There’s still a lot of debate about how much value women bloggers bring in terms of building brand awareness and much discussion on how to quantify it. A recent post on Social Media Today pointed out the strength that women have as brand ambassadors. When you think about it, it just makes sense. Consider the findings from a study conducted by Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council and Lithium, a social media tech firm, showing the impact and influence of social media with women:
These lines from the survey findings are perfectly stated... "The more consumers engage in social media, the more they inspire each other to engage with new and different brands." And, “there’s no one a woman trusts more for advice, recommendations and guidance than another woman in her circle.”
When you consider that women account for 85% of all consumer purchases, it only makes sense that women make the most powerful brand ambassadors that a brand can have. At SchrenkPR, we’ve successfully cultivated these relationships with women bloggers who have become such an influential group. We work hard to engage these influencers on behalf of each of our clients’ brands. We also understand that they’re not the only medium, so we talk with other media at various strategic times in each PR campaign that we undertake. We know that it’s not just personal relationships with traditional media, it’s knowing how to tell our clients’ brand story so that it’s “newsworthy” and “noteworthy.” We make it simple for a busy blogger, journalist, editor or producer to use our material because we’ve researched their guidelines and built a story that’s easy for them to use. This also helps build a relationship with these influencers in a very real way and it becomes a win/win relationship between us (the brand) and the respective media.We know that many brands try a mass market approach, but this doesn’t build relationships through social media or with bloggers and certainly doesn’t work well with traditional media like newspapers and magazines. For mass marketers subscribing to a service that sends out mass e-mailings, this may be effective as a sales tactic but will result in meager if any coverage from bloggers, magazines, TV or radio. So when you’re planning your next PR campaign, remember that the mass market approach does not increase Brand Loyalty or Credibility. Instead, remember that you’re there to provide a service for journalists, whether they be bloggers or traditional media, and deliver your story in the most concise and newsworthy way, so that they have a reason to talk about your brand.
Takeaways? A personalized approach is critical in PR. Create and foster relationships with those women who make 85% of the purchasing decisions. Reach them where they go to for their information like blogs, magazines, TV shows and radio, and stay actively engaged with them - your brand will reap the benefits.
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Notes: Excerpts drawn from: Social Media Today http://socialmediatoday.com/steve-olenski/472774/why-women-are-most-powerful-brand-ambassadors-world
(Source Ad Week)
