Do You Have a Social Media Callback?

"A girl phoned me the other day and said….. Come on over, there's nobody home. I went over. Nobody was home." Rodney Dangerfield

Rodney was the master of the callback. What's a callback? A simple word, phrase, or sound that is clearly identified with you – and only you. And what was Rodney's callback? That's right – "I get no respect." Whenever you hear that, you remember Rodney Dangerfield.

In the early days of modern marketing a type of callback was created to market a brand. They were called advertising slogans, specifically because it took a lot of advertising to create and support them. And in the days of mass marketing, slogans were quite effective at building a memorable brand. You may remember a few of them:

Good to the Last Drop – Maxwell House Coffee
The Pause that Refreshes – Coke
Just Do It! – Nike

That era of marketing is now history. Those slogans were only memorable as a result of enduring mass marketing campaigns that were costly, and during these challenging economic times, are going to fall on deaf ears. This is the social media era. Now is the time for authenticity.

Business used to be about companies. Now its about people. This means a simple little callback that speaks to who you are, what you do, and who you do it for can be a valuable marketing tool for any business.

This also means entrepreneurs and small business owners like you, who are already close and personal with your customers, are now in the drivers seat. This is your time.

While a self-deprecating callback may be perfect for a comedian like Rodney Dangerfield, something stronger and more positive is more likely to be effective for your small business. What are you known for – or want to be?

You have to understand the needs of your customers to determine that. What do they really want to know that you can personally deliver on? You may even consider phrases that we now use that you can make your own.

Like…No worries.

Callbacks work because they spread virally through the social media networks – by real people who happen to be your customers. Try to come up with three words that capture the essence of your business promise.

That's your callback.

Make it your own.