International Marketing Practices

Using Social Networks to Market Your Product The number of people participating in online social networks is growing at an exponential rate. As of 2019, Facebook had close to 2.4 billion monthly active users [144], while Twitter had 126 million daily active users [145]. Professional networks such as LinkedIn or Research Gate are also thriving. Some companies consider active participation in social media as an alternative to traditional advertising, but social media can serve to amplify traditional advertising rather than replace it. A cleverly planned and executed social media strategy can improve awareness and help to build a brand around a firm’s reputation and products. It is important to note that, contrary to popular belief, social media marketing is not free, as there are costs and time associated with creating content, as well as potential costs from paying consultants to help build and implement the social media strategy. No matter what social media platform you use, implementing the following recommendations can help in achieving a successful social media strategy. • Monitor conversations related to the product, company, or competitors. • Identify influential individuals and offer incentives to spread positive word of mouth. • Use social media to spread the word about offers, sales, or events. • Use social media to invite potential customers to help “shape” an offer or design. Wood products industries have been slow to adopt social media as a marketing tool. A survey of 600 forest products firms conducted by the market intelligence firm Random Lengths concluded that more than half do not use social media and do not have plans to do so in the near future [146]. Predictably, companies dealing directly with end users showed higher adoption rates, whereas mills showed a very low adoption. Reasoning for this lack of acceptance included skepticism about return on investment, fear of exposing critical information or, simply, lack of time. Communicating the Environmental Attributes of Wood Products Awareness of environmental sustainability is growing among American consumers, as can be seen in the growth of “eco-labels” in the last decade. According to a Green Brands Survey, 73% of U.S. consumers say it is very important or somewhat important to buy from green companies [147]. A survey of manufacturers found that 81% of participants consider it very important or somewhat important to produce environmentally sustainable products, and, when applicable, companies want to show their environmental credentials by promoting their products and processes as environmentally friendly [148]. To communicate the environmental attributes of wood (based on [149, 150]), consider these recommendations: • Connect your environmental message with a moral or emotional point, such as preserving the planet for our children. • Use personal health and planet preservation issues as leverage points, such as endangered species preservation.

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