Influencers and how to become one yourself

Influencers: The Stakeholders who own you and the Stakeholders you can lead

 

When living our lives no matter whether as individuals or as a part of organizations and the business we often make choices or have opinions which do not represent who we truly are. Sometimes we “catch” ourselves making those unnatural steps but most of the time we become unknowingly who our choices make us. The reason is that we are not born free. We are limited in so many ways by laws, culture, education, religion, etc. that we have grown up used to the idea that we must obey the rules.

Rules are indeed very important, if not the very core of society in all its forms. However, growing so obedient we have become slaves to many more rules than it is necessary in reality. Examples can be fashion, music, group rituals, diets, exercise, lifestyle in general, etc.

You will probably ask why we buy certain clothes or go to a certain club? You will not be the only one. Every business no matter how big or small wants to know that.

We do so because we are “told” so. Among us who obey there are also the so called influencers. Those are individuals who are a part of the groups to which we belong and who do not always stay ahead and behave as leaders. Those are simple people who speak the language of the crowd and understand its mechanisms. Of course, influencers are also often also public figures who beforehand have groups of followers.

Influencers are important for business from two points of view – as possible promoters/anti-brand activists and as trend creators. In the first case we talk about marketing efforts or restoring brand communication. Needless to say, this may mean the success or the failure of a brand. In the second case we talk about researching and detecting future trends predicted by behavior of influencers. Using this method can help channel the business efforts in the right direction.

This is also the reason why companies try to attract influencers as their employees or as their loyal consumers. But they fail to understand that being an influencer by “buying” an influencer’s voice is not the best practice. The reason is both that public figures are overused as corporate faces and “private” influencers are often individuals who succeed as such thanks to their strong, honest voice rooted in SOME principles. That is to say that there are no universal influencers. Somebody who is known as knowledgeable in nutrition will without a doubt be as useless to McDonald’s as they would be to Siemens if they start promoting hamburgers after swearing off all fast food throughout all their lives.

There are of course many “sneaky” ways to include an influencer’s voice in the corporate marketing but one should always beware that if an influencer is used in an attempt to manipulate the public and this information is leaked out of the organization great damage might be expected brand-wise.

The truth is that the times of manipulation are over. The only winning strategy for a company is to answer the demand, be honest and responsible. Getting the attention of influencers depends on a company’s ability to predict trends and act on them, cooperate with the public and always be a step ahead of competition.

This is the only way a company can become an influencer itself. However, besides being a market leader one way or another, the company should understand what makes one an influencer – a strong honest voice, rooted in clear principles. Companies need to understand that if they have a stand there will be somebody who will want to listen. And follow.

Social and fast - no other way to do business

Social Media Marketing and Trends

Doing some research on use of Social media as a communication tool I stumbled upon an article from 2008. The article was called Enhancing Promotional Strategies Within Social Marketing Programs: Use of Web 2.0 Social Media, written by Rosemary Thackeray, Brad L. Neiger, Carl L. Hanson and James F. McKenzie. I have to admit that I was more than surprised. At first I thought that the authors somehow had misused the term social media. Or misunderstood its uses and importance. Then I realized that the key to that mystery had all the time been right next to the title: year of publication 2008.

I was reading with amazement because I realized how much and how fast our world had changed. Back in 2008 only a small percentage of all internet users were users of some kind of social media, predominated by teenagers and young adults (up to 24 year olds). Today social media is not any more a media in the classic sense of the word. It is a part of our lives; it is a part of who we are and how we communicate.

After reading a lot of literature I still think that research is having troubles catching up with the social media reality. Because it has changed our world in a way so that everything happens ever faster and with ever more consumer involvement. And let’s face it – only the time needed to write and publish an article – around 2-3 years for academic articles - will be enough to make it obsolete.

Companies on the other hand cannot allow themselves the luxury of falling behind. That is why advice as  this the authors of the mentioned article give – be cautious and research the possibilities of incorporation of new media channels in the communication strategy – is not one to be followed. As Kotler points out in his Marketing bible, it is not any more a world where the strongest survives, it is a world where the fastest survives.

