Buiding our own Frankenstein: Is engaging with customers via social media required, or optional?


TOPIC QUESTIONS
Q1) What are the circumstances when a company should NOT engage with customers via social media?
Q2) What are the organizational drawbacks to engaging with customers in this way?
Q3) How should companies modify their interactions, based on individual customers' influence (if at all)?
   Event Details
Event Date:
     2010-07-27
Event Time:
     12PM - 1 PM EST
Participants:
     107
Tweets:
     862


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Moderator
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Jay Baer
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web: http://convinceandconvert.com
BIO: Jay Baer is a forest-dwelling restaurant critic with a passion for tequila and all things social media. He helps major corporations and PR firms harness the awesome power of the social Web by focusing on strategy first, tools second. Founder of 5 companies, Jay spent 15 years running digital marketing agencies, and has consulted for more than 700 businesses, including 25 of the Fortune 1000. He writes Convince & Convert, one of the world's top ma ...more
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  • Right here on Twitter. Just set up a search for #sm70 Or, you can follow/participate at http://hashtagsocialmedia.com
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 11:35:01 AM
  • t minus 30 minutes 4 2days # socialmedia tweetchat w/ topic? Engaging w/ customers via social media required, or optional? #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 11:40:01 AM
  • RT : t minus 30 minutes 4 2days SM tweetchat w/ topic? Engaging w/ customers via SM required, or optional? #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 11:45:01 AM
  • getting ready to start today's chat w/ on #socialmedia & business - required or optional. follow #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 11:51:01 AM
  • 10 mins. till this wks #socialmedia tweetchat w/ on whether engaging w/ customers via SM is required or optional #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 11:52:03 AM
  • RT 10 mins. till this wks #socialmedia tweetchat w/ on whether engaging w/ customers via SM is required #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 11:54:01 AM
  • lot's of pressure for business' to "do" social. Is it right or misplaced? discuss w/ in 10 mins. www.hashtagsocialmedia.com #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 11:55:03 AM
  • That's a valid question. The pressure can be from the c suite, stakeholders, customers, but still might not be right #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 11:58:02 AM
  • RT : 10 mins. till ths wks #socialmedia chat w/ on whether engaging w/ customers via SM is required or optional #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:00:01 PM
  • Time to get this #socialmedia party started with your host..... #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:00:23 PM
  • RT : Time to get this #socialmedia party started with your host..... #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:01:04 PM
  • You might want to check out #sm70 today @ 12pm: Topic = Is engaging with customers via social media required, or optional?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:01:05 PM
  • Hi everyone. Thx for tuning in to #sm70 We're going to talk about engaging with customer via social media, and whether it's required. Ready?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:02:03 PM
  • RT : check out #sm70 today @ 12pm: Topic = Is engaging with customers via social media required, or optional? #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:02:03 PM
  • RT : Time to get this #socialmedia party started with your host..... #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:02:03 PM
  • RT : #sm70 Q1. What are the circumstances when a company should NOT engage with its customers via social media?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:03:18 PM
  • RT : RT : check out #sm70 today @ 12pm: Topic = Is engaging w cust via social media required or optional? #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:03:18 PM
  • #sm70 Q1. What are the circumstances when a company should NOT engage with its customers via social media?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:03:18 PM
  • RT : You might want to check out #sm70 Topic = Is engaging with customers via SM required, or optional? #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:03:18 PM
  • #sm70 A company should NOT engage with its customers via social media when doing so creates no benefit for either party. Have a reason.
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:04:03 PM
  • Could it just be a "bad" fit? #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:04:03 PM
  • Joining #sm70. Hi dudes!
