Yes to Carrots? Yes Please!
Working for a PR agency that spans traditional PR, social media and web development has definitely changed my view of my favorite social networking sites. I’d started using Facebook long before I decided to major in PR– I actually signed up the second I received my .edu e-mail address from Chico State. Those were the days when Facebook was solely for college students, not pre-teens, grandparents and everything in between. I tweeted in the months before it became a household name. After spending my high school days on MySpace, I deleted it once my account was hacked in college. Before Facebook messaging, tweeting and texting, an AIM screen name was all you needed to stay in touch with friends.
Basically, I’ve grown up socializing on the Internet. Now social networking is part of my job. I’m starting to realize the business implications of social networking, for both my clients and myself. I’ve tried to avoid becoming a “target audience” on Facebook, my social refuge. But I’ve interacted with brands, businesses and potential employers (during my job hunt last spring) on Twitter. It’s fun to see the companies that “get” social media and a little depressing to see those that activate an account just to let it sit idle.
Recently, I had a great experience with a company that used social media to win me over as a customer. A friend mentioned the Yes to Carrots brand a few weeks ago in a tweet to me, recommending me to try their products. While I recognized the brand from magazine advertisements, I’d never tried them out and wasn’t sure exactly what they sold. My friend, who is also a vegetarian and committed to organic products, gave me a few product suggestions for the organic skin-care and hair-care line. When I stopped by the drug store, I looked for the products but was disappointed in the lack of selection (sidenote: the drug store by my house is small and has a very limited beauty section). Since I didn’t really need any new products- and I do experience extreme buyer anxiety trying anything new- I forgot about the exchange.
A few days ago, @yestocarrots tweeted me asking if I had tried any products. Since I hadn’t, I sent them an e-mail explaining that I was interested but that they didn’t carry much in my local drugstore. I was thrilled when a real person e-mailed me, asking for my address to send me some products as a holiday treat. I expected just a few samples, but was still very excited for the chance to try something new.
I was floored when I arrived home yesterday to a box full of products: the body butter that my friend recommended, eye gel that I actually really needed, facial towlettes that are perfect for my busy lifestyle, plus a bunch of chapsticks and a cool t-shirt! 
After I tried them out and e-mailed to thank them for the great assortment, they asked me to provide any feedback-good or bad- that I might have. A company that actually listens to what I like and don’t like about the products? That’s a first.
By taking a proactive step, Yes to Carrots was able to secure a customer and a ton of positive word-of-mouth. Of course I’ve told my best friends, my coworkers, and my social network via Facebook and Twitter. A few of the lucky ones are even getting to try out the products with me! It’s great to see companies, like Yes to Carrots, that are able to use social media as a way to reach out to potential customers and build relationships with current customers. These are the companies that are not only going to survive, but thrive in today’s economy.
Katelyn said,
December 5, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Love this! These types of companies will get my business ANY DAY over companies that are too big for this type of customer support. I will definitely check its stuff out