention for your brand.
In the end, you’re reminded that social marketing is a conversation, not a sermon. As I remind my students in the course Special Topics: Social Media and Online Marketing, content is king – and with great conversation, storytelling and content, you’ll naturally achieve engagement with fans of your brand.
Curtis Wech is a marketing and communication specialist at Wisconsin Lutheran College. He is also facilitating an online special topics course at WLC, “Social Media and Online Marketing.” To learn more about Wisconsin Lutheran College’s degree completion program, and Business Management and Leadership major, visit WLCdegrees.com.
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