Indeed we believe that what is called by many; ‘the web’ or ‘the internet’ will soon be a social media dominated domain and marketplace; giving much more ‘control’ and influence to your audience as opposed to your ‘corporate’ office.

Being a high growth opportunity, it’s also a ‘bandwagon’ that many traditional and digital agencies seem to be attempting to jump on without properly understanding (or perhaps believing in) its potency …. and associated risks. Clients are also hesitant to engage without a more tangible appreciation of its benefits. This results in dabbling, that ultimately debases the business case and credibility in the approach; particularly when the provenance in such a revolutionary technique is limited and clients hesitate with RoI not easy to identify … quickly!

I may be rightly(?) considered biased in this view, although would suggest that, as one of the Media Agencies that already has a number of social media client campaigns running (together with a Dadi Award for a social media campaign), we have a privileged insight that provides an experienced perspective.

We only have to look at recent media history to identify the power of social media campaigns …. or perhaps the catastrophic lack of them; that really stand out to emphasise our view.
Take for example, the troubles Toyota had with its car fault recalls, the Catholic Church with their scandal of child abuse and much more topical at present, BP (and its CEO!) and their (public) ‘trial’ in the Gulf of Mexico.

We can assume(?) that its not arrogance or ‘care-less’ that inhibits their engagement, so I would consider that each of these has quite powerful traditional media agencies fighting on their behalf (albeit, one may question the Catholic Church’s abilities here!) Even with these powerful lobby groups, their corporate reputations and images have been hugely tarnished with the result that their ‘value’ and pulling power has been fundamentally debased.

Today, there is nowhere to hide, yet the tools and techniques exist to pro-actively engage with and openly address such critique. Effective Social Media campaigns could and would have made such a positive difference to these enterprises and their challenges; even if simply considered from a Corporate Social Responsibility perspective.

The bottom line is that, the traditional ‘push’ mentality of corporate messaging is no longer good enough (on its own) to engage with your marketplace and stakeholders to maintain brand, image and reputation, particularly in tough times, let alone promote products and services.

Engaging with your stakeholders and creating effective digital dialogue with them, whatever their views, is vital for future enterprise sustainability. Obviously this is easier done when the message(s) and engagement is positive as opposed to critical. However, treating the audience with due respect and engaging with debate can be so powerful not only for image, brand and reputation management, but also for new product/service development, strategic market positioning and even simply growing market share.

Clients must be prepared to change their approach to their marketplace and provide professional resource to effectively engage with the dialogue created. Such a challenge must not be underestimated.

I for one, long for the day when we get beyond those mind-numbing (and cosmetic) TV Ad campaigns with a related call to action web-site where we are supposed to have fun with some kind of trivial engagement.

Lets stand up and be professional about it.

And clients ….. please start to appreciate that ‘push’ is no longer good enough on its own; even though that is what you have traditionally been comfortable with. Your target audience now has a voice to which you are called to respectfully respond and engage …. ie ‘pull’.

Ignore it at your peril, because ‘pull-push’ IS the way forward and ‘dabbling just doesn’t cut it.
Just take a look at the Wikileaks debate today ….. so who is in control?!? ……….

Well ….. 3 blogs on the same (similar) topic now in 30 mins …. I feel much better … (NOT!). But at least I’ve vented my spleen!

From earlier blogs of mine, regular readers may have picked up (one of) my soapbox issues relating to the poor service we subscribers in the UK get from BT et al re our Broadband access and associated speeds.

The fact is that this poor service in the UK and, despite the TV Ad campaigns recently run suggesting otherwise, the lack of drive behind investing and deploying 20MB+ access for domestic and business users, will limit the growth of internet related business IN THE UK. In my opinion, this will inevitably also inhibit our (UK) ability to compete on the global stage. Dan Cobley, UK Marketing Director at Google, has recently related the Internet as the new Electricity; at least thats my interpretation of what he is saying and that in the not too distant future, the Internet will BE business strategy as opposed to it being PART OF business strategy.

He (and I) may be biased but you can hear for yourselves if you follow this link: http://www.insight.bt.com/NGA/Video/?vid=A1tW8omADko&pname=NGAHome
However, the benefits offered to both business and society by the Internet will be inhibited if we do not create a drive for change now. Oftel recently published a white paper (found at this link: www.ofcom.org.uk/research/telecoms/reports/nga/nga.pdf) pointing out the conflict between various stakeholder groups and the telecom service providers which gives further concern for serious delay in investment and deployment in 20MB+ services.

If you care as much as I do, please get in touch with Oftel and voice your concerns …. they are inviting opinion!

… or your most efficient and effective route to market??

As an independent business advisor and also Chair at Bloom I get a privileged ‘both sides’ perspective of the use and potential of the Internet. For many enterprises it still remains a black art/hole and I am truly mystified sometimes by the lack of understanding and ‘dabbling’ client side about the use, dynamics and potential of the internet as a major route to market and business development tool for increasing market share. For me, I guess, properly embracing the Internet boils down to the following issues:

a) Developing the confidence to overcome the fear of change often associated with engagement with the Internet

b) Understanding that engaging with the Internet is a dynamic domain and requires commitment, change and learning

c) Appreciation of the ‘click to capture’ inter-dependence of web design, development and SEO/PPC campaigns and the need to get them all right in an appropriate balance (together with traditional marketing campaigns)

d) Appreciating that SEO is a war with your competition and professional strategic and ‘real-time’ tactical campaign management is vital for a sustainable ‘win’.

e) Appreciating the emergence of social media ‘intangibles’ on reputation and brand management and hence your future business development

f) Appreciating that technology and techniques are often leading edge and are changing rapidly; agencies need to be driving this leading edge and the partners need to be flexible in adapting to this change

g) Appreciating that when the dynamic works, the increased traffic must be supported by internal ‘front office’ capacity to convert on line demand

h) Performance analytics from digital ‘pull’ campaigns must be reported in a format that creates tangible feedback for client understanding, response (decision making) and confidence

i) Too many ‘garage’ operators confusing the ‘picture’ and debasing the potential and real RoI for such investment.

