MAD Perspectives Blog

I've been traveling for business and pleasure for the past 2 weeks.  It was a great trip and I reconnected with former colleagues and made new connections.  As I was preparing for a social media workshop with Ivory Europe, an independent strategic communications and experiential agency, and some of their marquee clients I used the internet and social media platforms to gain insight about these clients.  My goal was to facilitate an engaging, interactive discussion about corporate use of social media.

Preparing some slides to guide our conversation was the easy part. Understanding how the participants (a combination of Ivory employees, PR firms representing financial services companies, public sector marketing and employees from leading social media companies) would engage was the challenge. Ivory Europe was kind enough to give me advance notice as to the identities of the possible attendees.  I checked out their company websites to see if they had integrated social networks into their websites. I was surprised to find that only 50% of the sites reflected any kind of social media. I also looked up the individuals on LinkedIn. (Yes, all of them are on LinkedIn). Based on their profiles, I was able to quickly understand who they were, how active they were in using social media and how their backgrounds might influence their participation. Interestingly, there was an intriguing mix of journalism and military service in their prior experiences. 

What did I take away from gaining this insight?  I felt that this was a group of people who understood the value of communicating, but who also would crave structure around the process.
This group was a great audience for me as I constantly emphasize the importance of planning.  I believe in the power of relevant communication.  And let me emphasize the word relevant.  We discussed how and why businesses are using social media, how they get started, where we think it is all going and why certain platforms make more sense for some businesses versus others (see my previous blogs for how to get started and aligning your use of the various platforms).  Our key takeaways from this 5 hour session were:

     1. Planning is critical as it helps to align strategy with business goals
     2. Understanding your brand and its voice is critical for a successful campaign 
     3. Content can be re-purposed, but it must be aligned to audience and goals
     4. Consistency is important to building a following
     5. Listening is the easiest way to get started (and it's addictive!)
     6. Human resource is the biggest obstacle.  There was a clear understanding that being social takes time and finding the right resources within your business to represent your firm is very important.

Depending on the. nature of your business, your implementation of social media will vary.  Whether you are a start-up with an exit strategy to be acquired or a government agency reinforcing policy or an established enterprise planning for a new product launch - social media is an expected element of your integrated marketing strategy. Learning from others and brainstorming internally can lead to a plan that achieves great results. Seek help where you need it (possibly in the planning stage), align resources (make sure they understand your brand and your goals) and get started!

What's your perspective?

Where do you socialize?   At home?  When you're out with friends, family or colleagues.  Do you socialize at the office?  Yes - we all socialize everywhere and the social networks understand this.  While they started as online platforms accessible primarily at home, they are increasingly accessed via mobile devices such as IPads or Smartphones. 

In the B2B world, we've been addicted to voicemail, then email.  In our desire to stay connected (or should I say competitive), is social networking the next business addiction?

I've been reading articles about John Doerr's most recent investment strategy at Kleiner Perkins (the Silicon Valley venture capital firm) focused on Social-Location-Mobile. It got me thinking about B2B social media and mobility. After all,

- 72% of the workforce is mobile.
- 64% of corporate decision makers are checking email on their mobile device.
- 70% of mobile users say that their cell phone is their primary communication channel.
- 72.5M smartphone users in the U.S.

Every leading social network (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, WordPress) has an app for iPhone and Android. Why? Each of these networks recognizes that we, the consumer or business owner, craves connectivity - wherever we are. In fact, as social media and the related social networks have become a pervasive part of our lives, we can now find others near us or invite colleagues to join us at a defined location.

It has been said that while social media allows us to make the connection, mobile apps ensure that we remain connected. From 2009 to 2010, there was a 240% surge in mobile social networking (Comscore MobiLens April 2010). For B2B users, the potential lies in making enterprise apps available for sales personnel. These teams are on the go - that's their job. How could mobile social networking help?

- sales managers stay in contact with their teams
- easy access to fast moving industry news about their customers and competitors
- sales on-demand supply chain updates to fulfill customer demands
- reminders from or updates to CRM systems

There is much buzz around Location Based Services.  In my opinion, it is still unclear how beneficial location based services will be for B2B. Companies have trialed location programs at conferences and exhibitions with mixed results.  With social networks evolving around location (FourSquare) or enabling location (Facebook) users are "checking in" and catching up with friends.  However, most sales people are not comfortable revealing their location due to competitive concerns.

Are you using social networking on the go? I post updates to my personal Facebook, I have 'checked in' occasionally.  For business, I am tied to LinkedIn and login throughout the day to check trending news amongst my contacts and group.  I'll be travelling in the UK for the next two weeks and I will definitely be accessing social media from my smartphone!

