That new girl? She’s not in your league, but don’t get discouraged.
There’s a new kid on the social media block, and her name is Pinterest.
Pinterest advertises itself as “an online pinboard.” The demographic is largely female, and its content is certainly wedding/food heavy. If Pinterest were a party, it would be a bridal shower, bachelorette party, or even a book club.
Lately, we have clients that call us with the idea that they MUST get in on the Pinterest party. However, you, my valued client, may not be very Pinteresting.
Now, before you go off in a huff, have a listen. There’s nothing inherently wrong with not being Pinteresting. We can’t ALL be ballerinas, or surgeons, best selling author,s or even a world class chefs. We each have our own strengths, and we can’t ALL be Pinteresting.
So, what does it mean to be Pinteresting? Generally speaking, it’s when you can offer an item that people will find unique, lovely, enlightening, charming, sexy, scary, or beautiful. Something that catches the eye and makes people say “I want that!” Sometimes, being Pinteresting means that you can offer a tutorial on something that people will want to copy, learn or share, (and here’s the important part,) that they have NEVER SEEN BEFORE, and is accompanied by a GORGEOUS photo.
To be more specific, a recipe for Rice Krispy Treats? NOT PINTERESTING.
A recipe for Cadbury Creme Eggs salad? PINTERESTING!
A recipe for apple pie? NOT PINTERESTING.
A recipe for caramel apple cheesecake bars? PINTERESTING!
Now lets translate this into something that you can equate to your business situation.
Do you own a unique boutique? You might be pinteresting. Pin one or two of your MOST unique items, along with items from OTHER stores so you’re not only advertising for yourself, but you’re also participating in the community.
Do you own a salon that does truly amazing updos that you regularly photograph? You’re probably quite pinteresting. Post some of those updo photos on pinterest along with a tutorial. You’ll be very popular.
Are you an electrician? A plumber? Are you a mechanic? Sorry to say, there’s a VERY good chance that you’re not pinteresting, but that’s ok. You might be the life of the Facebook party! Hang out on your fan page and offer people brilliant tips like “always use your parking brake, it’ll take stress off of your transmission!” Blog your heart out, and network like crazy on LinkedIn. Those are more appropriate venues for you. Better still, contact a reputable digital media firm and have them work up an advertising campaign utilizing television and the internet. That’s where you’ll do really well. You have a LOT of other options out there, but Pinterest may not be one of them. Just like fixing a car, leaky pipes or faulty wiring, when marketing a business there are tools you should use, tools you could use, and tools that just aren’t right for the job at hand. Use the right tool for the job and everyone is better off for it.
We can’t all be the life of every party, and maybe on Pinterest, you’re never going to be the popular kid, but if you stick to what works for you, and don’t get distracted by the latest internet fad, you’ll achieve long term marketing success and get a much bigger bang for your advertising dollar.
Still can’t decide if Pinterest is the right fit for you? Why not come down to our free 2012 Pinterest Summit on May 16, 2012. More information
