During the epic rise of craft beer, platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter gave a microphone to the people. An opportunity to not only comment and ask questions of their favorite brewery, but the ability to create their own channel of content. While most would participate casually for their own enjoyment and as a way to interact with other enthusiasts, others had bigger aspirations for their career, including myself and my pretend Twitter nemesis, Chris McClellan (@Brewenthusiast). In his latest hill to die on, Chris declared that sending beer samples to individuals creating beer content is a waste of money to which I say, “not so fast.”
Hey Doug, thanks for the early-morning read very insightful. I agree with a lot of what you said as well as understand Chris’ perspective.
But I think a lot of people stick to the transactional short term KPI versus focusing more on building a community and affinity for the Brand aka Brewery.
Enlisting Local influencers to help get the word out can be a real benefit when you’re trying to fill up your tap room day in and day out. But blindly sending a four pack without a deeper connection will fall on death ears.
Outreach via social is crucial but it has to be the right kind in order to work.
I’ve worked in tv for most my career and when I’m coming up with ideas I reference the 85/15 rule.There’s 15 percent of the potential audience are die hards and will seek you out. But growth and sustainability is in reaching the 85 percent who is not in “beer world”. Example, vast majority of people who love NIKE are not Olympic athletes, just regular folks that enjoy looking stylish while “working out”.
Social is where Brand is being made and consumed. Influencers are part of that equation. I’m all about creating affinity for your Brand any way possible but building a strong responsive community first is crucial for any Brand’s survival in the long run.
But in the end, you can only build
Community only if your product delivers value to the consumer.
Ok. Enough jibber jabber. Have to go on my morning walk and start planning for my next beer run. Thanks again. Prost!
Hey Doug, thanks for the early-morning read very insightful. I agree with a lot of what you said as well as understand Chris’ perspective.
But I think a lot of people stick to the transactional short term KPI versus focusing more on building a community and affinity for the Brand aka Brewery.
Enlisting Local influencers to help get the word out can be a real benefit when you’re trying to fill up your tap room day in and day out. But blindly sending a four pack without a deeper connection will fall on death ears.
Outreach via social is crucial but it has to be the right kind in order to work.
I’ve worked in tv for most my career and when I’m coming up with ideas I reference the 85/15 rule.There’s 15 percent of the potential audience are die hards and will seek you out. But growth and sustainability is in reaching the 85 percent who is not in “beer world”. Example, vast majority of people who love NIKE are not Olympic athletes, just regular folks that enjoy looking stylish while “working out”.
Social is where Brand is being made and consumed. Influencers are part of that equation. I’m all about creating affinity for your Brand any way possible but building a strong responsive community first is crucial for any Brand’s survival in the long run.
But in the end, you can only build
Community only if your product delivers value to the consumer.
Ok. Enough jibber jabber. Have to go on my morning walk and start planning for my next beer run. Thanks again. Prost!
this was great!
Thanks Samer!