In my previous post (link here). I asked companies to stop thinking about social media as social media and think about it more in the mindset of “personality marketing.” Selling yourself, before your product.

Now I want to talk about why living up to that concept is easier said than done for most companies.

The Supreme Court and corporate law may have said corporations are people. But these “people” have rules and procedures. Branding standard books and guidelines. Legal departments. A director of marketing that needs to run the messaging by the VP of marketing, then the CMO, then…possibly back down the chain for revisions.

All of which creates many layers of review and approval and a latency in response time. And in some cases, the echo chamber of the corporate review process of social media messaging can create an autistic-like response to on the ground or complex social situations. For example, recently, Kentucky Fried Chicken had to apologize after sending a Facebook message asking users to follow the (real) earthquake news and “order their favorite KFC menu.”

That is a sample of a company that focusing too much on the mechanics of a message than crafting personable communication. Now of course, real people can be just as guilty as coming off as insensitive, even like this case. But built in to the “personality” part of phrase “personalty marketing” is the idea of recalibrating. Adapting to the situational mindset of human beings. When you don’t, in the real world and conversations between real people, you turn into the guy who keeps telling the same story. Or one that kills the energy in the room with a topic that’s escaped from a lecture hall. Talking, not listening to adapt. A skill that requires personality.

For all their success, customers and established marketing structure, a company with a culture of strict discipline to brand compliance, order and stability can put them at a disadvantage. The social media environment can make companies come off as nerds going to the hottest club in town. Like being at a club, the fact that you came in big expensive car and cool clothes is nice.  Those of us who have been in a club, know that and $1000 will get you bottle service, not engagement. To talk to the folks and get them to like you and remember you, it’s all about personality. Hence “personality marketing.”

Next post: “What is personality in social media.”