The face of a company can be portrayed in a number of ways, whether through visual ads, commercials, events, or even the use of social media. In Chapter 10, the authors give the spotlight to Twitter. The reading begins with the experience of a woman by the name of Fadra Nally, who is a well-known blogger and tweeter. Fadra had taken her son to McDonald s one afternoon, later to find her son in tears due to receiving a girl's happy meal toy. Fadra then complained directly to McDonald's official Twitter page, explaining the situation. Eventually, McDonald's directly responds to Fadra and even offers her the option to send her son's desired toy to her house. This event leads Fadra to later post a blog about the situation, therefore creating a positive outcome for both her blog and for McDonald's public relations. This is a key example of the power of Twitter when it comes to company relations.
The chapter continues its focus on Twitter by outlining its major elements found within the Groundswell. The elements can be split into listening, talking, energizing, supporting, and embracing. The authors dive into the effects of each factor through a number of case studies, real-life examples, failures, and successes. The authors continue to emphasize the belief that the creation of a Twitter is useless unless the user has something to offer. However, one cannot offer the correct strategy if they do not listen to their user feedback. Companies like Southwest Airlines, Zappos, AT&T, and Dell have all become Groundswell masters in the past four years through the use of strategic listening and answering. For example, AT&T had noticed its name trending on Twitter a few years back, however, AT&T was not part of Twitter at this time. Their name was trending due to broken phones, wireless errors, and a number of user issues. Following a few months of listening and creating audience profiles, the company had eventually acquired a handle and began directly responding to the users with problems, questions, and praise. This action had eventually led the company to more sales and a better relationship with its online users. Talking is crucial in building a user relationship. Dell regularly posts asking for response from its users by offering deals, sales, and temporary promotions. They also have a team of regulars, who primarily respond to issues. Dell continues to listen, talk, energize, and support its users through use of Twitter. As technology advances, it has become crucial for companies to begin creating a presence through Twitter, as it has become the new face for companies in most instances.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
11 - How Connecting with the Groundswell Transforms Your Company
Chapter eleven opens with the story of Rob Master, once the U.S. marketing directors for skin care products under the brand Unilever. In 2001, the company spent over $2.1 billion on marketing in the U.S. with 40% covering media such as television, print, and the web. However, in 2006, Unilever released a 75-second video advertising Dove's new "evolution" campaign. This video was one of their first steps into the groundswell and proved to be successful reaching over 5 million people in under one year. This is when the authors begin to question the difference and origins of a company switching from a billion dollar marketing sector to a low-cost ad on YouTube.
The groundswell's execution is divided into three essential elements. The first element is that of steps. It is crucial to take the turn in steps, starting with a mental transition. The second step revolves around well planned strategies and a vision. The third step is the execution of executive support, as upper management is crucial in shaping the groundswell. Planning, however, is a crucial factor. The authors go onto explain an eight month groundswell attempt where upper-level management began blogging for eight months with no vision or strategy which either led to disaster, or forgotten somewhere in a company blog.
As the chapter progresses, the authors begin to dive into a case of Dell. At first, the authors take a look a Dell's entrance into the groundswell, which was entitled a trial-by-fire crisis. For example, a customer named Jeff had bought a Dell computer along with a four year (in-home) service. After receiving a defective product, Dell had fallen short of their warranty and had sent him yet another lemon, with no actual "in-home" service. Jeff then, began posting/blogging about the above issue leading to negative feedback on Dell's end, eventually changing the concept of "buyers beware" to "sellers beware". With the addition of social media marketing o the market, a modern business cannot make false promises, as they might eventually destroy themselves in the end due to a negative groundswell effect. Eventually, Dell would end up listening and tracking blog posts which is the first step in forming a strategy. Whether its responding to a fragile issue such as a flaming notebook or an issue such as a defect, Dell began listening...and blogging. In 2007, Dell took a turn by replacing their CEO, and taking a full turn towards the groundswell, by learning from their mistakes.