What's your perspective?

As part of our ongoing committment to sharing fresh content about B2B use of social media, today we are releasing a new case study!  We enjoyed a 6 week blog series with Taylor O'Brien, discussing the unique and necessary alignment of brand and social media.  

Taylor O’Brien (TO’B) is a creative consultancy providing brand and business inspiration to a wide variety of clients across multiple industry sectors and geographies.  Headquartered in Manchester, England, TO’B is uniquely focused on strategically developing brand messaging that is directly aligned with business strategy.  Projects have ranged from expanding brands into global markets, evolving the business conversation to drive increased sales, invigorating a heritage brand for future markets and creating brand inspiration.

Taylor O’Brien has recently added clarity to its brand and positioning.  With an updated website and initial foray into social media, TO’B is expanding its online reach and sharing best practices with current and future clients.  TO'B has been gracious to share their thoughts on their use of social media.

Learn more about Taylor O'Brien's use of social media, by signing up for MAD Content, here.

What's your perspective?

As I work with clients to help them understand social media, the first question they ask is "What is it going to cost?".  This is a fair question as the economy slooooowly moves forward.  The question of ROI is increasing rearing its ugly head, yet social media has a more tangible ROI than much traditional marketing.  That said, let's focus on the core question.  What does social media cost?

There is no standard answer, although almost everyone will tell you that "it depends".  The cost is dependent on your goals for using social media.  Who is your audience and market?  What kind of information are you sharing, or more importantly, what information do they want?  Do you have in house resources who can dedicate time to your social media plan and tactics?  Or do you need to hire outside resources?  have you assessed your content needs?  Do you have the time and resource to adapt existing content?  Do you have a commitment to developing new content?  How many social media networks will you utilize?  How will you manage these networks?

I'm not trying to scare you off!  I'm just trying to help you be realistic about the cost.  The cost is intricately tied to taking the time to define a plan, which will help you understand your current capabilities while identifying gaps that will impact the success of you social media strategy.  The cost is tied to human resource.  They may be your headcount or those of your social media consultancy (or PR firm, since many of them are expanding their services to include social media).

However, you still want to know what others are spending!  My thanks to the Altimeter Group and their commitment to open research (this means its FREE!).  Their report, How Corporations Should Prioritize Social Business Budgets, contains great recommendations and insight based on interviews with social strategists.  here are a few highlights:


The budget is not as uniquely tied to company size as it is related to the maturity of the company's social media plan and structure.  As maturity increases, the company actively aligns its resources into a more structured model.  Altimeter recommends a hub and spoke model where companies become more proactive, less reactive, with guidance for all employee social media participants comes from the hub.


Companies start their social media efforts with a focus on their website.  This makes sense despite the ongoing argument that social media networks will replace the need for a website.  I passionately disagree with this position and feel that your company's website is the core element of your overall marketing strategy.  Your website can consolidate more volumes and types of content than any social network.  That said, you can increase web traffic and highlight events (e.g., conferences, product launches, whitepapers, webinars, blogs) and other very important information very effectively using social media.  You've invested in SEO, don't arbitrarily send your hard earned audience to social sites by simply integrating community platform (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) badges on your homepage.  Consider how to bring your social community interaction to your website - where your audience can find the information they really need.



As expected, community platforms are the biggest investment.  These platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) are where customer interaction is taking place.  This is where the conversations are happening, so it is no surprise that the initial investment of time and money is focused in this area.  This focus reinforces the desire to understand what your customers are saying - and why.  With investments already made in brand monitoring, it is critical to own community platforms where customer needs can be addressed in real time.

There is a cost so social media.  There is also a cost to not participating in social media.  There is an expectation by your customers that you will be social.  You can determine what types of social media activity work best for your company and your brand.   Consider the questions posed earlier in this blog and think about how social media can enhance your interactions with your customers.  Isn't it worth the investment?

What's your perspective?

Welcome to the final blog post in our six week blog series on Brand and Social Media, with UK brand agency, Taylor O'Brien.  We've learned a lot and hope that you have too!

One of the primary reasons for corporate adoption of social media is to expand the reach and awareness of their brand.  Our series on brand and social media has shared insight on the definition of brand and social media, understanding the importance of a cohesive brand strategy that incorporates social media, and the value of your corporate identity.  As companies consider which social media platforms to utilize, they need to keep identity, voice and customer in mind.

The big 5 social media networks: Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube can help increase market awareness, but they can also create unexpected challenges.  As you consider how your brand incorporates social media into its strategy, keep the following thoughts in mind. 

     - Are my customers using this platform?   Each network's demographics are shifting as adoption increases.  Which social media channel maps to your desired demographics and what kind of information does your demographic desire?

