Why Social Media Isn’t So Dumb

Mark Ritson takes a hostile and suspicious view of social media benefits in The seven dumbest sins of social media, released last week in Marketing Week.

I don't agree with the depth of his criticism, I do share some of his sentiments. And for the record, I'm pro-social media.

What Mark is really complaining about is some folks are getting so caught up in the shininess of social media they’re forgetting something important.

Social media is not exempt from Business 101 fundamentals.

At the end of the day, there's only one set of reasons for businesses to do social media and they are to:

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Change Management & Social Business

Becoming a social business – not just a company with a Facebook page – is a change management opportunity and challenge for a company. It requires attention to people, processes, and technology.

The more important question is what can a company do to provide a better customer experience? And what changes to people, processes, and technology are needed to support the strategy and tactics for such a customer-centric business model?

Doing social from a holistic corporate perspective needs to be driven at...

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Tweet Up schedule–Social Customer Service ROI

Starting on Monday, June 6, 2011, Dr. Natalie and I will host a 3-session tweet up series on the Social Customer Service.

Over the 3 sessions, we’ll discuss topics related to thought leadership we shared in our recent white paper Calculating the ROI for Social Customer Service.

Our end goal with our recent paper and coming tweet ups is to help people combine strategy with ROI to accelerate executive approval of social customer service programs.

Of course, each of you have your own experiences and thoughts to share so it won’t be complete unless you join in the discussion!

Mark your calendars and join the discussion on:

  1. How to Build the Business Case for Social Customer Service – Monday, June 6, 2011 at 3 pm EDT.
  2. Calculating ROI for Social Customer Service – Week of  June 13 - TBD.
  3. How Social Customer Service Benefits the Entire Company – Week of June 20 - TBD.

The hash tag for each session will be #smROI.

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Attensity Webinar - "Yes, Social ROI Can Be Determined

I gave a webinar today with Dr. Natalie Petouhoff on determining Social ROI, sponsored by Attensity.  Check out the slide below.  If you'd like a podcast of the audio, check out Attensity's Archived Webinars (if the podcast isn't there already it will be soon.

In other news, Natalie and I will give a part 2 of the webinar at the Attensity Engage User Conference (to be held on November 9-10 in Silicon Valley, CA).

 

Here's today's preso:

 

Yes, social ROI can be determined

 

Satisfying the customer – Quoted by Nearshore America

I’m a proponent of empowering call center reps to service customers in more valuable, meaningful ways.  Recent discussions in other customer service forums brought me to the attention of Tarun George, a writer for Nearshore America.

Check out Tarun article Forget about Handle Time, What About Satisfying the Customer? on NearshoreAmerica.com.  He starts off:

The call center landscape is changing fast. Because of increased competition and brutal cost pressures in the last year, client retention and consequently client satisfaction are more important now than they’ve ever been.  But are companies changing their call center practices to reflect that?

Click here to find the answer…and some of my thoughts on the topic.

The True value of Social Business – Free white Paper

Focus recently released a white paper I wrote on The True Value of Social Business.  Check it out.

It blows through various misconceptions circulating about ROI.  For example, results such as influence, engagement, impact or customer satisfaction are not values but benefits.

Use the white paper to arm you to gain the green light on your social initiatives by discussing the value with your executive team in monetary terms. This paper will tell you what you need to know, and explain the benefits of social business including:

  • Extended influence with prospects and customers.
  • Improved branding.
  • Improved customer service.
  • Heightened customer loyalty.
  • Better insight into customers.

The white paper is free.  Click here. 

Social Media ROIs are excellent so get on with it

As a consultant, I often have prospects trying to buy my services by promising me leads or “exposure.”  Those results are beneficial but they don’t put food on my table or pay my rent.  Know what does?

Money does.

Now take what I just said and translate that to a company.  A business can’t pay its employees with tweets.  It can’t build a new factory paid for with impressions.  That takes money.

Are you really surprised then, when executives want a social ROI to forecast the revenue or savings potential from undertaking what could be a six- to seven-figure social investment?  They need to know how much Money Out and In to expect to run the business.

To me, any corporate initiative should be able to stand the test of economic analysis -- and no, marketing isn't excused.

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What Social Business ROI Really Means

I gave a seminar this week to a customer on social business ROI and am making a short version of the slidedeck available to everyone.

 

What Social Business ROI really means

Figuring out how to convert metrics into financial insights can be tough if that's not your area of expertise.  Contact me if you need help. Happy to.