The groundswell's execution is divided into three essential elements. The first element is that of steps. It is crucial to take the turn in steps, starting with a mental transition. The second step revolves around well planned strategies and a vision. The third step is the execution of executive support, as upper management is crucial in shaping the groundswell. Planning, however, is a crucial factor. The authors go onto explain an eight month groundswell attempt where upper-level management began blogging for eight months with no vision or strategy which either led to disaster, or forgotten somewhere in a company blog.
As the chapter progresses, the authors begin to dive into a case of Dell. At first, the authors take a look a Dell's entrance into the groundswell, which was entitled a trial-by-fire crisis. For example, a customer named Jeff had bought a Dell computer along with a four year (in-home) service. After receiving a defective product, Dell had fallen short of their warranty and had sent him yet another lemon, with no actual "in-home" service. Jeff then, began posting/blogging about the above issue leading to negative feedback on Dell's end, eventually changing the concept of "buyers beware" to "sellers beware". With the addition of social media marketing o the market, a modern business cannot make false promises, as they might eventually destroy themselves in the end due to a negative groundswell effect. Eventually, Dell would end up listening and tracking blog posts which is the first step in forming a strategy. Whether its responding to a fragile issue such as a flaming notebook or an issue such as a defect, Dell began listening...and blogging. In 2007, Dell took a turn by replacing their CEO, and taking a full turn towards the groundswell, by learning from their mistakes.
4 - Tapping the Groundswell
Chapter four dives into the importance of listening, in order to reveal the possibilities of a successful groundswell approach. The authors describe this theory by bringing up Lynn Perry, a cancer patient who has had three forms of terminal cancer. Perry believes firmly that M. D. Anderson can treat cancer far more better than other doctors due to national statistics. However, Perry watches fellow cancer patients in the waiting room leave after an extended amount of waiting time, nearly every day. His realization is that his time is more precious than that of the doctors. After all, Perry has been given only six months to live.
The authors shed light on M. D. Andersen's decision to change his tactics. Relating to the subject of social media, listening is a crucial factor in shaping and/or branding a company. As stated in the book, your company is what your customers say it is. This is the leading factor that drives M. D. Anderson to research and study his patients and their concerns about scheduling.
Companies pay over $15 billion annually to "listen" to their customers, however, most of you known this method as market research. Market research is used side-by-side with focus groups. Unfortunately, these expensive methods do not give 100% true feedback, and they most likely do not include Perry's concerns. This is where the authors illuminate the idea of listening directly to the groundswell, rather than paying for focus groups, when most customers would rather avoid surveys, groups, etc. As the chapter progresses, the authors expand upon two methods in which one can "listen" to the groundswell. This includes setting up your own private community and to begin brand monitoring.
The authors shed light on M. D. Andersen's decision to change his tactics. Relating to the subject of social media, listening is a crucial factor in shaping and/or branding a company. As stated in the book, your company is what your customers say it is. This is the leading factor that drives M. D. Anderson to research and study his patients and their concerns about scheduling.
Companies pay over $15 billion annually to "listen" to their customers, however, most of you known this method as market research. Market research is used side-by-side with focus groups. Unfortunately, these expensive methods do not give 100% true feedback, and they most likely do not include Perry's concerns. This is where the authors illuminate the idea of listening directly to the groundswell, rather than paying for focus groups, when most customers would rather avoid surveys, groups, etc. As the chapter progresses, the authors expand upon two methods in which one can "listen" to the groundswell. This includes setting up your own private community and to begin brand monitoring.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
3 - The Social Technographics Profile
Chapter three introduces the idea of social profiling by referencing three AFOL's (adult fans of Legos). Their names are Eric Kingsley who creates through use of the web, Joe Comeau who reacts, and Linda Dallas who ends up reading the overall outcome of generated social content. The three people mentioned above represent large and symbolic roles within the groundswell strategy.
The overall theme of chapter three is the separation of participants, and understanding its power. The social ladder is made of seven core positions. The main focus lies within the creators, conversationalists, critics, collectors, joiners, spectators, and the inactives. All the categories listed work off one another in the social ladder and remain crucial in forming a groundswell strategy. Throughout the chapter, we are presented with a number of info-graphics displaying differences in gender, age, disease, and region that measure use of SSN's, blogs, podcasts, followed by detailed comparisons of the social ladder. A majority of the graphics show an increased number in joiners, spectators, and collectors in many countries. The comparisons bring up a number of potential marketing tactics where social media such as Facebook, Twitter, or Blogs can help/push global awareness of a brand.
