Woe to you, Wal-Mart.

[...] Mais aussi, il est intéressant de regarder des exemples de SMM n’ayant pas eu un énorme succès afin de voir les pièges à éviter en tant que marqueteur. Un exemple? Wal-Mart et son insertion dans le réseau social Facebook. En fait, Wal-Mart utilisait un ”gift” sous forme de monstre qu’il vendrait aux utilisateurs de Facebook afin de promouvoir sa marque ainsi que des groupes Facebook. Résultats? Un nombre importants de commentaires négatifs postés sur le mur du groupe Wal-Mart de la part des membres de Facebook…Pas très bon pour une image de marque! Pour en savoir plus sur le cas Wal-Mart, consultez l’article Wal Mart’s Facebook Strategy Sinking: Analysis and Reccomendations. [...]

[...] effective community engagement and moderation, groups can be overrun by spammers and trolls. Recent criticism of Wal-Mart’s Facebook strategy underscores the need for effective community [...]

[...] has been a lot of excellent commentary about Wal-mart’s venture into social media, but time and time again, they prove [...]

[...] far Wal-Mart’s Facebook strategy has been less than stellar, while rival Target seems to be, well, on target. Wal-Mart must tread very carefully when it tries [...]

[...] -Charlene Li WalMart’s Facebook Strategy Sinking: Analysis and Reccomendations Facebook Takes Over the Retail World – Retail Design Diva Tags: , facebook, Social Networking, [...]

[...] WalMart’s Facebook Strategy Sinking: Analysis and Reccomendations [...]

[...] He writes in detail, for example, on how marketers can use Twitter to spread their message, or what Walmart needs to do to fix its damaged public [...]

Wal-Mart Isn’t Cool on Facebook. And That’s Okay…

Blogging can be a powerful marketing tool for businesses with interesting stories to tell. I believe this is especially true in businesses where building a personal relationship with propsects or showcasing one’s expertise has the potential to transla…

[...] Strategist, Connie Benson, suggested in the comments that what Wal-Mart needs is an evangelist. Someone that will authentically, and transparently, and [...]

An evangelist would be a prescription to help WalMart turn its image around in the blogosphere as a whole, but I have doubts that it would change the sentiments the company will receive on networks like facebook. I think it would be nearly impossible for them to manage or guide a conversation on their facebook group without being discredited as a censors or propaganda machines.

The best way to turn around the facebook nightmare they now have is simply to provide information on their page to positive studies about WalMart (it may surprise you, but the majority of academic research actually comes out on WalMart’s side…) rather than letting the flow of information be only negative.

They certainly face an uphill battle, especially in facebook: the college student’s haven of ideals!

As to what type of person, I agree with Adnohryak that it needs to be a woman. But not a single mom. I think it needs to be a woman that is strong enough to speak out intelligently initially to turn the brand around, but viewed as an avg American shopper. And yes, she needs to appeal to a range of ages & guys too. She will need to have strong leadership skills in order to support & motivate her evangelists because in the beg. it’s going to be a challenge. So the woman should be a cross between Robert & Lionel – someone who knows the tools to use, be out there with a strong message & intelligently utilize both.

After posting this morning I thought of a summary – the effort needs to be:
Community manager engaging at grassroots level utilizing WOM & evangelizing rather than Corporate top down (ie – stick in a Faceback campaign then ignore it).

Give Walmart a human voice(s) & the company would gain more respect & it would benefit everyone (brand, customers, employees, corporate, etc). Sales would probably increase, too. The venture could only make things better.

[...] WalMart’s Facebook Strategy Sinking: Analysis and Reccomendations Wal-Mart takes pounding on its sponsored Facebook group, and Jeremiah Owyang offers an analysis and recommendations (tags: SMT10 JeremiahOwyang Wal-Mart Facebook) [...]

Walmart is always packed with people of diverse income and ethnicity, but people can not and are not spending as much for whatever reason. Whether it is due to rising gas prices, mortgages or rent. Those with the lowest incomes have to tighten their belts, that will effect Walmart. But, others of slightly higher incomes who “never wanted” to shop there and will start, or shop there more often. Too many people live well beyond their means.

Walmart’s effort to coax the most vulnerable spenders (the adult-essence age group) isn’t a bad marketing idea…but into their social network? Nah! Not going to work.

There is nothing “cool” about Wal-mart.

—Now if the Walmart greeters had Abercrombie abs, and the cashiers, well ya know, seductive instead of surly.
(As well as resolving other serious issues…) Who knows?

Personally, I don’t think Scoble can make Walmart cool. Scoble is way too cool for Walmart…too techno fabulous. Walmart is toe nail clippers, hair dye, and cheap underwear.

If Walmart wants to get on track with what they have to offer, the answer is “single mom’s”.

copywrite by Adnohr Yak (If there is a definitive answer somewhere in this comment, I’ll let you know where you can send the check.)

Very Interesting Post, “J”

The WalMart page is selling their products on Facebook to the original Facebook crowd. They’re NOT on Facebook to do that – they’re there to connect with each other for whatever reason.

So yes, I think WalMart should have an evangelist out there connecting with its very many audiences. But (and this is going to get very cliched) they need to be:

- dipping long tail, not just at the kids fitting out their dorms, but their little sisters who might get them a beanbag, or their grandma who might get them some nice towels, etc.
- expanding the long tail stuff, going for the wisdom of the crowd and convincing the circle around the students that WalMart is the place to shop to fit out their dorms
- realise that the very thing that’s going to happen by putting up their page on Facebook is pushback. Very cluetrain.

What I think they’ve done is hit Facebook for the cool factor without fully considering everything else they need to do.