Following trends seems to be a relatively good strategy, however you position yourself willingly as number 2 or number 1000. Instead you need to create your communicative environment. It is already established that corporate communications, marketing and any business activity will be done in close cooperation with consumers – or the company will not exist for long. In practice this means that you need to stop following trends only because the others are doing it. Instead, focus on your consumers, on any other stakeholders you deem important. Research THEM, cooperate with them and facilitate communication channels approved by them. That will be your guarantee for success. On top of the fact that you will establish communication that is maximally beneficial for both sides, you will gain the appreciation of your stakeholders.

An example about why you do not need to worry about upcoming digital miracles or trends is a simple request as the one a Danish fitness chain received on their Facebook page – consumers were asking whether an iPhone app was being planned.

As long as you offer a good product and good service and you manage to engage your consumers they will always turn to you to solve whatever matter there is – from a communication issue to product specifications. Is it really necessary to explain why this is very important?

That is why you need to learn the rules of the game – be perceptive and reactive. Be proactive and helpful. Engage and be engaged. And maybe the most important of rules: whatever you do, do it fast. We are not any more living in times where waiting 4 to 6 weeks for TV shop delivery is OK, is the norm. Waiting is not acceptable. And here come tools as social media giving us the new timeframe for successful communication: now, that minute. Forgetting that risks us our costumers forgetting about us.

We don’t know what will come in the future. And that is okay. The future will most certainly not come without us. Keeping up with today’s pace is all we really can do. It is only a few who are brave enough to dare the future. Some succeed big, most fail. It is up to you which path you choose but being fast is still the rule.

 

DIDI

Stakeholder management: Relationship expiration date

Relationships and Stakeholders

 

As all things relationships also come with an expiration date. Even though it might not be a 3-day expiration date stamped on a package it does not mean that it will not come. Relationships are basically also just a product – a product of invested time and effort. And here comes the question – when do they expire?

Drama and tears might be reserved for personal relationships but the end of a business relationship should be just as dramatic. Business today is run through leaning on a vast number of relationships and cannot be run without them. We talk about our customers, our suppliers, our partners, our broader network, our governmental links, our international relations and so on. Every business has a number of critically important relationships and an enormous number of less important ones.

Those relationships are different from a management point of view and require different policies. However, what is common for them all is that they should be a primary concern of management as developing relationships is an investment in the future of the company. They are a time and resource craving process and that is another reason why relationships should be valued high – building new relationships – when possible – costs much more than maintaining established ones and sometimes costs the company’s position on the market.

So when do relationships expire?

Relationships – no matter whether it is a B2C or B2B – characterize with mutuality. That means that they have been established because both parts believe in the benefits from the relationship. They develop in time if the benefit lives up to expectations. And they cease to exist when such benefit lapses.

In practice this means that maintaining a relationship includes not only establishing it and working on the agreed terms but actively looking for development opportunities. If we look from a B2B point of view this translates as the need to be better than competitors, to offer more revenue, both in terms of cash and image enhancement. You are not unique as a company as there are hundreds of similar companies out there trying to do better than you. That is why what you should do when working on developing B2B relationships is to focus on answering the main questions: What are the benefits of this relationship? How can we make them more salient? Is there place for development? Is there something we could add? How can we gain more from the relationship? Are there companies who can offer something better than us? How important is this relationship for our business? Can we trust each other? What will keep us together? Can we work better together?

Those questions should be answered both by management and in cooperation with your partner. Business relationships are much like personal ones. They require discussion and agreement. The difference here is that even though some of them are driven almost completely on personal basis, they are still benefit-based. If you want your business to succeed you maintain only relationships that are beneficial to you. That is why focus on value creation is more than necessary.

If we take the B2C perspective, things are generally the same. However, it happens only rarely that a company has enough contact with its customers to be able to discuss mutual benefits. That is why maintaining the relationship with your consumers requires the employment of different tools. Some of those include market research, consumer research, bench marketing, and innovation. One should of course also consider market niche, positioning, and market segment. From a positioning point of view the product should deliver what it promises – quality, low prices, high prices and prestige, etc.

