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Not every company needs to blog. There I said it. And ask anyone, I’m a big fan of blogging. Fact is, many times a blog just adds noise. If there’s one thing we don't need is more noise. (What we need is more value.) While not every company must blog, every company needs to listen.
And that means processes. But many of the clients, colleagues and prospects I’m speaking with are talking a lot about social media “programs”—like blogs, Wikis, Facebook and online videos--hardly anything about processes.
Yikes.
Why my concern? Because the true value proposition of social media for companies is that it gives them the ability to identify new markets, new opportunities, potential risks and needed improvements. And it gives them this ability on a silver platter--all of this rich information actively and freely circulating just waiting for smart marketers to do what they do best: turning rich market information into actionable marketing intelligence.
But the blogosphere can't give companies any of these benefits if they're not listening on a regular basis...that's where processes come into play. And telling companies they need to listen--while all well and good--is pretty darn nebulous. It's like telling companies they need to be good to their customers.
That's why we need to be telling companies what processes they need to instill and, more to the point, why they need to implement them. So here goes (I sure hope everyone's listening):
- Monitoring conversations. This cannot be a bot that merely generates results when your company name is cited. You need smart humans who understand what types of conversations are relevant to your current or future initiatives. And many times the important conversations won't even mention your company, but a competitor.
- Monitoring the space for new blogs, bloggers and brand advocates. I cannot stress this enough: do not only follow the so-called A-List blogs or big names in your industry or markets. Remember, fads and trends always start on the fringes and, only over time, make their way to the mainstream. Plus, you might be overlooking brand advocates simply because you're not paying attention (and they might be prime candidates for your Customer Advisory Board...another vital "listening" initiative).
- Assessing when companies should touch and when they should only look. This is a case-by-case, convo-by-convo basis if ever there was one. Sometimes it's important to voice-in on a conversation, debate or discussion. But many times it's better to let the market discuss while you listen and learn. Consumers want to be heard, but don't want to feel like companies are meddling or trying to control their opinions.
- Identifying opportunities to improve products/services, innovate new product categories and increase market share. It's best to view the blogosphere as a huge R&D think tank. Since the feedback is unbiased--save "pay for posts" or blatant attempts at getting company names mentioned--marketers are afforded a vast (and free!) research vehicle. But companies need smart researchers who understand what feedback, and patterns thereof, signal opportunities and gaps.
- Exploring the "next big thing" (...and then the next one). Discern hype from hope on new technologies, new applications, methodologies and buzzwords. Sometimes the next big thing is just the old thing wrapped in new words (this happens all the time), and other times these technologies are worth investing time and budget in.
- Scrutinizing marketing tactics. I'm a big fan of innovating but I'm also a fan of learning from others. Companies need to scrutinize new promotional programs and tactics, even ones that might not have been leveraged in their respective industry. Some blogger outreach programs have done well, others have failed miserably. Find out which and why and benchmark best practices from this information.
While these processes apply to all organizations, the way companies will implement them will vary. For some organizations these processes might be conducted by the marketing department. For others, these processes might be better suited for the research team. Or the company may already be spread too thin, or lack the needed competencies, and need to hire new professionals or retain a service provider.
But ultimately the responsibility rests with marketing. Because information is just that. The payoff--and the reason companies need processes--is to move from information to intelligence.
So the rule of thumb is: If you want to lead in this space, you'll do so by listening, and that means processes first, programs thereafter. Remember, your markets are holding you accountable for the implications of their conversations...whether you're listening or not.
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Comments
Okay... I admit it. I'm tired of talking and hearing about blogs.
I get that they're a fad right now. But blogs are a merely a single tool in our marketing tool belts.
The point of your post is to find ways to get feedback and truly hear your customers. A blog *may* be the way to do that.... maybe, perhaps. But if that's not the right tool to engage your customers - it's not the right tool.
Nice post, CK.
Posted by: Paul Williams | 11.01.07
"Remember, your markets are holding you accountable for the implications of their conversations...whether you're listening or not."
It amazes me how many people fight this realization tooth and nail.
Great post.
Posted by: Cam Beck | 11.01.07
@Paul: Many thanks. I do find blogging a trend (it's a tool supporting the trend of two-way communications and a bottom-up driven marketplace). And I'm a proponent of blogging as it's brought me success. But for companies, the most important information and exchanges thereof won't occur on their blog....these will occur out in the market (on other blogs).