As demonstrated in the NEC/Fujitsu comparison, groundswell will generate positive feedback if used in a proper way. Although NEC had a friendly website and catalog, Fujitsu was busy building a customer relationship through use of Facebook, a more direct path to their audience.
The overall theme of chapter three is the separation of participants, and understanding its power. The social ladder is made of seven core positions. The main focus lies within the creators, conversationalists, critics, collectors, joiners, spectators, and the inactives. All the categories listed work off one another in the social ladder and remain crucial in forming a groundswell strategy. Throughout the chapter, we are presented with a number of info-graphics displaying differences in gender, age, disease, and region that measure use of SSN's, blogs, podcasts, followed by detailed comparisons of the social ladder. A majority of the graphics show an increased number in joiners, spectators, and collectors in many countries. The comparisons bring up a number of potential marketing tactics where social media such as Facebook, Twitter, or Blogs can help/push global awareness of a brand.
As demonstrated in the NEC/Fujitsu comparison, groundswell will generate positive feedback if used in a proper way. Although NEC had a friendly website and catalog, Fujitsu was busy building a customer relationship through use of Facebook, a more direct path to their audience.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
2 - Jujitsu and the Technologies of the Groundswell
In the beginning of chapter two, the authors begin to decipher the puzzle of groundswell. If a business/corporation can learn to harness and understand the groundswell theory, it can potentially be used towards the businesses/corporation's success.
jujitsu: the use of an opponent's strengths or one's own weaknesses to accomplish one's goals"
Throughout the reading, they continue to build on the fact that groundswell is a double-sided sword, relating it to the art of jujisu, as posted above. In the first part of chapter two, the authors expand on the idea of technology and how its changing rapidly, leading to rapid marketing/utilizing of the groundswell theory. For example, I'm a web designer, and my skills are not relevant to a corporation unless I am skilled with modern and/or trendy web interfaces. I might have five years of PHP experience and lose the job, because of a designer with one year of PHP, who also possesses parallax experience, (a dynamic technique used in modern iPhones). My point is that web technology mirrors the concept of technology & groundswell. For instance, a business could potentially utilize the groundswell theory differently once Vine ("a mobile app owned by Twitter that enables its users to create and post short looping video clips") was released from the Apple Store.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
1 - Why the groundswell & why now?
Chapter one begins with a look into the birth of Digg, a creation of Kevin Rose. Digg, launched in 2004, has become one of the largest and well known news mediums through the web. The goal is Chapter one, in my opinion, is to open and dissect the potential and dangers of social media strategies.
09 -F9 -11 - 02
The number listed above is the encryption of HD-DVD's. When the number was leaked, Digg decided to push the news to their own front page, eventually causing the encryption leak to spread across the internet. After receiving a cease & desist order from the AACS LA, Digg responded by editing out the encryption in their article. However, the founders began to notice an important and foreshadowed effect that exists on the web - almost anything posting, uploaded, or scanned will exist on the web even after deletion. For example, the encryption was posted in over 3,100 blogs later that day, which led to Digg reversing their edit. Businesses can either thrive or cave through the use of social media strategies. More and more, companies are beginning to realize that the web is a mandatory business tool.
09 -F9 -11 - 02
The number listed above is the encryption of HD-DVD's. When the number was leaked, Digg decided to push the news to their own front page, eventually causing the encryption leak to spread across the internet. After receiving a cease & desist order from the AACS LA, Digg responded by editing out the encryption in their article. However, the founders began to notice an important and foreshadowed effect that exists on the web - almost anything posting, uploaded, or scanned will exist on the web even after deletion. For example, the encryption was posted in over 3,100 blogs later that day, which led to Digg reversing their edit. Businesses can either thrive or cave through the use of social media strategies. More and more, companies are beginning to realize that the web is a mandatory business tool.
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