Photo credit: sundarganapathy.com
Last September’s AAF Luncheon was a tantalizing one as we explored the different approaches to marketing. Panelists consisted of representatives from all the like of the marketing world - ad agencies, pr firms, in-house operations, freelance, and independent consultants.
Many great in-depth conversations were had. Ranging from media convergence, to how advertisers execute their own Green initiatives, to the often discussed, but still ambiguous, nature of social media.
The topic of convo that most struck my chord (and also threw me for a loop) was casual toss of the term “whuffie”. Not familiar with this absurd word “whuffie”? That’s ok, neither was I, and by the looks of some perplexed faces amongst the crowd, neither were they.
The definition of “whuffie”, according to The Whuffie Factor author, Tara Hunt, is a social capital, composed of reputation, trust, connections, influence, and other factors. It becomes a kind of currency.
Want to know the 5 Way to Raise You Whuffie, according to author, Tara Hunt? Well, here ya go!
1. Turn the Bullhorn Around. Instead of shouting impersonally at your customers, listen to them. Become a "beacon for constant feedback." Focus on individuals, and understanding the needs of the community. People want to be treated like "special snowflakes."
2. Become Part of the Community You Serve. Get out of your head, and into the community. Collaborate and share with them. Fall in love with what your customers love. Figure out what problem you're solving, and for whom you're solving it, then join them.
3. Create Amazing Experiences. Become remarkable. Solve problems for your customers so seamlessly, it feels like magic. Engage in fun, lightweight activities that encourage user participation, aka "throwing sheep." Lighten up.
4. Embrace the Chaos. You cannot control the message. Get that through your head. Let go of your perceived control, and you'll see good things come back to you.
5. Find a Higher Purpose. Find a way to give back to the community. Whuffie is part of a gift economy. It's only worth something when it circulates, and the more you give away, the more you get. Do well by doing good.
Now, want to know how to completely DESTROY your whuffie?
Here’s a wonderful example that I read from a Fame Foundry blog:
In summary, AT&T customers who had iPhones were very upset about the network’s unreliable service and were determined to be vocal about their issues.
In an attempt to calm the madness and display some sheer dignity, AT&T released “Seth the Blogger Guy” who made his first appearance on the company’s YouTube channel earlier this year to promote the launch of iPhone3GS.
Instead of coming off as sincere, viewers immediately recognized its transparency and saw it for what it was: patronizing and incredible. Seth is far from engaging in genuine dialog and also isn’t some “blogger guy” as he claims, but instead is Seth Bloom, senior vice president at Fleishman-Hillard, AT&T’S PR agency.
One commenter on the blog said it best, “If AT&T truly cared about repairing its reputation and earning the loyalty of its customers, it would not hide behind a fictional persona but rather would put a legitimate company heavyweight on the front lines of its social media efforts.”
AT&T, you have just filed for Whuffie Bankruptcy.
