In days gone by we have relied on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or the Advertising Standards Board to ensure that advertisers and marketers were telling the truth. While this has worked ok for us thus far I can’t tell you how excited I am about the introduction of Social Media.
Social Media has given a voice to the everyday consumer, so if they are upset with the service they have received or the quality of product they can:
- Blog About It
- Micro Blog About It
- Twitter About It
- Facebook Post About It
- Plurk About It
- Myspace About It
Not only can you do this but this will also invite conversation from other happy or unhappy customers, thereby creating an impromptu focus group aimed at heatedly discussing a brand, product or service.
For example, look at this “Fan Page” on facebook about Australia’s most loved communications company Telstra:
For me in my business if anyone asks me for a testimonial from a client or to talk to a client about what I do, I now suggest that they go to facebook look at one of the testimonials on my wall and talk to the person through facebook…
…Social Media Does Not Lie
This is a very good point Shaun… Social Media does not lie..having comments posted in by unhappy customers of Telstra it sure proves that people and companies large or small have to become more responsible for their actions.
Well done on bringing this point to the fore…
Comment by Narelle — 4 March, 2009 @ 9:42 pm