Sandy Carter, author of “The New Language of Marketing 2.0” talked with Murdok about the different aspects of using social media in marketing.
Should businesses be more involved in social media or less involved?
SC: “In today’s economic climate, I would advise companies to be more involved in social media. The ability to be nimble and move quickly in the market will be THE key element in successful marketing. Marketing organizations need to ensure they are not reactive to change but driving and leading change in a proactive way. Social Media allows your company to be more nimble.”
How?
SC: “First, it encourages free-flowing experimentation. You can test an idea online at breakfast and by lunch see the response. You can get fast response and make changes on the fly. It drives changes in how you listen to your customer. Blogs for instance allow you to listen into water cooler discussions you never had access to before. Social Media drives change in how you communicate to the customer as a dialogue versus a broadcast message.” 
“And messages meant for one type of audience, are being read by all audiences.
And finally, it cuts down costs. I do not advocate for just using social media techniques however, but rather combining them into your marketing mix allows you to optimize the places where you can maximize their impact.”
What are the best ways for companies to get their messages out using blogs?
SC: Determine your goals for blogging. “Is it to solicit input and co-create a new product? For example, IBM’s Project Zero used blogging to get product development direction involving our customers in defining the requirements needed in the marketplace. Make sure you know why you are doing a blog!”
Be personal. “Bloggers share personal tidbits about their lives. Remember that your blog gets you closer to your customer. It strengthens the relationship. Blogs espouse a world view with the voice of the author reflecting his/her ideas (either knowledge or a unique perspective) that may influence perceptions and position those opinions in the marketplace. They foster discussion, debate and even a sense of community. It is most important that you write from the heart.”
What do you see as some of the risks with company blogs?
SC: “There are 3 big risks with company blogs.”
“The first is not being honest. Or pretending to be something that you are not. There have been several examples where companies have paid others to blog for them. Then it is exposed that they were sponsoring the site. Make sure that your blogs reflect the honest facts and truth of your company values.”
“Second is not listening. I think not listening is worse than not even asking. I have worked with companies who put feedback tactics in place but then ignored the feedback. Businesses no longer hold absolute sway over the decisions and behavior of consumers.”
“And finally, it is consistency. Developing, planning and maintaining a good blog takes a great deal of time. You must be realistic about the number of posts needed to keep the online relationship with readers alive. This is a commitment. You need to understand how much time it takes not only to set it up but to keep it current and exciting. You must keep building your readership and online relationships”
. “I spend as much time reading other blogs and finding out what’s going on in the blogosphere as I do writing on my own. To have something to say, you must know what’s being said.”
Top 5 Tips for Facebook for Marketing:
(Sandy has extracted the following tips from Chapter 10 of her new
book.)
Use for Marketing 2.0 Intelligence:Jeremiah Owyang, senior analyst at Forrester Research, says profiles and network information, as well as the public groups, provide a way to seek insight online. Learn about what your customers want!
Use for Advertising: There are a variety of ways to leverage the power of this community with banner ads, news feeds, social ads and flyer ads. To reach a new audience: Since neither those under the age of 25 nor those more experienced use email, according to MarketingSherpa Founder Anne Holland, leverage this new social networking tool in place of email. It can extend your reach online where other means can’t!
Experiment with Fan Pages: These fan pages can be used in place of sponsored groups.
Not a stand alone: Integrate your Facebook tactics with your overall strategy. If this is the audience that you need for your product and offerings, leverage as part of the overall go-to market plan.
Do you think social media is here to stay?
SC: “Yes, social media is here to stay. For sales it is a new channel, and for marketing it is now part of our marketing mix, forever to stay. Why? Marketing is all about relationships and all relationships have a set of common factors. First, all relationships require listening. Listening has become core to everything. Second, in the best relationships, there is a lot of active communication and dialogue. This dialogue is essential to growth in the relationship. Third, a great relationship is one that is built on honesty.”
“The best way to communicate isn’t about using new media types to be hip and cool; it is about understanding your customers and how you can immerse yourself into their conversation.”
How do you think social media and marketing will evolve? What trends do you see?
SC: “As all things change, I know that social media and marketing will evolve. I think that marketers will have to be more business oriented and more technology savvy. They will have to be able to show the value of what they are doing in language that the CEO and the CFO understand. They will also have to be more technical. This does not mean that marketers need to be technologists. But they cannot be afraid of technology. Every marketer needs a set of skills as a user of technology and the new Web 2.0 ways of social networking.”
Anything else you would care to add?
SC: “I think social media is very powerful, not because it is cool, fun, and the hot topic right now, but because of the results it can achieve. Marketers, especially in times of recession, get laid off faster than any other type of senior executive because they’re seen as a cost center and not a value center. Marketers need to be able to convince their peers and the management team that marketing is essential, as essential and important and critical as a CFO or a CIO. Understanding the numbers can demonstrate the value.”
