tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post2377950661040796369..comments2024-03-20T11:22:09.369-04:00Comments on Flooring The Consumer: Social Media Series: Mack Collier on Bridging New & OldCB Whittemorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-49617731864397925512008-12-08T09:50:00.000-05:002008-12-08T09:50:00.000-05:00Becky, Isn't it interesting how much more importan...Becky, <BR/><BR/>Isn't it interesting how much more important is it for businesses and brands to be able to share their 'humanity?' We distrust monolithic organizations. However, when the individuals from an organization come through and express themselves, we are then able and willing to interact on a totally new level.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for adding your voice. You rock, too!CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-10398884738254947172008-12-06T11:33:00.000-05:002008-12-06T11:33:00.000-05:00CB, how nice to see this photo from the Marketing ...CB, how nice to see this photo from the Marketing Profs Digital Marketing Mixer - thanks for including me in it! :)<BR/><BR/>I wholeheartedly agree with Mack (and I often do, he's so smart) with respect to using social media only if we can use it to add more value to our customers. Customers don't want to join a brand's Facebook group in order to get "sold to". They join in to affiliate with that brand and to hopefully connect with them.<BR/><BR/>If brands and others can use social media as a way to bring a more human face to their interactions, then I believe value WILL be added to customers as real dialogue is created.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the conversation, Mack and CB. You guys rock!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-24326889991392379932008-12-05T20:29:00.000-05:002008-12-05T20:29:00.000-05:00Mack, thank you so much for participating and for ...Mack, thank you so much for participating and for adding as much insight to this discussion.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-30915643733261304312008-12-05T20:28:00.000-05:002008-12-05T20:28:00.000-05:00Jonathan, I'm so sorry to hear that. I like your ...Jonathan, I'm so sorry to hear that. <BR/><BR/>I like your thoughts about positioning social media as a means of emerging faster out of slower economic times - depending on the quality of the effort, of course. Social media is not a quick solution. Rather, it's a slow build over time that allows you to connect with a qualified audience - ie one that is interested in what you have to say - assuming you provide constant, consistent, relevant and authentic value to them.<BR/><BR/>Assuming all of that, it's amazing when you start noticing that visitors go from your blog, say, to your website spending far more time there than those coming in through other avenues.<BR/><BR/>Then, you know you are providing value.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-58444528491414585642008-12-05T16:28:00.000-05:002008-12-05T16:28:00.000-05:00CB thanks for letting me do this and thanks for th...CB thanks for letting me do this and thanks for the comments everyone! Jonathan I think your points are valid and I think it goes back to the company's attitude toward the space, as you touched on. If you explain how 'social media can help you better connect, communicate with, and understand your customers', some companies will light up because they will understand why that's so significant.<BR/><BR/>Others will go 'Yeah but, can we make money at this stuff?'. The former group will understand that the money will come as a BYPRODUCT of the connections (if done smartly), while the latter group just wants to get paid.Mack Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02723628321171539590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-68249747598544764132008-12-05T13:31:00.000-05:002008-12-05T13:31:00.000-05:00I don't know, C. B. Yesterday was a bad day. Los...I don't know, C. B. Yesterday was a bad day. Lost a client. Redefining ROI didn't work. :( Boo. Hiss. :)<BR/><BR/>To Mack's point. A play on semantics that he nails perfectly. If companies realize that social media is a relatively inexpensive way to create customer value and thus, increase revenue, then it could easily be a winner. But if companies view social media as being a "cheap" way of monetizing, then the effort may be doomed from the start.<BR/><BR/>My guess is that many companies - especially during a recession - think immediate ROI first. That's often shortsighted, but it's likely to be more common now than it was a few months ago.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps a way we can position what we do is to show that we can help companies come out of slow economic times faster than their competitors. Creative value creates loyalty and appreciation. When customers have future money to spend, they'll think of our clients first. That's one way.Jonathan Trennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994507862386461800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-62328430187535529622008-12-04T14:33:00.000-05:002008-12-04T14:33:00.000-05:00Jonathan, aren't we are all guilty of instances of...Jonathan, aren't we are all guilty of instances of groupthink? I see it as another facet of the curse of knowledge... The trick is being aware and remembering to bring in other perspectives [easier said than done].<BR/><BR/>I'm intrigued with your observation about greater pressure to extract value/demonstrate ROI given a recession. As social media strategists, we need to demonstrate positive ROI - but don't we also have the opportunity to broaden the definition of ROI? As Mack mentions, most companies consider social media a *cheap* way to reach customers. So, if the investment is low, and we are providing truly valuable content that meets the needs of our customers, we will hear about it from our customers. Which gives us a tangible return on that investment.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for being a part of this conversation.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-64873948747848689792008-12-04T14:01:00.000-05:002008-12-04T14:01:00.000-05:00Doug, good point about automating reputation manag...Doug, good point about automating reputation management. Thanks for contributing to this discussion.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-42757277446797885962008-12-04T14:00:00.000-05:002008-12-04T14:00:00.000-05:00Thank you, Ann. Mack is a true gem.I agree with y...Thank you, Ann. Mack is a true gem.<BR/><BR/>I agree with your point about marketing now being about the value efforts create for customers. 'Content' is absolutely part/parcel of value creation as Joe Pulizzi described in today's MProfs webinar on content marketing.<BR/><BR/>The mindset shift can be a tough one, but an extremely powerful one as Mack notes.<BR/>I see that approach as being a critical aspect of establishing relevant relationships with customers.CB Whittemorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03737846177421292411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-65609576040474274072008-12-04T12:54:00.000-05:002008-12-04T12:54:00.000-05:00Regarding Groupthink, I fully agree...even though ...Regarding Groupthink, I fully agree...even though I, um, am guilty of being part of that.<BR/><BR/>One part that I agree with in principle but have a slightly different view is in the last paragraph. The primary part must be the 'what value will our efforts create for our customers?'aspect. Otherwise, it really isn't social media. But I think the second part 'what value can we extract from this space?' still plays a major role, especially in this recession. I remember back in the 2001-02 recession, companies were kicking the idea of strategy out the window and they wanted tangible ROI right NOW. We as social media strategists need to be able to show some positive ROI.<BR/><BR/>That's not to imply that Mack didn't say the opposite. Sometimes I think a problem we face is that many clients misused social media by doing the exact things that Mack warns against, clouding any ROI that could be had.Jonathan Trennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07994507862386461800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-20804969978291831482008-12-04T10:45:00.000-05:002008-12-04T10:45:00.000-05:00Mack is a great leader in the social media marketi...Mack is a great leader in the social media marketing community. Great interview and great advice! Much of the reputation management information can be automated as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30346489.post-68954116976204019192008-12-04T09:35:00.000-05:002008-12-04T09:35:00.000-05:00Nice interview with one of my favorite people, CB....Nice interview with one of my favorite people, CB.<BR/><BR/>Mack's observation that Social Media requires a shift of mindset -- from "sell more stuff" to "what value will our efforts create for our customers?" -- applies to "new" marketing generally, and not just to social media efforts. It seems to me that the smartest marketers these days are finding ways to help their customers, to give them information to help them in their lives and jobs, via all kinds of "content." What do you see?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com