Hello, last Friday we had some great insights from the lovely Holly at Vivid who gave us a PR person’s perspective on social media. Today it’s the turn of Chris Hall whose background is in marketing. Unusually, this interview was conducted face-to-face, for reasons that should become clear as you read on!
The interview
Chris, your business card describes you as head bell ringer – what does that entail?
I help companies and organisations integrate social media into their marketing strategies. When people come to me they often don’t realise that, regardless of whether they’re using social media or not, conversations are happening online about their brand. I help them find out what people are saying and I help them join in the conversations.
For me, social media is like a party that’s open to everyone, but not everyone knows how to get there or how to talk to people once they’ve arrived. That’s where I come in to help.
So how did you get into social media?
I started out in the marketing world. Towards the end of 2008 I noticed Twitter was taking off and thought I’d give it a go. I spent about two or three months gradually building followers and quickly became hooked. I love social media because it’s all about getting people together and forming communities which is something I’m really passionate about.
And what do you think are the real benefits of using social media?
From a business perspective, it’s an opportunity to bring brands into the public domain. Whereas traditional PR and marketing was very much a one way flow of information, social media gives businesses the chance to interact with their customers and listen to their feedback. It’s incredibly valuable!
If you could offer a single piece of advice to someone who is interested in using social media, what would it be?You have to remember, it’s not about the technology, it’s about the people using it. Social media is social – there’s no room for faking or bullsh***ing – you need to start listening and interacting with people as if you were talking to them face-to-face. I should also point out, that it’s OK to make mistakes. If you make a mistake, just apologise and try to make things right as you would in the real world. Social media communities can be very forgiving!
And how should people follow you online?You can find me on Twitter @chrish10 or read more about what I do at http://www.cow-bell.co.uk.
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