Leading by (simply) Listening
Not ey company ns blog. There it. anyone, I’m fan blogging. is, times blog adds noise. there’s tg don't of, it’s noise (What value.) company mt blog, company ns listening.
And means processes.
Many clients, colleagues prospects I’m speaking talking lot social media “programs”—like blogs, microblogs, wikis, social networking sites online videos—yet hardly ag processes.
Yikes.
Why concern? true value proposition social media companies tt gs ability identify markets, opportunities, potential risks improvements. ts ability silver platter. rich information actively freely circulating jt waiting smart marketers ty best: rich market information io actionable marketing intelligence.
But blogosphere can't ge companies benefits they're listening regular basis...and that's we processes ce play. telling companies ty listen--while wl good--is pretty darn nebulous. It's le telling companies ty nd tr customers.
That's nd telling companies wt processes nd instill and, point, implement them. goes (I se hope everyone's listening):
Monitoring conversations Ts ct bot tt merely generates results wn company cited. smart humans understand types conversations relevant yr current future initiatives. my times it conversations won't mention yr company, competitor.
Monitoring space blogs, bloggers brand advocates. stress enough: follow so-called A-List blogs names yr industry markets. Remember, fads trends start fringes and, oy time, me mainstream. Plus, mt overlooking brand advocates simply you're paying attention (and mt prime candidates Customer Advisory Board...which vital "listening" initiative.)
Assessing companies touch ty sd oy look .This case-by-case, convo-by-convo basis er te one. Ss it's it voice-in conversation, debate discussion. times it's market discuss listen learn. Consumers heard, don't feel le companies meddling trying control opinions.
Identifying opportunities improve products/services, innovate product categories increase market share. It's view blogosphere huge R&D tank. feedback unbiased--save "pay posts" blatant attempts getting company names mentioned--marketers afforded vast (and free!) research vehicle. companies nd smart researchers understand wt feedback, patterns thereof, signal opportunities gaps.
Exploring "next thing" (...and nt one). Discern hype hope technologies, applications, methodologies buzzwords. Ss tg tg wrapped words (this happens time), or times te technologies worth investing time budget in.
Scrutinizing marketing tactics . I'm fan innovating I'm fan learning fm others. Companies nd scrutinize promotional programs tactics, en ones tt mt he bn leveraged tr respective industry. Se blogger outreach programs well, he failed miserably. wh benchmark practices ts information.
While te processes apply organizations, companies implement tm vary. se organizations processes mt conducted marketing department. others, te processes suited research team. company spread thin, lack nd competencies, hire professionals retain service provider.
But, ultimately responsibility rests wh marketing. information that. payoff--and reason companies nd processes--is me fm information intelligence.
So rule thumb is: wt lead social media space--or space matter--you'll listening. tt means processes first, programs thereafter. Remember, markets holding accountable implications tr conversations...whether you're listening not.
