This post was written by SmartBrief technology editor Susan Rush.
When it comes to social media, Zappos.com just gets it. Social media is not just a business strategy, it should be part of the culture, said Zappos’ Thomas Knoll during the “Social Media in Action: Philosophies, Strategies and Tactics That Consistently Win” panel discussion at the International Consumer Electronics Show on Friday.
Knoll said too much emphasis is often put on the “media” part of social media, adding that he is “a much bigger fan of the social part.” The goal of social media is to connect and build relationships with customers.
Fellow panelist Warren Whitlock of Xeno Press agreed. “If your customer is talking, listen to them — ‘listen and love,’” he said, adding he didn’t want to get “too kumbaya,” but that is what needs to be done. “Metrics to measure are good, but the most important part is engaging customers. You can’t make something viral, you have to make something good.”
Companies can get overwhelmed trying to decide which social media platform is right for them, but according to the panelists, the best strategy is to go where your customers are. Christopher Rauschnot, partner at CodyCom, said that the connection with the people are more important than which technology you use. He also encouraged companies to do internal testing of new technologies to make sure they are right for the business.
Knoll also said that for Zappos, the company views culture and brand as two sides of the same coin. “Social media is an opportunity to build relationships with customers,” he said. “The brand naturally is helped by the culture — we leave our culture out in the open.”
Selling this idea to executives can be difficult, so being able to show results is important. Rauschnot emphasized the need to deliver results to executives — showing examples of someone continuing to connect with you over a period of months, for instance. Panel moderator Rohit Bhargava, a founding member of Ogilvy 360 Digital Influence, also said companies can tweak an old-school strategy and transition it with a social aspect. “Start with what you already have,” he said, noting that it is important for companies to look for workers within the organization who are already using social tools and leverage that use.
Stumbles in strategy can occur when it comes to deciding which employee in the company is responsible for social media. The panelist called on companies to avoid picking a person based on their title or age. Whitlock encouraged attendees to have their companies follow the lead of Zappos and have everyone doing social media. “Asking who should be doing social media is like asking who should have a phone on their desk. Assume everyone is on social media,” he said.
Maybe some of the best advice came from Knoll, who said, “Our social media policy is be yourself and don’t be stupid.”
How are you making social media a part of your company’s culture?
Image credit: ausinasia, via iStockPhoto
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Right on the mark! Culture trumps strategy every day… Here's why Good People Aren’t Enough http://bit.ly/bklj42
Towards the end of the article you mention that strategy sometimes stumbles. When that happens, corporate culture takes over. So whether the culture is positive OR negative, you'll get what you invested in. For companies that ignore culture, strategy may be derailed irreparably. For those who focus on culture, the right people, acting on the right set of beliefs/goals, can help put a strategy back on track.
My recent post The Cost of a Negative Customer Experience
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Well, to be more precise, the "don't be stupid" part is the way I tell it to myself. The way it is communicated to others is, '… and use your best judgement.'.
My recent post the dull ache of “personal branding”
[...] to the most mundane processes. The groundwork has been laid by the innovative companies, such as Zappos. Action: It’s now it’s time to join the party and thoughtfully design some fully functional [...]
I'm very impressed with what Zappos is doing. It is really a smart way to go about a work environment where everyone can be comfortable and productive at the same time. I recently listened to an interview on HR happy hour with Zappos hr manager and since then I picture Zappos like the heaven of workplaces. I think other companies should follow their approach, become more "social" and open. At the end of the day, if you hire the right people, they'll know how to "use their best judgement". Thanks for the awesome post!
My recent post LinkedIn – Looking for a business deal
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Transparency is such a big issue for many big companies.. Going "social" sure puts you out there, engaging and interacting with would be customers based on connections! Zappos is a social media "thought leader" and are leading by example..
Great post!
RM – InBoundMarketingPR
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Social media is not only an opportunity to build relationships with your customers but also to establish relationships with new ones. When people tweet about getting a Grasshopper number, we reach out to them to learn more about who they are and what they do. This is a great way for us to get to know our customers on a more personal level and to find out where we can be of assistance to them. We got to where we are today with the help of others and think it’s important that we pay it forward and do what we can to help other fellow entrepreneurs.
Great article that reinforces the simplicity in connecting in an authentic way for meaningful conversations with your community. Our hats off to Warren for spot-on commentary!
Ken Lingad
1680PR
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[...] media is still emerging, there are limited social business examples – a popular case study is Zappos. The vision for social organizations is a totally flat, open structure where any employee can [...]
[...] media is still emerging, there are limited social business examples – a popular case study is Zappos. The vision for social organizations is a totally flat, open structure where any employee can [...]
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