Comments on: Social Network Analysis: Hype or Help?

By: Vikas

Vikas — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:05:07 +0000

Have you checked out http://www.keyhubs.com?

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:50:52 +0000

David, I will download the report, thanks for the link.
Regarding Obama, agree or not with his politics, from a marketing perspective, his 3+ year multi-channel and very complex campaign is one to be admired.

By: David

David — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:35:54 +0000

Have you seen this study on Obama and how he used social networks in his campaign? What do you think of it? http://www.yovia.com/

By: Vincent Granville

Vincent Granville — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:58:14 +0000

I’ve sent our anonymized member database (3,000 entries) to Sandro Saitta, he’s also a member of this community. Feel free to follow up with him.

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:30:14 +0000

Neil, sounds like some analysis is in order for your customer base! And I think you’re just the guy to do it!

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:07:38 +0000

Yikes, customers destroying value!
It sounds like a horror movie. We need to be looking out for these. They probably lurk in our customer base and we do not even know it. Well, I bet our customer support people know who they are.

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:41:53 +0000

NWGuy, I set up this scenario as a hypothetical situation, but in reality there are telco’s currently performing SNA. I liked your idea of adding device usage or other metrics to the mix as well.
Thanks for validating this discussion with your real world experience, and for adding your valuable comment.

By: NWGuy

NWGuy — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:34:41 +0000

Paul,
Great post! Having worked with data analysis/BI within the Carrier world this appears to be the Holy Grail. However we may be getting closer to having the tools and power to answer these type of questions.
There are additional factors that can come into play in this scenario. Mr Smith may be a younger customer that is just establishing his earning potential.
Don’t forget the value of the SNA when looking at items such as device usage or value-added services. There could be large potential for cross-marketing.
Thanks for another thought provoking post. It makes me wish to be embedded with this data again.

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:01:34 +0000

Valdis, I have downloaded your whitepaper and intend to read it. Thank you for lending your deep experience and case studies on the topic of SNA.

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:57:44 +0000

Neil, thanks for commenting. As you know, not all customers create value for enterprises, and unfortunately a minority end up destroying value. Identifying, segmenting and then acting upon such information can be a real difference maker in the lean years ahead of us!

By: Valdis Krebs

Valdis Krebs — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:27:59 +0000

Connected customers are usually more powerful than "isolated" customers, here is a true story... http://is.gd/3toE Other SNA projects in business... http://is.gd/75Nj Enjoy!

By: Neil Anuskiewicz

Neil Anuskiewicz — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 23:53:18 +0000

Great post, as usual, Paul. Fascinating.
I have to say that we almost never ask a customer to leave unless they are violating our Terms of Service.
That said, this sort of analysis you talk about could be used to figure who a company’s best customers are by taking into account more than just the revenue they generate. If some customers are well-connected but relatively small, they could be worth well more than the revenue they directly pay you. SNA introduces exciting new variables.

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:30:11 +0000

Tim, I appreciate that you’ve taken time from your busy day to comment. I liked your point about taking a holistic and extended view of customer relationships. As I mentioned in my post, the choice on whether to acquire, nuture or drop a particular customer is a very complex decision. It deserves a complete and thoughtful analysis in most instances.

By: Tim Marklein

Tim Marklein — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:03:14 +0000

Great post, Paul. We’re big believers in social network analysis as part of Weber Shandwick’s work with clients to drive Advocacy for their products, brands and ideas. It’s not the only measure, by any stretch, but it helps add critical dimensions to ensure a more holistic and extended view of an organization’s stakeholder relationships. It’s a good counter-balance to the “linear” view that dominates a lot of marketing, which assumes companies have a 1:1 relationship with their customers that is driven by direct marketing, advertising and other communication in isolation. The reality, of course, is that influence is multi-dimensional and can be impacted by many sources — whether they’re Advocates or badvocates or somewhere in between.

By: Paul Barsch

Paul Barsch — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:21:15 +0000

Lewis, thank you for commenting on this post, it’s appreciated!
I’ll express an opinion, so please take it as such, but it is my estimation that most marketers are intimidated by technology, when in fact they really shouldn’t be. Technology is one of the primary engines behind great customer experiences.
Social network analysis, for example, isn’t pie in the sky type of marketing analysis. It’s an active concept in very progressive companies that are trying to identify customers likely to churn. It also helps companies understand customer communities better, as well as identifying “influencers” or kingpins who could/should be targeted with key offers.

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:04:40 +0000

Paul,
Great analysis. When conducted properly, SNA is an invaluable predictor of customer behavior. In addition, when we apply the analysis to inbound channels, we can create great customer experiences, increase customer loyal, and enhance our offers so customers only hear about their wants and needs. Good stuff.
Why aren’t more marketers excited about this technology? It is a driver to excelling in social media and social networking, which we seem to rave about.