Jenise Fryatt Bio

It may be the result of years of mind-numbing exposure to broadcast marketing tactics, or perhaps it has to do with the forced transparency created by Internet search engines, but whatever the reason the public has less and less affinity for marketing that is highly controlled and impersonal. More and more, people want to do business with people rather than companies.

The use of social media to get around this aversion to traditional marketing was inevitable, it would seem. Success has been highly dependent not just on the new platforms but on a new, more personal approach. But how do you use personality to market your event or event business on social media while still looking professional?

Personal v. Professional

Social - a : marked by or passed in pleasant companionship with friends or associates <an active social life>

By its definition, the word social indicates friendship, companionship. Certainly we have professional relationships with others but are they friendships? Not always. Social media marketing is a move toward developing friendships as a business strategy.


Friend v. Fan

Your broadcast message can gain you fans, but not friends. Sure, celebrities benefit from having lots of fans who attend their movies, buy their music, etc. But when lesser known businesses or brands make use of social media tools, they gain clients, customers and brand ambassadors by exhibiting the behavior of a friend. A friend thinks of your best interest, wants to hear what you have to say, enjoys talking with you etc.

Humor v. Serious

With friends there is a certain level of intimacy that does not necessarily exist with co-workers. There's an ease indicated by jokes, humor & laughter. The atmosphere is casual. If you look around, smart marketers are using this approach. You don't have to sacrifice professionalism to have a sense of humor. Just be respectful and considerate.

Dialogue v. Monologue

Friendships are a two-way street so dialogue is a must. Smart marketers look for ways to encourage dialogue on all social media platforms. They use surveys, questions, contests and much more. They NEVER let a comment go without responding to it, and they take every opportunity to compliment, encourage and celebrate individuals who are interacting with them.

Controlled Message v. Culture

A controlled message is static and doesn't offer opportunity for dialogue. Culture is all about dialogue. When a company commits itself to certain values and ideals and carries them throughout every aspect of its business dealings, those values and ideals become a culture. Zappos CEO Tony Hseih wrote the book on this. The culture that is nurtured in every department at Zappos has allowed for every employee to become a brand ambassador.

As Hsieh noted in an article for Huffington Post, "Unlike most companies, we don't give reporters a small list of people they're allowed to talk to. Instead, we encourage them to wander around and talk to whoever they want. It's our way of being as transparent as possible, which is part of our culture."

Logo v. Face

Your avatar or profile picture on social media platforms is what people envision when they engage with you. Again, people want to interact with people. So whatever you can do to present a human face to them is a plus. Sure, getting people to associate your band with your logo is important but social media platforms are designed for people. 

Lindsay Fultz of Middle Child New Media experienced this issue when she first started using social media as a marketing tool. She filled out the profile based on her company's history and unwittingly created the profile of an 80 year old man, interested in both men and women who liked show tunes.

Lindsay very quickly realized this was the wrong approach and changed the company avatar from the logo, to a picture of herself with the company logo at the bottom. She added her own personality quirks in the profile and voila! She had a very human, approachable social media presence for her company that went on to drive thousands of dollars in revenue to the company website.

The days of shortcuts, smoke & mirrors & shiny object syndrome are numbered when it comes to marketing. Individual relationships are key, particularly when it comes to marketing events or an events-oriented business. After all, we are in the business of setting the stage for beneficial relationships and individual experiences to happen. Social media platforms give us excellent opportunities for us all to do what we do best, connect - person to person.