This is a guest post from PR professional David Mullen, whose insights into the industry always intrigue me. I read his blog often and ask why many of his suggestions on how PR can evolve aren’t standard practice yet, and I’m delighted he’s sharing his views here today.
You remember those days. You would run straight to your favorite diversion and play with reckless abandon until the bell rang. Or you?d start there and then visit two or three other amusements before heading back inside.
What drove you and others to the merry-go-round or the slides? The thrill? The butterflies in your tummy? Whatever it was, you were there because you genuinely enjoyed yourself. If your friends were there, too, great! If not, it was no big deal. You?d make new friends with kids who shared your love affair for the monkey bars.
Social media is like the playground. It has a ridiculous supply of platforms and applications and tools to enjoy. You gravitate to one or a few of those because they play to your interests and allow you to meet other fine folks who are as passionate about those same things as you are.
This is why a thoughtful communications strategy is imperative for brands to engage with others on the playground. Don?t start a Facebook page because everyone else is doing it. Don?t create a YouTube channel because you read an article in Adweek.
Take a step back from the temptation of knee-jerk reactions, identify the interests you share with your customers, find out where they go to talk about those interests together and contribute meaningfully to the ?play? going on there. Participating regularly on a niche message board may reap far more rewards for your brand than an under-used Facebook page among millions.
How do you strategically target where your brand shows up on the playground? As importantly, how do you connect with your customers once you?re there?
- David Mullen is a PR and communications consultant with Mullen (no relation), a full-service marketing agency and an independent brand within the Interpublic Group of Companies. He has worked with brands such as The Home Depot, Coldwell Banker, Intercall and Healthtex. To learn more about David, please visit his Communications Catalyst blog or connect with David on Twitter.
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