How do you make sure you’re not a casualty in the corporate stampede to exploit social media?
A handy, if slightly old, report (www.accenture.com/gb-en/Pages/insight-social-media-party-invitation-summary.aspx#self) by Accenture, might clarify your thoughts. There are, it suggests, five key questions every business should ask.
Do you know where your customers, partners, suppliers and employees spend their time online? Because that might decide where you want to be.
Are you willing to engage with customer, employee and stakeholder interests, even if they’re outside the interests of the company? (Engagement requires letting go of the reins and an end to command and control.)
Do you have a compelling reason to converse with your end customer? (Are you looking to sell, educate or just entertain?)
Are you equipped to handle feedback and act on it? (You can’t ask for customer feedback and then ignore it.)
Are you ready to move beyond a pure transaction model? (Consider how Amazon integrates referrals, customer ratings, lists. You can enjoy the site even if you’re not looking to buy.)