It really confounds me that more co's aren't implementing processes around this research (save maybe checking keyword searches). When our markets talk, we're supposed to listen. And then capitalize upon that intelligence--be that through better serving them or spotting new ways to innovate, etc.
Posted by: CK | 11.01.07
Really surprised to hear that Blogs are being considerd a FAD. The internet was perceived as such and don't need to say anything else about that. The media shift is not a minor passing event it is a monumental permanent change. Listening is important but I for one will rcpect major corps to "participte" not just behave like creepy peeping toms.
Posted by: Christina Tierney | 11.01.07
Thanks Christina (great name ;-). Just to be clear, I don't consider blogging or social media as a fad. I find it so important that it should--first and foremost--be integrated into core processes (not just programs).
Instituting processes actually symbolizes permanence. That's why I want all co's to commit to them--too many are missing the opportunities and needed improvements reflected in these online conversations. Sometimes it's because they're not taking the medium seriously...other times they're too focused on programs to do the foundational work of processes first.
Posted by: CK | 11.01.07
btw, I like your use of "creepy" (I use it). I find it far creepier when a pesky marketer (or publicist) interrupts my debates and discussions on a product to give me a sound bite (read: product promo).
How could I ever trust that when I'm talking car purchases that a comment from a rep from Saturn really has my best interests at heart? See? But, say I'm talking Saturn's new ad campaign and the marketing director chimes in to answer questions...that I appreciate.
That's why I mentioned the process of "when to look and when to touch" when it comes to online conversations. It's a convo-by-convo basis.
Posted by: CK | 11.01.07
CK, I like the idea of a Customer Advisory Board as a key way to "listen" and receive real-world feedback.
Do you have examples of organizations that have used these boards successfully?
Posted by: Gwyneth Dwyer | 11.01.07
@Gwyneth: CABs rock...and are rare. I have two colleagues (one in Belgium, one in CA) that have colleagues working with them. And I 'believe' several other companies do use them, we just don't know about them.
Most companies, it seems, only employ focus groups ;-(.
If you'll email me I can put you in touch with those colleagues and I will write a post on Cust. Advisory Boards soon to better explain (1) exactly how I think they should work, (2) how to recruit the customers, and (3)how to maintain them so they stay strong. I'm nudging my clients about them, too, and hope if they instill them, they'll let me write about it. My email is right at my blog (http://www.ck-blog.com).
Posted by: CK | 11.01.07
CK,
Great post. I agree, not every company should blog. In fact, imagine if every company did have a blog, I'm afraid that many would ruin it for the rest of us - posts would be reduced to monologue ramblings of product features. Yeah, it best to leave blogs to those that care about listening and learning.
Posted by: Bill Gammell | 11.01.07
Companies that listen make me a happier consumer. Retailers, in particular, seem to be poor at listening because they don't provide a way to collect and process the information customers pass on to employees in stores. Some catalog merchandisers record feedback and use it, but many others do not.
Companies don't need customer advisory boards or blogs or forums or focus groups if they find a way to collect, sort and evaluate feedback. As pointed out in the post, companies need processes.
Don't confuse process with technology.
Use the new social networking opportunites, but don't overlook the value of an intelligent, observant employee on the front lines.
In addition, watch competing products for hints about product flaws.
Consider the example of all those brushes and other products designed to remove lint from inside clothes dryers. How many dryers are sold with a brush or similar accessory to clean out the lint?
How many dryer manufacturers have figured out a way to create a hinged door in the sheet metal on the front of the dryer so the homeowner can vacuum out the inside, which would remove the residual lint faster and more effectively?
Find a way to make the lint trap capture all the lint, or find an easier way to clean out the lint -- or both.
Posted by: Barbara Phillips Long | 11.01.07
@Thanks Barbara. "Use the new social networking opportunites, but don't overlook the value of an intelligent, observant employee on the front lines."
Agree, monitoring online feedback is in addition to existing processes.
Posted by: CK | 11.01.07
Great post - a much needed reminder for a community that sees blogging as a panacea for all unpleasant consumer feedback.
In addition to everything else that's been discussed, there's another reason not to blog: Consistency.
A blog that's rarely updated, or whose updates read like afterthoughts does way more harm than good.
Posted by: Tangerine Toad | 11.02.07