When people say social media do not really work, I often tell them it’s up to every individual to make it work for his/her purposes. Technology was made for man. Not the other way round.

Nigeria’s former Federal Capital Territory minister, Nasir El Rufai’s smart use of popular social media to cost-effectively boost marketing and sales of his new book (“Accidental Public Servant”) is something many appear to have missed.

This article highlights useful lessons even the most accomplished social media practitioners can learn, from what El Rufai has done…and continues to do.

NB: I do not do flattery. Neither do I seek cheap publicity. When you’re done reading this piece, I’m certain you’ll see that the points I’ve made are valid.

Celebrities Can Make Financially Rewarding Use of Social Media – Without Looking Bad

I’ve often wondered about our celebrities and public figures, regarding their use of popular social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter especially. I mean musicians, actors, serving public officers, TV/radio personalities, and so on.

Many of the above mentioned have a large number of followers. But few can claim to have achieved the kinds of results El Rufai is currently getting via his Facebook posts and Twitter status updates .

I know they are not into business directly. But I argue that making the most of such followership can be quite worthwhile. You need not make it your life focus, but if/when the need arises, you should be able to use it to achieve your goal(s) faster.

Ironically, if you were to do this, your followers, rather than be offended, are most likely to welcome such efforts.

Nasir El-Rufai’s Ingenious Social Media Based Book Selling Campaign Strategy

El Rufai apparently understands all of the above quite clearly.

I elaborate…

1. Subtly Creating Anticipation Amongst Buyers

Recently, his long awaited book “Accidental Public Servant”, finally got launched.

Unlike what happens with others who’ve been in government, I did not hear that any big politician or public office holder bought copies of the book at the launching, for millions of naira.

Instead, leading up to that date, El Rufai who had spent months periodically talking up the book and its planned launching, actively announced the firmed up dates and outlets.

It is difficult to say whether the previous launch date postponements were inadvertent, or deliberately designed to raise anticipation and curiousity in the minds of the public.

Either way, the delayed release of the book served a powerful pre-marketing purpose. People were huingry to read the book before it arrived.

And when eventuially it hit the stands, El Rufai once again leveraged his social media clout. He actively shared comments, opinions and reviews done by others about the book.

Considering the dignified status of some of those who gave mostly positive reviews of the book, it goes without saying that more people would have been enticed to get copies for themselves.

2. Using Personal Branding To Inspire Purchases

El Rufai showed savvy when he announced via Twitter and Facebook that he would autograph purchased copies of his book for any interested buyers.

That drew the interest of many followers and others. “Imagine having a copy of the book personally signed by mallam himself, to show people?” they must have told themselves!

3. Courting Controversy In/With Style

Then there was the use of controversy to great effect. Each time he said something that could ruffle the feathers of those he criticized, they almost never let it pass without a sensational rejoinder of some sort.

Again, El Rufai simply retweeted and shared same to his followers, who did the same within their networks.

The multiplier effect was far reaching. Considering also that his book contained all sorts of unprecedented insider revelations, the attraction it holds for average Nigerians living at home and abroad can be appreciated.

So much buzz has been generated. And the word of mouth accounts have only served to feed the frenzy.

Virtually everyone who read or heard about the book’s excerpts suddenly wanted to own a copy.

Few spoke about borrowing or photocopying it. Even fewer asked to get it free. And these were the same people – Nigerians I mean – with a reputation for being averse to reading!

What’s more, El Rufai’s book is far from being a short read – and at approximately N5,000 to N9,000 (depending on physical print format) it cannot be said to be cheap, by Nigerian standards.

Yet Nigerians ask him daily on Twitter and Facebook:

“Mallam, I must read your book. Where can I buy it…?”.

And those who’ve read (or are still reading) it return to post or tweet:

“You did a good job in the book” etc.

Of course there have been those with negative feedback to give him. What is however surprising and certainly noteworthy is that he did so well in his social media marketing that even those who dislike him bought the book, then sent him their (expectedly) negative feedback after reading it!

One of them even wrote to say:

“I don’t like you, but I wish you quick recovery”.

This was after apparently reading that the mallam had undergone an operation and was recuperating!

A Marketing Model Worth Studying & Adopting

Isn’t it just amazing how this man has used social media to capture the attention and interest of such a naturally distracted group of people like Nigerians?

I actually find it to be quite a fascinating phenomenon!

It’s a model worthy of further study and possible emulation by other public officers currently in office, and even those no longer in service.

I further suggest public figures and celebrities interested in monetizing their social media presence, take pains to study El Rufai’s model (and possibly contact him for tips): seriously!

Final Words: Selling Smarter By Creating “Top of Mind Awareness”

I know some Nigerian celebrities already sell on social media. But the way El Rufai is doing it really stands out.

Most others are doing direct selling. They announce sales or events while simultaneously sharing fun stuff. For instance, some comedians have a tested and proven Facebook marketing model that apparently seems to have worked well for them.

El Rufai’s approach however is more subtle, and packs greater marketing punch, with longer lasting effects.

And it tends to be driven not by him, but by his target audience. They end up being the ones asking for it. He does very little telling, selling or showing. Quite often, he’s only responding to the enquiries.

And that’s because he’s successfully used his pre-marketing to create “Top of Mind Awareness” about the product he wants them to buy.

Everything about him draws their thoughts to his product, because he’s so closely connected to the topical socio-political issues on people’s minds.

El Rufai has played his cards just right, and now, his carefully orchestrated social media book marketing system continues to sell him and his book, even while he sleeps.

He’s certainly not like many past public office holders who keep thinking of ways to work themselves back into office to get more money.

This man seems headed for a life of quiet comfort based (at least in part) on passive income streams from sales of his book to enthusiastic (possibly frantic) buyers in Nigeria and the diaspora!

On a final note, El Rufai could not have done all this by himself.

He must have reliable access to some smart minds who helped put up – and possibly maintain – what we all see everyday. The books – print and electronic. The status updates etc.

To those silent contributors who helped create this impressive success story, one must say “Great Job – and more grease to your elbows!”