However, satisfying the expectations of your consumers is not enough. Once again you should make sure that your offer is better than the offer of competition. And there are many ways you could differentiate yourself. In the last decade or so though, a certain method has shown quite good results. You should listen to your customers, understand their concerns and help them solve their problems. That means you could support the local football team or buy medicines for the nearby hospital. Doing that will add value to your product and buying will not be a random choice but a meaningful decision.

A bit of a warning here though – such an involvement can bring you great benefits and image enhancement when being an honest act but it can also destroy you if dishonesty is found by your stakeholders.

Another tool you could use to maintain your consumer segment are the very popular discount or loyalty programs. Most of the time they have proved to be quite efficient. The only downside is that they will not ensure you loyal consumers in the long run.

That you could achieve by involving them. Be transparent. Be responsible. Give them a look inside. Give them the word and let them be part of the company’s policy. No one can tell you better what your consumers want then your consumers. Listen to them and empower them. This way they will stay with the company as they will be part of it.

It is true that it is not always such tactics could be used but the ones described here are only a small part of all possibilities. Different businesses and different countries present with different challenges and very specific solutions to very specific problems. When talking about relationships generalizing is almost impossible or at least incorrect as relationships are unique and defined by a long list of factors. They should be treated as unique. Time and resources should be invested into continuous research and relationship development programs. As relationships do expire. They expire in that moment when you think that there is nothing more that should be done.

Will it be worth it to realize it the moment after?

 

DIDI

Front desk no-go: not knowing is not okay

Case   The secretariat is asked to give information about who within the organization manages a specific business area. The secretary’s answer: “The person you are looking for is… . You can find them on the following number and e-mail address.” “I am not sure who the manager responsible for those projects is. I will check and get back to you/I will now refer you to my colleague who will be able to answer your query.” “I am sorry but I have absolutely no idea who that might be/what you are talking about.”

We as people are taught that not knowing is nothing to be ashamed of as it is our thirst for knowledge that makes a difference. However, in business context this does not prove to be true. In different contexts it might signal laziness, lack of interest, lack of motivation, lower intelligence. In organizational context it signals dysfunctional communication, lack of transparency, lack of employee inclusion, miscommunication, dishonesty… the list goes on and there is not a single positive characteristic on it.

The first answer provided above indicates a company where all processes are controlled and information is shared at an appropriate level. Normally, consumers and partners trust such companies the most.

The second answer points to a company where either size, branches or business structure makes it difficult to manage everything from the headquarters. The company probably has a higher level of independency of structure or employees. However, navigating through the structure presents only a minor difficulty. Consumers and partners generally trust such companies but do get frustrated while trying to navigate through different departments in order to find the one they need.

The third answer is an example of an organizational mess. Consumers and partners generally do not trust such companies as they perceive them as unprofessional, inefficient, possibly dishonest, excluding employees from policy, lacking control over the business.

In addition, one should consider that wasting time on finding information or getting a service will deter many consumers or potential partners who do not deem the company or the service irreplaceable.

The company’s reception or service desk is the company’s face. As incredible as is it a rude receptionist could do a lot more damage than a minor marketing setback. One of the reasons is that nowadays people buy much more that products and services. They buy experiences. For them it is important to receive a positive experience in connection to a purchase. That is why being tossed around from department to department while finding the right one or being served by an impolite and resentful employee is often a deal breaker.

In B2B communication the need to make 3 or 7 phone calls in order to talk to one person means losses. Time is money indeed. Therefore it is expected that if such situation occurs business prospects in many cases will decline. Rudeness at organizational level means directly closed doors. Of course, here has to be considered the importance factor. There are those companies who one would wait as long as needed to talk to and who can allow themselves to be as rude as they like.

However, practice shows that such companies do not do well in the long run. Being thoughtful and careful with your partners and customers is one of the requirements of contemporary business. Therefore it is a must to provide a splendid customer service that will fulfill all requirements your stakeholders might have. The information paths should be clear and easy to follow and employees should be educated in the importance of serving customers with the necessary respect and care and, just as importantly, in a timely manner. Do not risk a company’s image on a “don’t know”!