•      - What kind of content best represents my brand and does the platform support that content?  Each social network was created with a different intent.  Understand these intents and aligning it with your brand strategy is critical to achieving social media success.

•      - Is it worth the effort?  What are you goals for using social media?  Understanding that it takes time to build your audience, are you committed to the effort?

Welcome to week 5 of our 6 week brand and social media series delivered in cooperation with Taylor OBrien!
   

Do you recognize this brand?

by:  Christina Brusendorff

 

So far in this branding and social media series we have discussed and outlined the concept of ‘brand’, brand strategy, social media and the role which social media has within the branding arena as well as given tips on how to approach it.

This penultimate post will focus on tying up the series from a branding perspective as much as is possible - plenty more could be said about the thriving world of branding. However, the aim of this series was to bring a clear and concise initial introduction to branding and social media so it’ll finish by presenting the concept of corporate identity.

Corporate identity is the personality of the business reflecting its culture and values. It’s what makes it individual and at times gives it its competitive edge.

To determine which aspects of the identity to emphasize through the brand, strategically match the business’ strengths with the needs of the market and external environment to discover the business’ unique selling point(s). Assess a business’ current values, its history and heritage as well as its future. Like a person, a business will grow and develop its identity and story.

In most businesses this identity is represented visually, vocally and experientially through the brand – hence why it is sometime termed brand identity. A brand provides you with the tools necessary to communicate this persona whether through tone of voice or engaging designs.

We previously talked about how a brand which is aligned with business strategy drives not just profit and market share but also influences and inspires a company’s work force. It does this by creating a clear vision and identity for the business which is often summarized in what is formally known as brand guidelines.

Such a document will outline what the brand stands for, its vision and identity but more specifically it states the rules about what the brand looks and sounds like. While these documents are important, and crucial to creating a consistent brand persona, corporate or brand identity is more than a simple document.

It is the essence of the business, what makes it individual as well as relatable.

From a communications point of view it is a tool which helps a business tell its story, express its personality and makes it recognizable.

Brands such as Orange, Coca-Cola or Apple are instantly recognizable through their look, feel and tone of voice. All brands should aspire to achieve such a level of recognition and consistency across their touch points and communication channels whether this be offline or online.
 

From a social media perspective brand consistency, recognition and personality will make a business stand out. The viral nature of this tool also means that great design as well as informative, engaging and entertaining messages will be shared.

Building a strong internal corporate identity through the creation of an inspiring brand will not only lead the business but will also develop and clarify its proposition externally.

Great brands possess a compelling truth, a vibrant identity and a powerful promise.

Do you know yours?

This is the fourth blog in our 6 week series, with our colleagues from Taylor O'Brien, on branding and social media. 

Your brand strategy has a unique vision and identity.  You identified this strategy by aligning your brand with your business goals, accounting for both cultural identity and customer knowledge.  As you define a social media plan to support your brand strategy, don’t forget that social media is a means of communication.  It brings with it a high degree of immediacy and interactivity.  It allows you to communicate more directly with your customers.

Social media reinforces a need to be responsible, understandable, reliable and genuine.  This is why a social media plan is so important.  You are serving your customers with the information and content they need.  Here are 6 key components of social media plan that supports your brand.

1. Objectives – What do you want to achieve and how will social media help you fulfill those goals?  How are these objectives related to your business strategy? Are they focused on sales, market awareness, customer service or other core business topics? Defining objectives will help you determine what content is needed and which social platforms to use. 
2. Customers – Who are they?  Where are they?  What content do they need or want?  Depending on your customers role (i.e., buyer, influencer, executive, technologist) they will crave different types of content.  Any plan must consider the customer’s need and supply the content needed to the relevant platform and device. 
3. Integrate – How will social media support or expand your overall marketing strategy?  Social media is not a stand alone marketing effort.  It must be aligned with other online and offline activities.  An integrated plan will identify resources (people, content and time) needed to achieve your objectives.   Social media can draw attention to events, reinforce messaging, personalize your brand, capture customer insight or input, create stronger customer bonds, manage your reputation and drive sales.  Social media, perhaps more than other forms of marketing, becomes your online voice.  It must reflect your brand and your culture. 
4. Metrics – How will you measure success of your social media strategy?  All other aspects of your marketing plan have goals and metrics – social media is no different.  Your metrics must support your objectives and can also be tied to your overall marketing plan.  Early stage metrics are usually related to followers and web traffic.  Later stage metrics can include measures of influence, leads, sales, product development or support.
5. Policy – Who will engage in your brand’s social media efforts?  How will they engage?  A policy can be considered the “rules of engagement”.  It is your opportunity to remind employees on how you want to represent your brand.  It is also the means of communicating your goals for social media.  A critical element of any plan or policy is to determine how your brand will address negative comments.  They are bound to occur and it is important to establish guidelines to help your social media constituents understand how to address them.
6. Engage! – Most importantly interact, share, communicate and respond!  Social media is a customer engagement medium.  Be informative and be informed!

