CHAPTER 8

Be Authentic

“Thank you for calling us. This is your customer care advocate, how can I be of service to you today?” you hear on the opposite end of the line.

“Great,” you think. “This sounds like someone who can help me.”

“I’d like to dispute part of my bill that I don’t understand,” you reply.

“Account number, please,” the customer care advocate responds. Though you entered that number into your phone keypad just moments ago when you first called, you proceed to give the representative the information anyhow.

“I’m sorry,” the customer care advocate replies. “There’s nothing I can do about that problem. You’ll have to speak with the billing department, and they’re only open Monday through Friday. Can I help you with anything else today?”

The employee is just doing his job, of course, but all his job entails is following a script. Not only does this interaction leave you frustrated at the company’s inability to help you with your problem but it also may leave you scratching your head about the inauthenticity of considering a phone agent a “customer care advocate.” In no way does this employee’s job seem to involve caring or advocating for you, the customer.

How about “financial counselors”? Have you ever received assistance from a “financial counselor” who in fact is an insurance salesperson concerned little, if at all, with helping you sort out your financial issues?

Not everybody with the job title of customer care advocate or financial counselor is inauthentic. There are likely lots of great folks doing those jobs. But the job titles themselves are misleading, intentionally or not. Of course, this inauthenticity does not apply only to job titles: brand promises from slogans, advertisements, and websites are often guilty of the same inaccuracies or false representations.

Many large companies have a hard time being authentic in their interactions with customers. As organizations get larger, it becomes difficult to manage higher volumes of staff and clients. To deal with this growth, managers develop models and processes, and customer service centers create scripts. These attempts at efficiency might cause some aspects of the organization to run smoothly, but in dealing with customers, they make it easy to miss the mark. Models, processes, and scripts will not help you connect with your consumer. Instead, such impersonal devices create a division between your service or product and your customer because there is a loss of valuable human interaction.

Social media provides an opportunity to reverse this trend for larger organizations and to showcase authenticity for smaller ones. If your company can actually “be human” in dealing with its customers through current social networks, you’ll find that your customers will respond positively and appreciate your more personal attitude. Be warned, however, that if you try to deal with huge numbers of customers on social networks in an inauthentic, highly processed way, your actions can and will backfire.

Before going any further, I should point out specifically what I mean when I say that you have to be “authentic” on social networks. Overall, you have to be human and demonstrate a personality. No one wants to feel as if she is talking to a machine or dealing with someone who cannot empathize with her situation. The online social Web is all about human interaction—connecting with one another on some level. As a company, you need to want to connect with your consumers or prospects in a personal or individual manner. You also have to be flexible and responsive, with the ability to cater to customers’ various or changing needs, wants, opinions, and ideas. Become part of the online conversation and truly seek to understand your consumers and the role your product or service plays, or could play, in their actual lives. While in the context of representing your brand, you, and anyone else connected with your organization, have to be the person you really are—you can’t fake it anymore when it comes to dealing with the consumer.

Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the screenplay for the hit movie The Social Network, about the founding of Facebook and its early days, told Stephen Colbert in a television interview (aired September 30, 2010) that social networking is more of a performance than a reality.¹ He so glaringly missed the point. On the contrary, social networking, done well, is authentic and real, unlike Sorkin’s scripts.

Others have speculated that social network users are narcissists, sharing their every move with the world (think when users post what kind of cereal they had for breakfast this morning). Yes, there are some people, and companies, who use social networks for such self-centered purposes and fail to see the true possibilities of harnessing the online social Web. Such users are short-sighted and in many ways tragic, as the promise of social network communication holds much greater potential. Facebook, for example, can in fact be a place for people to authentically connect with one another and for companies to build true and long-lasting relationships with customers and prospects.

BE AN IMPROV SHOW, NOT A MUSICAL

Musicals, plays, and operas are all wonderful, traditional forms of entertainment. Theatergoers attend, sit back, and relax, and the performers “put on a show.” Performances can be subtle and nuanced but are often loud, larger-than-life productions, especially musicals. Most musicals include lots of color and sound and expensive scenery, props, and costumes in an attempt to dazzle the audience and leave a lasting impression. The same script is performed night after night, and with stellar writing, acting, singing, and directing, the show comes together and wins over the crowd.

