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We don’t like Starbucks only for its coffee. To be honest, for people whom have a passion for great coffee, Starbucks might not even be the best coffee there is. But there’s something else about this brand. They really know how to involve, engage and activate their customers to participate and is therefore stimulating product development and innovation. At this time, over 70.000 ideas have been posted to the site and counting.

MyStarbucksIdea – a website to share, vote, discuss ideas and see them in action.

A couple of years ago, Starbucks had problems keeping up their positive brand perception and likability. Sales dropped and the overall reputation was not as it used to be. Therefore Starbucks had to do something. They wanted to know what their customers were lacking in the coffee shops, what could be better, what did they need to improve in order to get their customers back into the Starbuck stores?

Starbucks knew that the best person you can ask are your customers. You know better than anyone else what you want from Starbucks, so why not share it? So they are asking you to tell them what’s on your mind. What’s your Starbucks Idea? Revolutionary or simple, Starbucks’ would like to hear about it. Share your ideas with others, tell them what you think of other people’s ideas and join the discussion. Starbucks started to listen to their customers and wanted them to know they were ready to make your ideas happen. In order to do so, you can register at Mystarbucksidea.com. Registered users can give ideas to improve the coffee experience. But you can also see other ideas, ideas in action, you can vote on somebody else’s idea and the most popular ideas will be implemented.

Starbucks Initiatives

But that’s not all. Starbucks is using its Facebook fan page for their fans to share their photo’s and messages. People can follow Starbucks on Twitter to engage real time. The YouTube channel is being used to show new openings and background info as well as for job openings and iPhone apps were launched to offer a store locator, where people can bookmark their favorite locations, search for opening hours, including menu and nutritional info. Another app was used for the Starbucks Card and displays scannable bar codes on cellphone screen to use for purchases. At Wikipedia Starbucks is actively participating to update the facts and next to them engaging social like minded Starbucks fans, they are active in their own corporate social responsibility program.

Get the Starbucks Barista Badge at Foursquare

Starbucks rewards frequent customers with the Barista Badge on social gaming app Foursquare and turned the rewards side of its experimental Foursquare loyalty program with the first-ever nationwide mayor special. Mayors of individual Starbucks stores can unlock the Mayor Offer and enjoy a money-saving perk for their frequent store checkins.

An overall social marketing strategy, being present throughout the social web where your fans and customers might be and engage them 365 days a year. By doing so they managed to get around 19.5 million Facebook likers, and already 1.250.000 Twitter followers. Just imagine you have to buy this presence offline…