Chris Brogan recently found himself exploring Oslo, Norway after a conference. He wanted to buy some gifts for his children back home, but didn't know where to shop. So he spent much of the afternoon walking by store after store, not sure where to find the perfect item (and spend his money). Finally, one shopkeeper came out of her boutique, began talking with him, and introduced some of the things she made and was selling. That store got his business.
Become that shopkeeper That story opened a recent strategy session with Chris Brogan and the team at the Roger Smith Hotel that I had the opportunity to participate in. The lesson is clear: we as marketers must become the "shopkeepers" of our own business. Rather than just building a website and hoping people will come, we must go out where people are and earn the business. Look for those conversations happening around the web, and take part in them. That approach leads to the most visibility for your brand. And that is the principle behind social networking for business. Social media is really social hospitality Social hospitality is all about making people feel welcomed and part of a community. Word-of-mouth has always worked. It has nothing to do with technology, but everything to do with relationships. (When making decisions and discussing social media, it can be helpful to replace the word "social media" with "phone," says Brogan. "It's used the same way.") Increasingly, people are asking each other for advice and suggestions through social networks. Social media, when it meets e-commerce, is like shopping with 3,000 of your friends. You get instant insight and feedback from the wisdom of the crowds. The Roger Smith Hotel achieves success by being an early adopter This mentality of social hospitality is how Chris Brogan (pictured) found the Roger Smith Hotel in the beginning. When Twitter was still new, Brogan – an early adopter – tweeted asking for recommendations for a New York hotel. The first and second people that responded were influential social media personalities, and both recommended the Roger Smith Hotel. The Roger Smith Hotel was the third to respond, with an invitation to stay at their property. (Brogan accepted, and then did what every marketing director dreams of – created a video about how happy he was with the hotel.) The Roger Smith Hotel firmly established their brand in new media circles by being an early adopter–using networks that the most influential social media people were experimenting with–and then using it to deliver extraordinary service. (Brogan believes today that opportunity exists with Google Plus. Get in early for high-quality communications. "The early bird gets the worm.") Social media gives hotels, especially smaller, independent properties – an opportunity for visibility that used to be exclusively the domain of large brands. It levels the playing field.
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