Business Models

Translating to Social

SuccessBill

“It sure is easier to cut down trees when

you’re 30 feet tall.”

Whole Foods markets

Not a traditional advertiser, Whole Foods has invested in partnerships with global organizations that create

high quality standards for all of the company’s inventory. Certification on packages ensures shoppers that products are beneficial for all

shareholders, the local community, and your body. A leader in the cultural shift to eat better, Whole Foods

is a beacon of strong values shared by millionsworldwide. The company blog is the main resource driving one of the largest and most active Pinterestcommunities. For competitors not investing in high

standards, this type of engagement and transparency is not possible.

“I believe that most of the greatest companies in the world also have great purposes… Having a

deeper, more transcendent purpose is highly energizing for all of the various interdependent

stakeholders, including the customers, employees, investors, suppliers, and the larger communities

in which the business participates.”

- John Mackey, Founder

Jos. A Bank Clothiers

Facebook’s People Talking About This metric shows

the level of engagement between users and a brand

page over 24 hours. With over 100,000 less likes

than its main competitor Men’s Warehouse, Jos. A

Bank has twice the engagement. How? Jos. A Bank

is a discount brand and Facebook rewards brand

pages for Offers. With over 40% of fans following

brands for discounts, Jos. A Bank’s business model

is a natural beneficiary of user habits. Future

changes to Facebook’s algorithm could mean no

more advantage on the largest social network of all.

Bank’s sourcing and manufacturing partnerships allow it to offer steep discounts

and still operate at the 3rd highest margin in men’s retail. Recent demand for

higher quality suits and a general sentiment that discounted suits are of lower

quality have big implications for bank moving forward.

Disney

Disney takes characters from idea, to screen, to real life

wonderlands. Characters are immortalized in theaters and

moralized in the parks. For some it’s magic. For others it’s great

storytelling. For more its affordable all-inclusive family

vacations. For everyone it’s lovable characters.

Mike, Woody, Dory, Simba. @DisneyWords, an account that

tweets classic Disney quotes, has some 2.7 million followers.

Coca-Cola? 2.33 million. Disney’s Intellectual Property is easy

to love, but more importantly for social networks it’s easy to

share. It’s up to the designers, writers, and Imagineers to

continue to bring magic to life. For now, a box office blockbuster

musical about a princess and a snowman and 70+ years of

classics will suffice.

Disney actually operates 5 separate businesses: Consumer Products,

Interactive, Media Networks, Parks and Resorts, and studio entertainment.

Across all operations, disney’s success rides on their ability to tell great stories.

Tikoslessons.blogspot.com

More business models and social strategies above.