Over the past year, B2C and B2B companies made strides in working to figure out how to turn “likes” on Facebook into qualified leads by gaining more information about who their fans are and how to engage with them in personalized, one-to-one dialogues. In the process, a few companies stand out not only in terms of creativity, but also in moving the bar in term of how brands communicate with customers and prospects over social media channels.
Here are a few of the best:
Dell—Using Facebook to Create a Small Business Community
Dell has created a small business community on Facebook where fans are presented with a series of eight social media guides that examine how SMBs can effectively use social media to succeed in business. The guides can be downloaded and shared directly from Dell’s Facebook page.
These guides were created as a direct result of conversations Dell had with customers. The page looks at comments and questions, and links to Dell’s YouTube tutorials. What is especially noteworthy about this campaign is that it is built to be a resource center, without being overly promotional.
Starbucks –Using Facebook to Promote Cause-Based Campaigns
Starbucks asked their fans to help them build a Facebook page. Today, the page has over 26,000,000 fans and is a vehicle for them not only to keep up with Starbucks news, but also to become more aware of how to support social causes.
For example, Starbucks posted videos on its Facebook page to let customers know how they could contribute to Haiti relief efforts and launched the Starbucks (RED) campaign to donate to the AIDS crisis in Africa. Most recently, the “Create Jobs for USA” campaign was launched to help get Americans back to work through fundraising efforts via bracelet sales in Starbucks across the country (in partnership with the Opportunity Finance Network).
Starbucks also uses social Facebook to connect with its fans about products and promotions:
- When Starbuck’s launched its instant coffee, Starbucks Via, it turned to Facebook to listen to what its fans had to say.
- Starbucks uses social media to promote promotions like “free pastry day” and sales on in-store items for purchase.
In addition, the Starbucks location feature (via its Facebook page) allows users to find the Starbucks location closest to them, view job openings, send Starbuck’s e-gift cards via Facebook and play seasonal games like the “Frappuccino Mint Mocha Challenge.”
Comcast—Using Facebook to Make Program Suggestions for Subscribers
One of the most notable enhancements that Comcast made to its TV service was the integration with Facebook. Comcast’s “MyTV” menu pulls viewing recommendations based on what the individual (and their Facebook friends) are watching and liking on social channels. If an individual selects a show to watch, the system pulls up a list of similar shows and allows for communication on both Facebook and Twitter, directly from the Comcast screen.
Kohl’s—Using Facebook to Give Back to the Community
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Kohl’s Cares, Kohl’s turned to its Facebook community (calling for user-generated content) to help it direct $10 million to 20 deserving schools through its program, Kohl’s Cares for Kids.
Users were encouraged to nominate and vote for the school they felt most deserved the funds, and submit their ideas about how the funds could be best used. Leaderboards and voting tools on the page encouraged participation from all Kohl’s fans.
More than 2 million people submitted 12 million+ votes.
Although Kohl’s had committed to the same donation amount regardless of participation, the Facebook component successfully spread the word and earned the company 1.6 million new Facebook fans in six weeks.
Coca-Cola —Using Facebook as a Sample of What’s to Come in the “Real World”
To drive engagement, brand loyalty and exposure for Coca-Cola,the company created an application on its Facebook page that allows users to create and name their own unique mixes of Coca-Cola branded drinks. Users play the “Like-gated app” by selecting a cup on a virtual soda machine, then selecting what brands of drinks they want to mix into the cup, and in what quantities. Then they have a chance to name their drink, save it, publish to the stream and name their location.
So far, more than 1,000 “locations” have played the game.
There are quite a few of Coca-Cola’s products featured in this game —and this soda machine is set to hit stores in the near future.
