Hello, we are social. We’re a global conversation agency, with offices in London, New York, Paris, Milan, Munich, Singapore, Sydney & São Paulo. We help brands to listen, understand and engage in conversations in social media.
We’re a new kind of agency, but conversations between people are nothing new. Neither is the idea that ‘markets are conversations’.
We’re already helping adidas, Heinz, Unilever, Heineken, eBay, Jaguar, Intel, Moët & Chandon & Expedia.
If you’d like to chat about us helping you too, then give us a call on +44 20 3195 1700 or drop us an email.
Beware of plans or proposals that start with “Twitter Strategy” or “Facebook Strategy” Instead, they should have a “Customer Strategy” that focuses in on how customers behave – not on the ever-changing toolset. As a result, companies should first understand how their customers use social technologies before they choose the tools.
Where are your customers online? First, find out where your customers are online, knowing which Web sites they are participating at, this will reduce guessing.
Don’t aimlessly approach social networks without knowing if they are there, if they are in Hyves, Mixi, or Facebook, go there. Fish where the fish are.
What are your customers’ social behaviors online? How do they use social technologies? Do they share? Comment? Create their own content?
Which social features should you deploy. Example: if they frequently like to comment on Web sites, allow them to leave their comments.
What social information or people do your customers rely on?
If they rely on their friends, facilitate a marketing program that encourages customers to share with friends, this data helps with determining resource allocation on advocacy programs.
What is your customers’ social influence? Who trusts them?
If your customers are trusted by others, highlight your customers in front of their community. For example, teens may share information with each other, spreading their influence to others. Example: Walmart’s 11 Moms blogger program is a platform for customer voices.
How do customers use social technologies to learn, make decisions, and support your products and services?
Be confident in your resource allocation by understanding when customers rely on social tools or their peers in pre-sales, awareness, decision making, implementation, or support of a product.
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This chimes quite nicely with a presentation I gave to the NMA last Friday. Good points here.
Nicely highlighted.
sharoncain
Great tips on following a structured process to find out what presses our customers' social media buttons. Being armed with the research will boost the changes of winning the gig. Nice one guys, thanks.
http://twankers.co.uk/ Tommy Twanker
Like James, I recently gave a presentation as well.
Good tips. People focus as opposed to communications channel. Makes sense.
Thanks for sharing the insights! I think what we are currently seeing and will be seeing throughout 2010 is a blind rush of companies and their brands into platforms such as Facebook and services such as Twitter. The reasons are obvious: Due to the recession sales figures are bad and consumer behavior is undergoing tremendous changes. At the same time, management keeps a sharp eye on marketing spendings. Web 2.0 seems to be the golden door that opens easily. But companies need to think before they act. If all it takes was to create a facebook and twitter account, we all would break sales records daily. It is not about what you do but about the way you do it: understand your customers, respect them and then identify the appropriate channel, language and tone – specifically for YOUR customers. The perfect solution may not be facebook or twitter and perhaps even be offline.
http://herd.typepad.com/ Herdmeister
Good stuff.
Not so sure however about the implicit heirarchy of engagement suggested by this or the 'fixed' allocation of individuals to levels. Aren't we in danger of making the Loyalty marketing error of assuming that individuals who find themselves in the top box are somehow like that in perpetuum and exclusively (ie. that they don't ever find themselves in other boxes). It's good to have structure in the way we go about understanding the world but not at the expense of reality
The technographics ladder still has legs. Came up just today in conversation about a current client. Client's SM strat plan has bullet points like 'start facebook page” and “open twitter account”. Question is why? do they even know if their customers are there? Also, they should first determine, in building their communities, who are the super users that they need to engage to insure long term viability of these communities. Spot on.
Sorry, Barry. Got to say the science is clear on this: hub and spoke network structures are far from the default setting for the way in which ideas and behaviours spread through social networks so it'd be wrong to assume therer are key individuals.
Equally whilst the idea of a heirarchy/ladder may seem familiar and seem to offer us a useful frame to counter client task-orientation, it's far from clear that a creator is better/more valuable than an observer – just different.
Completely agree! Learn your customers! Although facebook and twitter offer accessibility to people… its not necessarily the right means for reaching them.
http://illuxon.blogspot.com/ tamseel
great article. i agree that we shouldnt get overboard with technology or the tools. the consumer should always lead the way for designing campaigs (be it they for social or other traditional mediums)
anne jaa
Wow amazing and helpful post!I like it.Social media is a good way to network with other professionals.Actually there's hardly a better and more cost-effective way to do this.Its literally free not counting your ISP fees and any on-the-clock time used.Ne ways i will be keeping a close eye on your each post.
I also presented at TFM&A under a different guise. But can't point you at that presentation as it would give the game away.
http://whatleydude.com James Whatley
The one you linked to is pretty bang on. Ha. In all seriousness, would love to see some of your other work sometime. Even if indirectly. You obviously know what you're talking about.
Also, I totally understand what you're up to (have been following your Likeminds post and comments avidly) and think it deserves applause. Keeps the industry on its toes with a healthy dose of reality checking from time to time.
Penguins are amazing. So yes, that was wrong
http://twankers.co.uk/ Tommy Twanker
Thanks James, I really appreciate your comments. Makes the stuff I'm writing (as well as trying to do a proper job) all the more rewarding. It would be good to share a bit more sensible stuff and ideas. Maybe we should DM each other (now I sound like a real Twanker) to connect. http://twitter.com/TwankersUK. Tommy
JaswinderVirdee: Anywhere in london like Google Campus open on weekends & holidays where I can lounge around and code random ideas - apart from a library? 59 mins ago
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