6 Tips Social Media Marketers Can Learn from Astronaut Chris Hadfield
What does a former Air Force Fighter Pilot and Canadian
Astronaut know about marketing?
Well, as it turns out, a lot!
Chris Hadfield has done an outstanding job at generating interest in the
current space program while also showing that astronauts are not just very smart
people, but fun, clever and very much connected to community. Take a look at this list and you will
learn very quickly that @cmdr_hadfield is a model of inspiration.
1.
Know Your Community – Perhaps one of the biggest
challenges for any one wishing to market themselves or a brand is to actually understand
your community. This of course is
slightly complicated when your community is literally the entire planet. Despite this significant challenge, Commander
Hadfield has successfully connected with people around the globe. He has found the common denominators
that connect humans. In this case,
curiosity and the desire to learn.
2.
Use the Channels Your Community Prefers –
Commander Hadfield understands the power of the moment and reach. Twitter has been one of his most
powerful communication tools and it shows. With nearly 800,000 followers, he can share photos, thoughts
and memories as he experiences them.
3.
Show Your Personality – If there is one thing
that really stands out about Command Hadfield, it is his personality. His smile and genuine warmth leave you
with one response. You like
him. You want to listen to him and
learn from him. Of course not
everyone has the same personality as this famous astronaut, but being genuine
is the real take away. You can’t
fake being genuine – not over the long term. If you care about people, people will care about you. Remember, people on both sides of the
transaction fuel brands.
Answering Questions from International Space Station on May 6, 2013 |
4.
Maximize Your Environment – Whether or not you
are on the International Space Station in zero gravity, knowing how to leverage
your environment is key. Share
photos that are interesting and unique to your audience. Find something that the average person
just doesn’t have access to. Do
pod casts, interviews and more using the tools of trade. Show how they fit into your world and
how you use them. Don’t just keep them in the background.
5.
Realize That You Can’t Do It Alone – Despite
being extremely genuine and popular, Commander Hadfield has realized that he
can’t connect with his community alone.
He partnered with Bare Naked Ladies front man Ed Robertson to write a
song about the International Space Station. He has reached out to schools, media personalities, science
centers and more to do live appearances while in space. While he is the center of attention, he
realizes that it really isn’t all about him. He is sharing more about others and his environment, than he
is about himself.
6.
Be Consistent – Commander Hadfield is consistent
in all that he does and this has reinforced all of his messaging. As a result, people are interested in
the man AND the International Space Station. People now have a vested interested in this mission.
Note: this is a slight variation on a blog post that I wrote for the Salesforce Marketing Cloud blog last week.