DIDI

SEO and website visibility

Today I had to search for a particular book which everybody told me cannot be found. I of course did not go down the street looking for it in the local book store. I found in Australia never bothering to make sure there was no seller closer to me. Maybe they had it in a neighboring town or in Germany for example but I did not know about it. Then I started thinking about the crucial importance internet has for the success of business today. It allows for a virtually unlimited market on minimal cost. It connects a seller and a buyer. It boosts brand communities. It increases the awareness. It allows us to talk directly with our consumers and understand in a crystal clear way what they want, need or think.

Businesses use internet in many different ways – websites, blogs, commercials, social media, newsfeeds, email marketing, recommendations and references, networking, sourcing, researching, etc., in most of the cases combining them. All of these tools have as a purpose either profit by sales or profit by efficiency.

To achieve those goals though a company should make sure that it’s content is visible. In other words, when people type a search for your kind of a product or company you should pop us among the first search results. That is what guarantees you success.

If we focus on websites visibility that at first seems to be mission impossible – internet is flooded with similar products, services and companies. So you should either be truly unique or smart.

There are several tips repeated by specialists which should help you increase the visibility of your website:

1. You should make sure that enough websites and publications are linked to yours. Search engines discover content by “crawling”, a process of accessing billions of pages with interlinked content. More links equals more visibility.

2. You should optimize keywords according to expectations (even better research, for example through Google AdWords or trough testing keyword effectiveness on different search engines) about what key words consumers would use while searching for your type of a service/product. Key words repeated many times on the website give better discovery results. “Long tail” keywords will reduce general traffic but will direct those who know exactly what they want (and that they really want to have it) to your pages.

3. Give a title to each page according to its content. Be precise and short as that will ensure you better discovery by search engines. Concentrate the important content in the first three words as search engines read the first 70-75 characters of the title tag.

4. Provide quality content. As increased traffic is perceived by search engines as increased importance of the search result, it as a rule increases traffic further. You should make sure that visitors get what they want. Do not alienate readers with overwhelming selling efforts.

5. Use text links. When explaining content by referring to a different web address, use a hyperlinked text instead of typing URL strings. It is not a good idea using your keywords as links to other pages or web addresses. Be warned that too many links on a page mean that they will not all be searched.

6. Make sure that the structure of your website is accessible through linking all pages. If not, you risk that search engines will not find the not-linked pages. This will greatly lower the chances of your content being found.

7. Content which requires a login is generally skipped by search engines. If you aim for visibility, avoid that kind of barriers.

8. Get listed in as many relevant directories as possible. They exist in different shape and size and provide different options for listing. There are also paid options, however, as a consumer myself I have my doubts about those few search results that appear as first and are marked “sponsored”.

9. Use HTML coding for your main content in order for it to be visible to search engines. Java, Flash and images are still ignored by them. Check how your website is read by a search engine to ensure it will be read and listed. That you could do with a tool as SEO Software tool.

10. Research by SEOmoz shows that social features on the site and the domain are becoming increasingly important. However, it is still the link metrics on page level, the link authority features on domain level and the page level keyword usage that count the most when it comes to search engine ranking factors.

11. Search engines guidelines read that URLs should be created with appropriate and human friendly keywords.

12. Aside of key-word-rich content ensure regularly new content.

Those are just a very few ground rules as ensuring website visibility is a process that goes all the way to programming the website and to agressive marketing on the other end. However, I am sure that most of you are already lost. That is why I am going to say it as simple as possible:

What you are really supposed to do as long as you do not possess IT qualifications is to make sure that your URL is user-friendly, maximally descriptive and clear; that all relevant keywords are listed and repeated as much as possible in the relevant texts; that the website is listed in as many directories as possible; that content is readable by search engines; that meta description tags provide clear and appealing description of your content; that every page is titled accordingly and linked to the website; that there are credible external links to your site which you can ensure by negotiations and networking; that keywords match consumer search.

The rest I would leave to the IT specialists.

DIDI