Social Media has the ability to expand and personalize your brand in ways not previously available.  It is an opportunity for all brands, be they consumer or business centric, to communicate frequently and openly.  It is also an opportunity for customers to express their likes or dislikes.  Be prepared for both the positive and the negative.  Understand your brand voice, align your social media efforts with your brand strategy, educate your employees on your goals and engage with your customers like never before!

What’s your perspective?

This week we continue our Brand and Social Media series, with our colleagues at Taylor O'Brien, with a disucssuion about aligning your social efforts with your brand.

by Christina Brusendorff

Brands have become an integral part of business from both and external and internal business perspectives. We discussed how consistently delivered, relatable brands have an intrinsic link to business performance. Accessing this value is dependent on brand strategy being aligned with business strategy.

In broad terms this fundamental aspect of branding ensures that the brand promise is grounded in the strengths of a business, reflects the vision and the direction of it and supports business objectives.

A clear and aligned brand strategy clarifies, communicates and enforces the vision, key messages and identity externally as well as internally.  From a corporate branding perspective a truly aligned brand allows a business to more easily create a competitive employer brand, attracting not only the best talent but also the best suited candidates.  These brand strengths also allow a business to more easily engage its work force, build commitment and create brand advocates.  This in turn helps create a more consistent service and fell throughout the business that will help improve its performance and drive revenue.

The marketing mix through which a brand chooses to communicate and engage with their target audiences is diverse and continually fragmenting.  In such an environment brand strategy becomes increasingly important with brands needing to take an integrated approach to communication.  This involves employing diverse channels well aligned to the message, the audience and the brand.

From TV advertising to social media, serious thought needs to be given to the combination of platforms used, how these suite and complement each other, what is communicated, how consumers are engaged through these and, most importantly, what is the ROI (whether financial or attributed to some other value).

This applies to external B2B and B2C communication; Facebook deals, billboards, Twitter and to internal communications; emails, intranets, blogs, posters, events, induction programmes.  But all of them, whether online or offline communication, need to be integrated; cross-promoting and reiterating the core brand.

We believe that success is created by aligning brand business and communications strategy.

What is your perspective?

Christina is an Account Executive at Taylor O’Brien, a creative consultancy based in Manchester.  With a Masters in marketing and a passion for branding and business, Christina builds and inspires brands across a wide variety of industry sectors.

This week we continue our Brand and Social Media series with a disucssuion about aligning your social efforts with your brand.

With all the hype about social media, we may have forgotten that any social media marketing efforts must be aligned with your brand! When leveraging the myriad of social media outlets, it is important to keep the core tenants of your brand in mind. Social media provides you with additional channels through which you can communicate and interact with your target audience. Social media allows your message to be broadcast and shared widely, globally and freely.

With this openness in mind, what do you need to consider when establishing your social media strategy – particularly as it relates to your brand? First, don’t forget what your brand is.  We reviewed this  last week.  Remember, your brand is a promise. Your use of social media should reinforce that promise and provide a level of transparency and authenticity that invites engagement from your target markets. How can social media help?

Social media platforms should visually and contextually reflect your brand.  Consistency of logo, color and voice are important. Of these three, voice is the most critical.  What is the voice of your brand?  Are you fun, knowledgeable, edgy, caring, geeky, innovative. Understanding your voice should drive how you communicate via your social channels. For example, if you are innovative, your social communications should provide insight to market trends that your company is addressing, share your opinions on the impact of these trends and how your company will act to influence a shift in the market.

Now that you’ve aligned your social efforts with your brand and discovered your voice, it’s time to ENGAGE! Do I need to ask why you want to interact with your customers? Engagement with your customers WILL lead to business. It will lead to greater knowledge about what your customers and prospects are thinking and saying about your brand. It will help you become proactive instead of reactive. As you engage, remember what your brand stands for and provide consistency in terms of voice and topic. While it may be fun to share your thoughts on random topics, you are socializing on behalf of your brand. Your tweets, Facebook posts, Slideshare presentations or YouTube videos should be relevant to your brand, your company, your products or your industry.

Just in case you are still wondering why you should consider social media as a key aspect of your brand strategy, check out these data points from Forrester Research and Business Week:

Your brand is your calling card.  Social Media must reinforce your brand. Think about your brand and your voice before you engage – but definitely ENGAGE!