The discussion of social media often revolves around tools. People talk about developing a Twitter marketing strategy or a LinkedIn strategy.
This is a little like a builder having a hammering strategy or a sawing strategy. When we reach out to customers communities, shouldn't the strategy really be around conversations? Shouldn't our conversation strategy include any tools (perhaps we should call them platforms) that our customer communities are using? And why should this be online tools exclusively?
Every day, thousands of business conversations take place at various Starbucks outlets. I don't know the restaurant / hospitality business, but these venues are clearly designed for this. Whether you like their coffee or not, Starbucks is one of the most important social media, and should not be left out of the discussion.
Great post, Jacob. You're right, Starbucks is very aware of the social platform it provides us. They refer to it as the 'third place'. Home and work are places one and two. The third place is a semi-public spot that can be adapted to many of the things we want to do in life and that aren't explicitly private. Conversation and social life are two of the most important ways to use the third place.
ReplyDeleteFor many folks, the social life in the third place can be as important as the social life at home and work.
There's a 2008 Economist piece about all this, http://econ.st/mTZkt3. The term 'third place' comes from Ray Oldenberg, a sociologist.
"As Mr Oldenburg saw it, a good third place makes admission free or cheap —the price of a cup of coffee, say— offers creature comforts, is within walking distance for a particular neighbourhood and draws a group of regulars."
Social media platforms also bring together the regulars and they couldn't be any easier to get to, but the creature comforts of the third place give it unique advantages as a social medium that Twitter and Facebook can only dream of.
Thanks, great addition, Rick, and I enjoyed the Economist piece. Apparently Starbucks as a social medium is no accident.
ReplyDelete