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:04:03 PM
  • When it isn't prepared to be responsive... #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:04:03 PM
  • Hi Matt. #sm70 Do you mean when companies can't be fast enough to respond in real-time (ish)?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:05:03 PM
  • Q1: when they don't have the proper personnel in place to do so... #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:05:03 PM
  • When you lack the knowledge of how to do it, Not knowing how to do it could hurt you #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:05:03 PM
  • When it doesn't know why its "doing" social media in the first place.. #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:05:03 PM
  • #sm70 Can you elaborate on that please? When would social engagement be a "bad fit" for a company?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:05:03 PM
  • Ask Horizon Realty Group if they should've engaged with Amanda Bonnen. It wasn't worth it in that scenario. #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:05:03 PM
  • RT : #sm70 A company should NOT engage with its customers via social media when doing so creates no benefit for either party. Have a reason.
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:05:03 PM
  • When they aren't prepared to answer them properly #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:05:03 PM
  • Mitch here - can we first define what it means to engage? Listen, Hear, Market #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • #sm70 What constitutes a "proper" answer from a company in social media? Speed? Thoroughness?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • #sm70 Also, when a company invests too many (or too few) resources in SM vs. logical benefits, those are misallocated resources.
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • RT : A co should NOT engage w its cust's via #SM when doing so creates no benefit for either party. Have a reason. #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • A bad fit could be that, their customers don't use it, and they don't have the resources for it in the 1st place #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • What about when it doesn't know who its customers are and what makes them tick? #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • Q1 - If they aren't set up internally to engage on an ongoing basis #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • A1 cos should not engage their cust via social media unless they have PLANNED how to deal w/ cust. using the SM #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • Hey Justin. Great to see you. #sm70 Do you have an example of a benefit-less engagement via social media?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • by that I mean creating an expectation that it cannot deliver on thus doing more harm than good #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • RT : #sm70 Q1. What are the circumstances when a company should NOT engage with its customers via social media?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • #sm70 Q1 When the business is more interested in pitching sales than actually engaging.
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:03 PM
  • Interesting that you mention that article about brands. is talking about engaging with customers using SM on #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:06:04 PM
  • RT Companies shouldn't engage in social media when they don't know why they are doing so (paraphrased) #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:07:04 PM
  • #sm70 Iam here! Where are you?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:07:04 PM
  • As a smb engaging via social media gets you an edge, but make sure you can deliver value and time for it each day. #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:07:04 PM
  • During crisis involving court rulings or investigations for the crisis not to be amplified or information misunderstood via #sm #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:07:05 PM
  • Mitch here - can we first define what it means to engage? Listen, Hear, Market #sm70
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:07:05 PM
  • #sm70 What constitutes a "proper" answer from a company in social media? Speed? Thoroughness?
    Posted by: - 07/27/2010 12:07:05 PM
    • Load 20 More
Moderator
Right here on Twitter. Just set up a search for #sm70 Or, you can follow/participate at http://hashtagsocialmedia.com
Hi everyone. Thx for tuning in to #sm70 We're going to talk about engaging with customer via social media, and whether it's required. Ready?
#sm70 Q1. What are the circumstances when a company should NOT engage with its customers via social media?
Hi Matt. #sm70 Do you mean when companies can't be fast enough to respond in real-time (ish)?
#sm70 Can you elaborate on that please? When would social engagement be a "bad fit" for a company?
#sm70 What constitutes a "proper" answer from a company in social media? Speed? Thoroughness?
Hey Justin. Great to see you. #sm70 Do you have an example of a benefit-less engagement via social media?
RT Companies shouldn't engage in social media when they don't know why they are doing so (paraphrased) #sm70
#sm70 What constitutes a "proper" answer from a company in social media? Speed? Thoroughness?
Hey Justin. Great to see you. #sm70 Do you have an example of a benefit-less engagement via social media?
Good one Dan. By "proper" personnel, are you referring to capacity, or capability of the social engagement team? #sm70
RT Companies shouldn't engage in social media when they don't know why they are doing so (paraphrased) #sm70
#sm70 Viva expectation management. An example in my book (with ) is putting operating hours on your Twitter page.