Improvisation comedy shows, on the other hand, usually have little to no set and almost nothing scripted. Improv features several performers, who interact with the audience throughout each show by soliciting ideas for skits, then basing their performances on audience suggestions each night. Unlike a musical, every show is different, but as long as the audience brings creative or interesting ideas and high energy and the performers are talented, it makes for an incredible experience.

Your brand, company, or organization can create such an experience for your customers and prospects on social networks. Even better news is that this can be done without the huge budget of a Broadway show or a television commercial. It will, however, require a fundamental shift in the way you see media and marketing, now that social media has enabled a two-way conversation between the company and the consumer. You’ll have to think less about “putting on a show” and more about building an excellent team that is flexible, able to go with the flow, responsive, and engaged. And unlike in improv, in which performers are playing different parts every night, your team needs to rely on its own authenticity as unique, individual people.

DEVELOP AN AUTHENTIC VOICE

Advertising has traditionally been more like a Broadway musical than an improv show. The goal has been to create a brilliant distraction to get people’s attention, be noticeable, or generate buzz, even if the products or services offered often lack a sense of authenticity.

Consumers, however, have gotten used to talking to each other through social networks with a level of humanity they have come to expect from all users. Now, as an advertiser or company, you need to join in this conversation, and when you do so, your organization must keep your consumers’ expectations in mind. You have to be an authentic human being in your interactions. Anything less and your consumers might consider your attempt at conversation nothing more than a marketing ploy, no better than if you repeated a bland corporate mantra. Consider what your brand or organization is really like. How can you convert your mission statement or the About Us page on your website into actual conversations you’ll facilitate and be involved in each day on Facebook and Twitter? You need to let the world know about your company’s, or brand’s, personality while showing that you truly care about your consumers and are willing to put the time in to make a connection with them.

Regulating Discussions

Hopefully, your organization already has protocols for how customer service reps interact with customers, how salespeople pitch prospects, or how public relations executives talk to traditional media reps. With the advent of social networking, all of that “talk” online is a matter of public record forever. There is a tendency, especially in large organizations, to carefully regulate that speech, making sure it meets corporate and legal guidelines and that nobody says the “wrong thing.” For example, corporate communications and legal departments may be concerned about their employees or representatives going “off message,” making negative comments, or admitting liability through an apology.

That attitude is a mistake on social networks, and it renders authentic communication nearly impossible. The more you try to regulate brand conversations, the more impersonal you’ll make them, and the less customers will respond. Worse still, the less flexible and authentic you are, the more it will show, and the less you’ll be trusted. Remember, online, your trust and reputation with customers are everything.

So what can you do to keep the lawyers happy at your company but maintain that all-important authenticity? The best solution is to develop a set of guidelines for what tone of voice you will use and what you really can’t say. Then, make sure that trustworthy people are representing the organization on social networks, whether it’s your own staff or an agency’s. You need to know that these representatives will make the right choices about what, or what not, to say during social network conversations. You can even put this new set of guidelines in a document and create a “social media policy” (the lawyers will really love that).

Making Mistakes

Will representatives make mistakes when speaking with customers? Of course they will. People mess up at your organization every day in their dealings with customers and prospects, but these mistakes are not a matter of public record the way they are on social networks. The pace of social media is too fast for people to not make mistakes occasionally, and some mistakes are obviously bigger than others. Before social media, many screwups by employees were forgivable, and others cost people and agencies their jobs. The same is true in social media. Remember, though, that it’s a conversation. People are forgiving when you admit you were wrong and you fix your mishap quickly.

For example, if you make a typo in an update on Facebook or accidentally share a broken link on Twitter, just delete it, fix it, and then share it again along with a simple apology. These types of imperfection show vulnerability. This can bring your organization closer to customers and prospects because it helps show them that, hey, you’re human too. Instead of attempting to perfectly manicure each status update and tweet you make, concentrate on authenticity in your voice, relationships, and overall presentation of your brand throughout the social Web. People are drawn to what is real, not what is fake or scripted. Be real.

