The document discusses secrets of social media revealed by Ernest Dichter's 1966 study on word-of-mouth persuasion. It notes that while conventional marketing held that a dissatisfied customer tells ten people, with social media one can tell ten million. Many companies focus on social media as a one-way promotional channel rather than listening to and analyzing consumer conversations. The document outlines four motivations for communicating about brands and recommends emphasizing innovative offerings that resonate with customers to effectively employ social media.

1. Secrets of
Social Media
Revealed
In 1966

2. The Father of Motivation Research
Almost 50 years ago, in
1966, Ernest Dichter did a
study about word of mouth
persuasion that revealed
secrets of how to use social
media to build brands and
businesses

3. Conventional marketing wisdom long
held that a dissatisfied customer
tells ten people.
But… in the new age of social
media, he or she has the tools to
tell ten million.

4. Many companies seem focused on social
media activity as a one-way promotional
channel, and have yet to capitalize on the
ability to not only listen to, but
analyze, consumer conversations and
turn the information into insights
that impact the bottom line.

5. Effectiveness of Social Media
Of 2,100 companies surveyed:
75% said that they did not know
where their most valuable
customers were talking about
them.
31% do not measure effectiveness of
social media.
7% are able to integrate social media
into their marketing activities.

6. Welcome the Change
Of 2,100 companies surveyed:
33% are convinced their use of social media will grow, and
many anticipate investing more in it next year.
However, only a small 12% felt that they are currently
effective users of social media.

7. Not One-Way Communication

8. Four Motivations for a Person to
Communicate About Brands
1. Product Involvement
2. Self Involvement
3. Other Involvement
4. Message Involvement

9. ProductInvolvement
The experience is so novel
and pleasurable that it
must be shared.

10. SelfInvolvement
Sharing knowledge or opinions is a way to gain
attention, show connoisseurship, feel like a
pioneer, have inside information, seek
confirmation of a person’s own judgment, or
assert superiority.

11. OtherInvolvement
The speaker wants to
reach out and help to
express
neighborliness, caring,
and friendships.

12. Message Involvement
The message is so
humorous or informative that
it deserves sharing.

13. These four motivations explain why
some brands have been successful
in using social media
In order to employ social media effectively a brand
needs to deliver extraordinary
functional, expressive, or social benefits.

14. Creating and Leveraging
Innovation and Differentiation
To employ social media
effectively, you must associate
your brand with an offering that
is innovative and differentiated
in a way that truly resonates
with customers.

15. Listeners are Concerned with Two Conditions…
1. The speaker’s credibility
1. The speaker’s motivation

16. Credibility
• A person does not need to be an expert
• People that have an intense interest in a subject
resulting in relevant experience and access to
relevant people and information will qualify as well
An implication is that a firm should promote a
dialogue because a listener will be more
likely to accept judgments from someone
with whom there is an interaction going on.

17. Motivation
• They want the speaker to be
interested in the listener and his or
her well-being without a bias.
An implication is that a firm promoting its own
brand needs to be aware of its status and
emphasize facts instead of opinion, represent
the right culture and values, and have a
balanced perspective.

18. With a dialogue, it is much
easier to communicate
expertise, interest in the
subject matter, and the
right motivation because
there is a chance to build
up a relationship and use
reassuring cues.
In contrast, a one time, one way communication
will have a harder time demonstrating credibility
and motivation.

19. Recommendations
Recommenders had on average a huge
impact on purchase, running to 80% for
some products.

20. The nearly forgotten theory and
practice of word-of-mouth
communication and influence from
over five decades ago are more
relevant today than ever