#sm70 Viva expectation management. An example in my book (with ) is putting operating hours on your Twitter page.
#sm70 Viva expectation management. An example in my book (with ) is putting operating hours on your Twitter page.
#sm70 Indeed. There's a lot of monitoring for mentions of brand, but not enough reading of those tea leaves. Interpretation FTW!
#sm70 Great point. The economics of listening often suggest less experienced people, but they really need to know the company
#sm70 Ideally, yes. But the mechanics of 24x7x365 Twitter response is a long shot for many companies.
#sm70 Several have mentioned an "engagement plan" before jumping in to interact with customers. What's included in that? (bonus question)
#sm70 Good answer by - Companies shouldn't engage via social media when their customers aren't active in social media.
#sm70 Good answer by - Companies shouldn't engage via social media when their customers aren't active in social media.
#sm70 Terrific insight. A system to avoid duplication and keep records of social engagement is key. See
#sm70 Q2. What are the organizational drawbacks for a company engaging with customers via social media?
RT Obviously once you engage (with customers) there's an expectation you'll respond to not just positive but negative comments #sm70
#sm70 Very well said from : "In a call center, you call the shots. In social media, the customer does"
#sm70 Excellent point. If your listening/engagement team is not spreading lessons learned company-wide, you're working at 50%
#sm70 Bonus question: Lots of talk about scalability. Can/should companies lean on agencies for help with listening and/or engagement?
True, but customer power increases geometrically when interactions are public - and immediate. #sm70
#sm70 Agency holds the rudder. Company holds the steering wheel.
#sm70 To me, agencies are best for outpost development, content strategy, measurement. Real-time monitoring best handled internally.
#sm70 I find that companies outsourcing to agencies is a matter of resources more than difficulty.
Cycle time. So much easier for internal folks to route issues fast when needed. #sm70
Not at all. Companies outsource all the time. I just find that internal monitoring is more efficient, if possible. #sm70
That would be different. I was thinking of a classic agency offsite model. #sm70
#sm70 Q3. How should companies modify their interaction/engagement based on specific customer's influence (Klout score, etc.)?
That would be different. I was thinking of a classic agency offsite model. #sm70
#sm70 Q3. How should companies modify their interaction/engagement based on specific customer's influence (Klout score, etc.)?
That would be different. I was thinking of a classic agency offsite model. #sm70
#sm70 Well said Co's should 1st start w determining their goal for relationship with customer base as whole.
I love your "advocate funnel" concept. Where's a C&C guest post on that? :) #sm70
Really? You think audience and social graph has no impact? #sm70
Really? You think audience and social graph has no impact? #sm70
Really? You think audience and social graph has no impact? #sm70
I'm a huge fan of Guy's a genius. (how's that Matt?) #sm70
#sm70 Bonus Question: If we don't want to use something like Klout, how can we ID the advocates of our brand - the 1% raving fans?
Excellent point Marc! Often, your raving fans find you. You don't have to look for them. #sm70
Matt gets extra credit for his thoughtful, awesome edits to first draft of my book (w/ ) - The Now Revolution #sm70
Exactly. That's why I advocate "giving lollipops" and treating your detractors and your fans largely the same. #sm70
Excellent point Marc! Often, your raving fans find you. You don't have to look for them. #sm70
Ideally couldn't you take your advocates, & add influence for them? (Flowtown reposts blog mentions to FB) #sm70
Your lollipops are made of beer, if memory serves. #sm70
I love it. Turning trolls into fans. Hosted by #sm70
Exactly! Never overlook someone who cares enough to complain. #sm70 It's the silent Blah that kills companies. #sm70
#sm70 Thanks to everyone for a scintillating chat. You guys are the best. Thx to and for their weekly efforts.
#sm70 Thanks to everyone for a scintillating chat. You guys are the best. Thx to and for their weekly efforts.
#sm70 Sorry Carol. I try to talk about myself infrequently over at http://convinceandconvert.com It's about you, not me.