However, the situation is changing fast with the Internet now beginning to dominate client marketing spend. The challenge is therefore now not one of ‘why or should we spend’ but ‘what and where we spend’. Working in partnership with a professional agency that understands the dynamics of the whole picture and assists with your decision making is therefore the only way to survive and build sustainability.

‘Dabbling’ is therefore no longer an option as both agency and client must embrace their partnership with professionalism and commitment in a win – win venture. Particularly now when the opportunity exists to invest in grabbing market share from hesitant competitors.

To overcome these obstacles and embrace the challenge and opportunities presented by the internet, my suggested ‘top 10 tips’ for a client-side approach to this engagement are as follows:

1. Have a clearly defined strategic marketing plan which includes the use of the Internet as a major (new?) route to market. This must clearly state your market position objectives, brand value statements and strategic objectives.

2. Develop a balanced traditional and digital sales and marketing plan with appropriately balanced budget allocation

3. Allocate a competent senior digital campaign champion to avoid conflict of interest or internal power struggles

4. Research prospective agencies online before requesting a pitch. In my experience, too often time and effort is wasted on the pitch process and confusion reigns. Better to get your ‘ideal’ agency profile defined, do your back-ground research properly and invite 1 or 2 in to pitch. Then move to point 5 et al. …. Be demanding but open minded!

5. Select and engage with a professional agency as a business partner based upon:
a. All round capability on creative, technical, strategic and commercial skills for Web Design & Development, Internet Marketing and Statistical Reporting

b. Provenance, client testimonials and professionalism

c. Ability & willingness to provide an unfair share of mind to your campaign

d. Confidence to project ideas and add value to your decision making process

e. Flexibility to work with existing professional partners

f. Chemistry & culture

g. RoI …. NOT cost! …. You want to WIN not simply save money.

6. Establish the professional rules of engagement and reporting format and process in conjunction with your selected partner

7. Establish both campaign objectives and internal resources to manage anticipated increased demand

8. Be prepared for and maintain flexibility for change

9. Depending upon your revenue and growth ambitions, be prepared to negotiate a payment on results SEO fee with your agency

10. Be prepared to engage your agency as part of your decision making forum with expert input on digital techniques and be aggressive and determined for a win -win

The debate and passion that exists within BM on how great Apple is has intrigued me. As someone that has worked in Marketing for too long I enjoy debating the drivers that exist to convince folk to part with their hard earned cash. Apple are particularly successful at this as they entice their clients to pay through the nose for ‘what’? Last evening I watched (part of!) a programme on BBC 4 relating to exactly this topic; albeit contextualised within the ‘digital’ age and ‘our apparent constant need to ‘upgrade’. The section on Apple included a commentary by a brand psychologist (silver surfer like me; so well experienced!). His belief was that Apple had tapped into the emotional need intrinsic (yet subliminal) in us all (or at least many of us) to ’strut’. His explanation was that (particularly males) need to display their peacock feathers in order to stand out and ‘attract’ attention. Interesting! Could this need be due to deficiencies elasewhere? ……..
PS: Just felt the need to be provocative!!
PPS: The programme went on to visit South Korea the new age upgrade consumer society …. watch out for Samsung!

Being a ’silver surfer’, Chairman, CEO, NED, etc., gives me a privileged position of ‘outside-in’ insight into this industry which is still highly embryonic and quite naive in some ways; occasionally exhibiting the inconsistency of an early stage teenager! I am also ‘contemporary’ (some might say contentious) in my views on business management. I firmly believe that business sustainability is only enabled by developing real underlying value in the enterprise. Value that is founded upon market positioning, brand, image and stakeholder value with financial gain being the OUTCOME of leading, aligning and managing these essentially non-financial assets.

I am therefore always mystified by individuals and enterprises seeking short term gain by seemingly ‘following the money’. For example I recently read of an exclusively SEO ’start up’ seeking to invest big sums to ‘grab’ market share … WHY? Is it because they saw it as a quick turn investment? In my humble and biased(?) opinion, to REALLY make a success of SEO you need to know and have major influence on how websites work and vice-versa. Furthermore, social media is rapidly growing in terms of its influence on SEO/WEBSITE effectiveness. To  enter an already fairly mature yet dynamic and aggressive market in such an exposed manner seems at best, high risk.

DIGITAL now encompasses an ever expanding domain. With such rapidly growing technologies and techniques, the power of the collective (enterprise brand/image/credibility/etc.) needs to be harnessed TOGETHER with enabling the individual to express their flair and develop their own brand/image/credibility. Enterprise is then enhanced by the individual and the individual enhanced by the enterprise whereby such pro-active engagement enables each partners aspiration to be mutually enabled ….. engaging warp-drive if you will.

This takes enlightened leadership and staff engagement and is what true HOLISTIC benefit means.

2 + 2 = 6

Such an approach is also where stakeholder (enterprise, staff, client, partner) engagement is truly empowered. The focus for both enterprise and individual is therefore on mutually inclusive contribution and value add as opposed to I/me/my financial gain; albeit when WE get it right, mutually sustainable financial gain is a natural outcome.