Have you seen the Wal-mart ghost on Facebook? Trying desperately to escape the cellophane package it’s trapped in?

(If not, see Rob Maguire’s post at The Dominion for picture and commentary).

There has been a lot of excellent commentary about Wal-mart’s venture into social media, but time and time again, they prove they just don’t get it. I’ve argued that social media is not just another channel for traditional marketing, and Wal-mart seems to prove this over and over with kludgy Facebook pages, failed social networks of their own, and a failure to address their criticism at a grassroots level.

What can Wal-mart do to revamp it’s strategy? It’s a long road, but here are a few ideas (no, even if approached, I wouldn’t consult for Wal-Mart - I’m not sucking up, just trying to illustrate a point. Oh. wait, the mortgage is coming due…  :)  )

1. Comment on the critical blogs.
   The social web is an excellent place to address criticism and make your side of the argument heard. But tread lightly.
   • Admit to mistakes (very, very hard to do, but you look humble and you open a dialogue instead of a diatribe).
   • Don’t get defensive or aggressive. Don’t allow your marketing people to write anything - it must come from the top levels of management; remember that this is a conversation with those who are in a position to make a difference.
   • Don’t let “spin” or “damage control” enter your mind. Be honest and open and genuine.
2. Revamp the Facebook strategy.
   Don’t promote - it’s too transparent. Treat us with a bit more dignity, please. If you *have* to use Facebook “to connect with your target audience” (markety-speak), make it social, make it interactive, make it fun. I’ll join becuase there’s something there for me, not to listen to you. Target is fun (with a bit of selling), Walmart is selling (with not much fun). There’s a reason Target has 14,000 members screaming that they love you and Walmart has 1200 members screaming that they hate you. Make something fun, like this from milk (I love this, have I mentioned that?).
3. Connect with your fans.
   Find the people that love you (not your staff), and get them talking about you. If enough fans talk about you loud enough, it’ll drown out the critics.
4. Don’t give people anything to criticize (well, that’s my own 2 cents).
   Honest and fair dealings. Quality for a good price. Be the company that everyone admires. Is goodwill more meaningful to you that good prices? Can you have both? I’m looking at you, Mountain Equipment Co-op…

Stop talking at me and start talking with me. There’s your SMM in a nutshell.

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