The Future of Storytelling Adam Hernandez Southwest Airlines @SouthwestAir @adamchernandez
The Future of Storytelling
Adam Hernandez
Southwest Airlines
@SouthwestAir
@adamchernandez
Instagram:
@adognamedqueso
Today’s Objectives
• Organize your team for optimal success
• Use social listening to create the foundation for strong storytelling
• Draw on social customer care teams to create surprise-and-delight moments
• Identify customer stories and experiences that are perfect for storytelling
• Transform these customers into brand advocates and brand ambassadors
• Activate in real-time content marketing that matches brand guidelines
• Better train employees in social media with situation-based learning inspired by
customer and employee experiences
Organize your team for optimal
success
Team Structure
• Social Business Team leads social strategy and managers vendor relationships for
social listening, social engagement, and social publishing
• Social Business Team coordinates with Marketing, Communication, and Customer
Relations departments on storytelling and real-time content marketing opportunities
Use social listening to create the
foundation for strong storytelling
Listening is one of our greatest strengths!
• Foundation for Social Customer Care
• Unsolicited Customer Feedback
• Embeds the Voice of the Customer into the Operation
• Early Warning System for Potential Threats
• Stimulates Innovation and Change within the Company
• Informs storytelling and real-time content marketing
This is the Listening Center
• The Listening function is managed by the Social Business Team.
• The Social Business Team manages the daily operation of the Listening Center while
leveraging other teams to implement tactics.
• The activities that take place in the Listening Center are supported by other teams
• The Listening Center has a strong operational arm to support the objective to move from
insights to action
Listening Center Org & Governance
Every seat has a story.
Southwest Heart is everywhere…
…but we have to listen in order to act on those stories.
Meet Reecie. She works at DCA.
Reecie’s story began as an Instagram post.
We amplified her story.
Takeaways.
Listen to social conversation about
your brand
Utilize Employee strengths.
Convert social sensations into
marketing campaigns.
Turn your Employees into a functioning
newsroom.
Social Listening Fuels Storytelling
Meet Hudson.
We found Hudson on Facebook.
Then Hudson became a story on our blog.
Hudson was reunited with the waving Pilot.
Our videographers captured the moment.
From there, Hudson’s story grew.
From there, Hudson’s story grew.
Takeaways.
Accentuate your Customer’s talents
and passion points.
Rally around Customer content that
reinforces who you are and what you
represent.
Listening can also inform your real-time content marketing.
Who placed a bet on a baby name?
Did you watch the live broadcast?
What’s in your bag?
Takeaways.
Listen to trending topics and hashtags.
Have a content strategy in place –
know what works and what doesn’t
work.
Develop real-time content marketing
guidelines with your Marketing,
Communication, and Legal teams.
Move fast so the opportunity doesn’t
pass you by.
Draw on social customer care teams
to create surprise-and-delight
moments
Meet Chris.
Chris wrote this great blog post about
his experience.
Meet Reagan.
Ragan got the experience of a lifetime.
Reagan’s story was amplified on our
social media channels.
BREAK
Let’s practice…
How would you tell that
story?
Use storytelling in social media
training for Employees
It’s time to play: Know Your Social Media Policy!
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
Next contestant!
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
Final contestant!
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
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Basic Social Media Training
Closing Thoughts
Every tweet has a story.
Every Facebook post has a story.
Every seat has a story.