Once upon a time in a land far, far away....

You know the ending of the Cinderella story: She gets her prince and lives happily ever after. Before there was an "ever after," there was a path to her prince and actions she took that led to her engagement. (Yes, engagement has a double meaning in this blog post!) How did Cinderella get to that magical point of engagement?

Below are Cinderella's social media engagement lessons for  marketers.

1. Little blue birds are the best helpers. Cinderella sang, and her little blue birds showed up to help her.

Marketers:  Your Twitter audience can be your best resource for product reviews, customer service and generating ideas for new products or services. Talk to to them, ask their opinions, and listen to them sing with you in the harmony of your brand. It truly is a magical thing when this happens!

2. Always have faith in your Fairy Godmother. After her stepsisters cruelly destroyed the dress she planned to wear to the ball, Cinderella broke down in sorrow, beginning to lose her faith in dreams; However; her faith was still strong enough to summon her Fairy Godmother.

Marketers:  When your brand is attacked by online "trolls" who only seek to damage your brand reputation, have faith that your brand champions and advocates will be your Fairy Godmother to come to your rescue.  

3. Put on a ball gown when going to a ball. Cinderella dressed the part when arriving at the prince's palace. She was well branded and had her target market in mind.

Marketers:  Do your research and present a unified, targeted brand before stepping on the dance floor of online and social media marketing. Put thought and strategy into your blog, social media profiles and website.

4. Cinderella had swagger. She made a memorable impression dancing with her Prince Charming at the ball. Had she not, there would be no happy ending to that story.

Marketers:  Prince Charming aka your customers will seek you out if you make a good impression. Use events to capture attention: engage, make it interactive- make an impression so that your audience will continue to seek you out amongst all the marketing clutter.

5. If the shoe doesn't fit... Many ladies in the land shoved their big feet into Cinderella's glass slipper, but there was only one perfect fit. 

Marketers:  You can pour your content into your audience, but it will be obvious if it's not a good fit. Review your analytics constantly for engagement ques on what's working and what's not. Make sure it is a good fit.

Best wishes that this advice will lead you to some magical marketing moments of engagement!