Behind the Curtain: Letting People Know You

A great way to showcase your organization is to take pictures and video of your team and the space where you work and then share them online. Of course, your customers don’t care enough about you to want to see such material every day, but surely they’d appreciate an occasional window into the people and culture at your company. You don’t have to hire a professional film crew or write a script. Instead, once a month, you can take your iPhone to a new department, staff person, vendor, or executive, and ask them a few questions about themselves and their roles at the company on camera. (The sweet spot for videos on social networks is 30 to 60 seconds. Try not to go too much longer because few people will care enough to watch the whole thing.)

You can also share pictures or video from an organization’s summer outing, the opening of a new location, or even an “insider’s view” of the chief executive officer or the company’s back offices. This slice-of-life video will be effective in humanizing your brand and letting customers get to know the people behind the company, hopefully building their trust in your organization. Just don’t go overboard. Remember, on social networks, it’s all about your customers—what they want to discuss, see, hear, learn, or understand. It’s not about you.

AUTHENTICITY BREEDS TRUST; INAUTHENTICITY BREEDS FEAR

In relationships, with rare exception, we’re drawn to people who are able to share their feelings and their true selves, admit their flaws, and be honest and open, or authentic. We feel a connection with such people because we know we can trust in and rely on them.

It’s a huge turnoff when people are “fake”—putting on a show or holding something back. People don’t want to continue getting to know someone if they think he’s being artificial. If you do not feel like there is some type of openness between you and the other person, it is unlikely the relationship will grow. Feelings of inauthenticity breed mistrust and potentially fear, fear that this person is not right for you or that there’s someone else out there with whom you would click on an immediate personal level.

The same dynamic takes place in social networks. When an organization shares and connects with customers in an authentic way, it breeds trust and allows customers to feel comfortable deepening their relationships with the organization. Organizations that share highly produced content or that speak in a scripted manner appear inauthentic and breed mistrust. Such situations won’t lead to the coveted likes, shares, and recommendations your company is trying to attain.

Just as in a relationship between two people, openness and trust helps a connection grow. The goal for your company is to nurture these relationships so customers will have better experiences and even put their personal reputations on the line by sharing and recommending your product or service to friends.

B1Example on Social Media

B1Example is a government agency project supported by the Boston Public Health Commission’s Division of Violence Prevention and Office of Communications. Its mission is to show positive actions and behaviors that prevent violence while actively influencing and empowering youth to redefine “street cred,” earn respect the right way, and feel proud of their communities.

The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) felt strongly that the government agency itself not be the voice on social networks for the project. They also thought that Likeable Media, even as the social media agency providing support, shouldn’t be that voice either. We agreed. To preserve authenticity and speak directly to the target audience, we instead recruited and carefully trained a team of 10 Boston teenagers to run the Facebook page and YouTube channels for the project. These teens already had proven themselves as role models and were personally motivated to create an impact in the community. The nature of the objectives necessitated a total surrender of control about messaging—something many companies, and most government agencies, have an incredibly hard time doing. But what urban teenager would trust a local government official telling her to “stay in school” or “stay off the street”? For that matter, what urban teen would trust any adult, as compared to a peer, talking about such issues?

The BPHC paid little attention to the teens’ grammar and punctuation. It concentrated on helping them develop the group’s voice and their individual voices and to build a process for creating, sharing, and inspiring content. On Facebook you’d see text updates that would frighten English teachers and public relations executives everywhere, who for years have taught that there’s a right and wrong way to write things and express yourself. But you’d also see dozens of videos created by kids looking to make a difference and thousands of Boston teenagers interacting with one another in order to prevent youth violence. You’d find kids talking to one another in a way marketers could never duplicate. You’d see the power of authenticity on social networks in action.

Omaha Steaks Reps on Twitter

Omaha Steaks is the largest online purveyor of steaks and other prepared foods in the United States. With its understanding of the benefits of harnessing social media tools, it decided to create an online presence through Twitter. Omaha Steaks wanted to make sure that each and every time someone shared content or answered a question on Twitter, authenticity was up front and center. Remember, every tweet, even from brands, comes from a person. Omaha Steaks decided to highlight the people behind the brand responding to and speaking with customers and prospects in an attempt to humanize every interaction.

After members of the Omaha Steaks customer service team, public relations team, and marketing team were trained, they began tweeting. At the beginning of each person’s shift using the @OmahaSteaks Twitter account, the employee identified himself or herself with a tweet, such as: “Hi, everyone. Happy Sunday. My name is Paul, and I’m here to help.”

