show social or show business

13th Tuesday, 2010  |   All we got, Increasing your revenue, MOO: Cowbell Blog, My Views & Thoughts, opinion  |  7 comments

If your heavily entrenched in social networks across the digital world then you’re probably having a great time. Friendships are strong, conversations are frequent and it’s generally a great place to be. Who wouldn’t want to connect with hundreds and thousands of people with every tweet or have your Facebook ‘friends’ discuss your latest status update?

Last week I discovered the answer to that question – business doesn’t want to know about what we’re all up to. Business doesn’t care how great it is that I can connect with thousands of people in less than 5 seconds, because right now, and i know this is a generalisation, it just doesn’t get what the hell we’re all doing.

After discussing this issue with over 50 companies across the last 12 months there are well known key issues organisations face:

  • Time to learn the intricacies of each network/platform
  • Time to spend in the social space to listen, engage & communicate
  • What exactly will the return on investment be after this time has been spent
  • Who should manage/control the content
  • Approval of content is impossible in the time frames required therefore outsourcing is nearly impossible [In house is equally difficult because of the reasons above]
  • if listening is so important (this is what we tell prospective clients) then how much will listening cost? When do we get the payback
  • If business joins in then what happens if we become embroiled in complaints & negative reaction to our products & services?
  • How does it all integrate into all other marketing & communications activity?
  • Why get involved now when they’ve managed to get by without it

I could go on but that’s pointless. I know that many of you will have your own case studies to prove it’s worth but that is still proving less than convincing to the vehicle contract hire company, the software development house or the alcoholic drink company.

But companies  still feel they’re better off without the pain and frustration of getting involved. Without social media they have time to complete their already detailed marketing plans & press campaigns. If that’s all working well then putting the “social” world to one side will do just fine for the next six to twelve months.

So what do we do about it?

The answers are straight forward. A process of clear and simple education is crucial. Business needs to understand how social media works before it pays for it, and why it adds huge value to all of their propositions while benefiting their products & services.

We must stop telling them how great it is and start showing them how essential it is. Organisations will not pay to be in a place where fun and good times are being had but they will invest in a place where

  • New and current customers are engaged and held onto
  • lost leads are rediscovered
  • Negativity & issues are dealt with with ease and speed
  • Communities are developed
  • New products & services are launched, reviewed, discussed or promoted
  • Feedback on all aspects of your industry can be collected (including competitors)

All of this is how it should be. This is how I handle the discussion about why someone should get into social media.

In short – they shouldn’t!

Instead help them get involved in adding new platforms into existing marketing and communications strategies. Highlight how Twitter & Facebook will work with their new marketing campaigns or news releases. Prove that web traffic will increase with an integrated online approach. Demonstrate how a blog with opinion, discussion and knowledge sharing will open up a whole new world of contacts and customers to them.

It’s never going to work if we fill the platforms with rubbish and idle links. It must be about everyone being able to have a voice and communicate with friends and with brands or companies.

A hundred years ago they called another growing industry ‘show business’ … not show fun!

Food for thought!

What are you going to do to make sure we don’ t end up eating ourselves?
How will you approach your next discussion around this subject?
What do you feel will improve the approach to business?

Please leave me your comments. I’ll carry this post on next week.

  • http://twitter.com/alisyme Ali Syme

    When you think too much about the internet as a machine then you risk these 'idle links'. The audience isn't a formula (e.g. Google PageRank) – your audience is out there wanting to be engaged in a whole new way.

    Always a place for the more traditional methods – but no business can claim it's not committed to communication.

    Can't wait for the next edition!

  • http://www.social-collective.com/2010/07/14/guest-post-show-social-or-show-business/ Guest post: Show social or show business | Social Collective

    [...] This post also appeared on Chris Hall’s blog, Cow Bell. [...]

  • http://twitter.com/GaryDayEllison Gary Day-Ellison

    Clearly put and a well reasoned post. Augmentation of existing company plans makes sense as a broad approach for companies new to Social Media.

    The variety of businesses echoes the variety of customers. And, of course, businesses are comprised of other people's customers.

  • http://twitter.com/markofrespect Mark Jennings

    This is something I believe in wholeheartedly. Lots of noise is made about the big brands using social – but they can afford to fail, and fail fast: it is part of their environment. They were the same ones putting millions into mobile spaces WAY before there was any ROI.

    This blinds many in the industry trying to sell in social media services: they believe it a little too much and often so do the direct clients, but the board have this month's profit warning to deal with and social media really is “kid stuff” to them by comparison.

    We are still in the ‘Marconi years’ where lots of money will be spent unwisely in the land grab. I saw the same in 96. Some will become stars, many will lose their shirts. You don’t have to look far at a social media conference to see the issue. It is filled with practitioners, many seeking their next meal.

    So, if you are selling social media services to anyone but adventurous brands for your supper either find a niche, get real lucky, or get out.

  • http://twitter.com/wisdomlondon Kate Spiers

    The thing I've found myself saying to clients a lot recently is something along the lines of: “yes social media is important, but it's not everything – it's one channel of many”. I see a lot of people getting tied up in knots trying to make sense of their involvement in social media and where exactly they're going with it. The response that it should be applied sparingly and thoughtfully to relevant campaigns, channels and activity is a refreshing one – as is the nudge to us all to do the same as practitioners and advisors.

  • annholman

    Wow interesting post Chris and well articulated. I think you are right, we can go on banging the drum about how amazing social media is but we now need to demonstrate it. Show not tell as I am saying a lot these days. For what its worth I think companies are scared for the following reasons:

    1. Social media and its impact on marketing and communications, means ultimately for a lot upending their business model. They see that in the not too distant future and are afraid. We know what fear can do to a business and a person. I guess in simple terms the difference between broadcast and social.

    2. Social media suddenly demands participation. It isn't a spectator sport. By taking companies down a social media route, we are asking them to stop abdicating responsibility for marketing to the PR company, the advert we just placed in the local rag or sending out those brochures and encouraging them to get involved in labour intensive marketing that sits internally in the business. In my experience this is one of the biggest shifts clients feel uncomfortable about.

    3. They are not so worried about the technology, its the new relationship models that are starting to become apparent. The 4 P's are dead and instead we are talking about building intimate relationships though values and engagement. Many companies say they are doing this but they really are not.

    4. Employees have a voice, they can express themselves. Clients are worried about that yet its completely irrational.

    We've started looking at these issues quite heavily as it impacts on how we communicate our product offering. I think once we start addressing some of these aspects for our clients it will help them get over the shock of change sooner rather than later!

    We al,l and I include me in that, have been too much about 'big bang' rather than 'incremental' change.

  • http://twitter.com/Cotswoldprgirl Emma Walton

    Great post Chris, which I have just turned to as I am writing an article for an industry sector who I am sure have not yet realised the benefits of Social Media. It's all about education and telling them honestly how it works. All I seem to come across are people who think it's either easy or a waste of time. It will take time as with anything but we will get there in the end, ideally without eating each other!