Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

Businesses that can integrate social proof into their marketing efforts seamlessly will join this new “socially rich” class - rich in fans and followers, not number of zeroes in your bank account.

...You see, people care about what others think. When we buy stuff, we want to know what others think about it first. A 2012 Nielsen survey indicated that 92% of people globally trust word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family.

Happily for customers, the power of the Internet allows customers to access a vast wealth of information that is literally right at their fingertips. 85% of consumers say that they refer to online reviews before making a purchase at a local business, and 67% of shoppers read 6 online reviews or less before feeling that they can trust the business....

Burberry knows how many people want items before they've made them.

Many companies see social media as just another marketing and communications tool. A particularly effective one maybe, but just another of many.

According to Erich Joachimsthaler, founder and CEO of Vivaldi Partners, they're missing out on the biggest source of value from these platforms. In a recent report, he outlines how brands can use social media to change their entire business, not just their marketing....

[Burberry is an excellent example of social manufacturing and social marketing ~ Jeff]