Can effectively be used to your advantage. Social Media has become an extremely powerful way of reaching and interacting with your customer base. Integrating it into your marketing mix can prove highly beneficial...The key word is "integrating" it in. JC Penny has done a good job of this during the holiday season, let's see why.
With the commercials I've seen as well as the FSI I received, the primary call of action drives users to facebook: Become a fan at facebook.com/jcpenney
http://www.facebook.com/jcpenney
There users can then interact with the brand in various ways including of course viewing and purchasing products. They can also see what other users have to say and donate to a giving tree. This creates a positive interactive experience for the customer.
It also allows marketers to gather insights from what people are saying and react...For instance someone was upset they saw an item on sale after they purchased and JCP immediately responded:
JCPenney:
Hi John Doe- We do allow one-time sale price adjustments within 7 days of your purchase with the original sales receipt. The store should take care of the price adjustment for you. Hope this helps!
JCP also tapped into twitter (and hired connected blogger/tweeter SavvyAuntie on cyber monday) to provide daily updates on gift items:
jcpenney
Looking for the perfect gift for your little princess? Check out JCP's Daily Deal at http://bit.ly/Dd1214.
As real time search materializes, utilizing Twitter will become even more important.
JC Penney is accomplishing some very important things here:
1. Driving sales for the holiday season
2. Fostering a communal environment that allows customers to interact with one another
3. Creating an ongoing dialogue with their customers
Utilizing social takes time, planning and commitment not only to create an engaging experience, but to monitor and react appropriately.
Think before you social!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Just to follow up on the above post, JC Penny currently has 651,612 fans. Not bad!
ReplyDeletesocial is undeniably an absolutely critical component of marketing...as long as you do it in a way that makes sense for your brand. jcpenny's real-time response on twitter is impressive and pays off part of their value prop. i have been in tons of meetings and heard from many more colleagues where clients said "we want to do facebook/twitter/etc" with nothing thought beyond that. the scary thing about social is relinquishing control to your audience. when do right, the response can be great, but when not thought through, the backlash can be deadly. think before you social, indeed. maybe i've turned into a brand planner in training.
ReplyDeleteone final thought...the most effective form of social media is the kind that isn't paid for...
JCPenny is still in business??? My point is, I am on FB everyday, and didn't see this, nor did I look for it, nor would I click on it, even if I DID see it. Grandma can't break-dance, period.
ReplyDeleteTo follow up on this post, It seems JC Penney has engaged Ashley Olsen on Twitter. Nice idea!
ReplyDeleteTheAshOlsen
check out this awesome dress by @JCPenney & tell me what u think 'bout it : http://bit.ly/4VrlcG
I agree you need to think before you go social. It can spread equity about your brand (e.g. great product reviews, cool promotion) but just as quickly pass along bad news (e.g. poor customer service, bad shopping experiences). As with everything online, bad news rules and travels at lightning speed so marketers beware. At the very least, marketers should use social media as a research vehicle to gain insights to what/how customers are thinking and experiencing their brands. Let their dialogue help guide you to idea and services generation but don't necessarily think you can persuade them to buy as a result of engaging online.
ReplyDelete