Panel highlights social media's effectiveness in sales strategy
By Larry Thomas -- Furniture Today, May 24, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Dwayne Welch, executive vice president of components supplier Hickory Springs, admitted he “couldn't even spell Twitter” a few weeks ago, but said he has quickly come to realize the importance of that and other social media sites.
“It is a living, breathing experience in the form of advertising,” Welch said during a panel discussion at Furniture/Today's annual Bedding Conference here. “If you put an ad on a social media site, you get instant feedback. That's the part I like.”
Welch told attendees his company initially tried marketing a new eco-friendly foam through traditional advertising, but achieved far better results after putting content on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
The product gained 800 Twitter followers after sponsoring a contest, and Welch said it won't be the last time Hickory Springs will incorporate social media into its marketing program.
“It's an engaging process … and it can be addictive,” he said.
Joining Welch on the social media panel were Christine Chamberlin, co-owner of The Clean Bedroom, a retailer and e-tailer in Kittery, Maine; Kurt Ling, founder and CEO of latex bedding resource Pure LatexBliss; and Julia Rosien, communications director of specialty bedding resource Natura.
Rosien recommended that companies that have never previously used social media sites should initially use Facebook as a vehicle for getting out key marketing messages.
“Facebook is like a cocktail party … and you're the host,” she told the audience. “You want to encourage people who come to your page to talk to each other, not just talk to the company.”
She said an easy way to build an initial following is to hold a contest. Later, a company can host “events” on its page that aren't tied to prize giveaways, but still keep customers and potential customers engaged.
“You want to encourage participation,” Rosien said. “Allow you fans to post pictures … ask and answer questions.”
Chamberlin told the audience that sales at her one-store operation “go up every time we put a promotion on Facebook.”
“We have relatively little money to spend on building our brand … but our return on investment is about 3,000% when we use a coupon,” she said.
Chamberlin said she also promotes her business through a blog, and said the retailer will soon launch an effort to reach other bloggers and encourage them to do product reviews.
“We're no longer marketing to people. We're connecting with our customers,” she said. “And we're turning friends into customers and we're turning customers into fans.”
Ling recounted how Pure LatexBliss opened a YouTube account and initially posted a sales training video for retail sales associates. It was not well received because it was too long, so the company revamped it and created a series of one-minute “slices of information.”
One of the revised videos, which show Ling rolling on a latex pad with eggs under it, was especially popular, he told the group.
“The next thing we know, consumers are watching it and talking about it,” he said. “It was incredible.”
Ling said the experience led him to view YouTube as a site for “commercials on demand,” and said he plans to use the site more extensively to market his year-old company.
“And the best thing about it … it's free,” he quipped.
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