Obviously, it’s a lot easier to interact with “Paul” than with a nameless, faceless organization, and customers have actually responded better to the introductory tweets than to some tweets about the company in general or great deals on steaks. Many other brands have begun to adopt this personalized philosophy on Twitter, including Dunkin’ Donuts, JetBlue, and Comcast.

BE AN AUTHENTIC CELEBRITY

Social media provides a platform for celebrities, who typically have had to hire marketers or publicists to promote them, to speak directly with consumers and fans. Actors, musicians, athletes, politicians, authors, and other public figures all have excellent opportunities to grow their fan bases, shape public perception, and accomplish their objectives by harnessing online social networking. Authenticity must be a key part of their plan though. Ideally, all public personas are Facebooking and tweeting for themselves, an authenticity that is impossible to top. Keep in mind that mobile phones allow anyone to share information on the run, opening a world of instant communication no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Of course there will be times when fan interaction may not be feasible, and it certainly is not possible for public figures to respond to each and every comment from admirers on their own. Agencies or staffers are commonly hired to help in this process, but they still attempt to make the response as personal as possible, sometimes indicating when they, and not the celebrity, are responding by sharing the initials of their name. Being up front as to who is actually responding on behalf of the public figure maintains authenticity.

A Likeable Singer: Lady Gaga

Of all the singers on the planet, can you guess who is the most authentic on social media? Here’s a hint: you may be one of her “Little Monsters.” Lady Gaga has changed the social media game for singers and actors alike. With more than 115 million fans and followers across the major social networks, Lady Gaga has taught her fans the value of authentic content.

While many singers have publicists, managers, and agents trying to shape their image, Lady Gaga is real with people. She shares pictures of herself in her pajamas with no makeup on, asking her Little Monsters questions and engaging herself with followers. If ever there were proof of the power of authenticity to drive connections, it’s Lady Gaga and her many millions of fans.

Authenticity on Twitter: Ashton Kutcher

By actor Ashton Kutcher’s own admission, he’s not a good speller, and he often doesn’t use proper grammar in his own tweets. Yet, with more than 16 million followers at Twitter.com/AplusK, he has had one of the leading Twitter accounts for years, with more followers than @NYTimes or @CNN. The reason for this? Ashton’s authenticity, consistency, passion, and value.

Ashton tweets about causes he feels strongly about, such as ending human slavery, but he also tweets interesting and funny video content he discovers online. He’s open to tweeting behind-the-scenes footage of his life in Hollywood. Most important, he consistently shares and tweets his actual, authentic self.

A Likeable Athlete: Nick Swisher

Professional athletes, similar to actors, have traditionally lacked an easy channel with which to communicate with fans. Athletes are typically represented by agents or occasionally public relations firms. Social media changes this setup. For the first time, athletes now have the ability to directly talk to fans at scale.

Major League Baseball player Nick Swisher is a prime example of this new ability to connect with people. He might not be the best player, but with more than 1.7 million Twitter followers at Twitter.com/NickSwisher, he’s one of the top baseball players on Twitter. Why? Once again: authenticity. He not only shares photos and videos but also insights and thoughts directly from the dugout. His popularity comes from his ability to give fans behind-the-scenes access to somewhere they’ve not been before.

Nick’s Twitter use is not just an exercise in ego either. Building huge legions of fans and followers through social media allows athletes to earn better endorsement deals, sell their own merchandise, and eliminate the hiring of middlemen. In 2009, Swisher was in a neck-and-neck race with Kevin Youkilis for the last spot on the American League All-Star team—a spot selected by majority fan vote—and a few tweets to Swisher’s 1.5 million followers helped drive him to the top spot, making him an all-star!

JUST BE REAL

Just as people can usually tell the difference between someone who is being sincere and someone who is being insincere at a cocktail party, they can tell the difference between authentic communication and marketing- and PR-speak or legalese from your organization. If you are robotic or scripted in your social media interactions, despite the best of intentions, you will turn off customers and prospects. If you are real, authentic, and human in your interactions, customers and prospects will trust you, buy from you, and most important, share you with their friends.