A new, yet proven, way to utilize social networking for a productive corporate marketing program that yields strong returns, is to position the community as a closed group of advisors that provides guidance for internal planning. This means the social network software must meet the marketing analysis needs for strong program results.
In creating small, private, communities, companies can leverage the privacy and intimacy of direct interaction with customers and prospects to capture marketing insights, and build brand advocates. However, be prepared for some real hard work in pulling the full-value out of the information that you acquire.
Panels, chat rooms, blogs and focus groups just graze the surface of real meaningful consumer input. Marketing folks can really learn a lot from continuously talking to community members. This means that effective social network tools need to be part of the social network service so that results can be effectively applied to product planning.
It is important not to control the company community, but rather let the community take the reins. This means that the social network platform must capture and analyze the freedom of consumer expression—rather than rely on pre-canned surveys, or multiple choice preference surveys. In managing communities tightly, companies lose the freedom of expression and honesty that they originally hoped to acquire in establishing the dialogue originally.
Social network tools that enable advanced analysis of consumer expression is an important social network add-on. The key is to create a tight community based on people with common interests, with an ability to mine the data from the dynamics of the community. Naturally, designing the tone of the site is important, so that users can feel comfortable and free to express themselves—and likewise feel valued for their sharing. Here are some tips for using an online community for consumer feedback.
Keep the community private
Private communities promote comfort and safety, and make for stronger participation and willingness to dynamically communicate openly.
Members should be “internal advisors”
As company advisors, not as an internal focus group, community will often go the extra mile to help and suggest. In this context, it is important that members know that their insight is being used to help grow a trend—the company—a program, etc.
Weigh member suggestion heavily
Polls are often used as the key input to companies seeking online input. But, in reality, the detailed conversations between members who are frequent participants representing more depth. If members begin to candidly reveal how a program/product/company fits their lifestyle—you have hit pay-dirt.
Don’t push for answers
Effective communities are those that are openly candid and free-flowing. Pushing for too much will backfire. Members will sense they are being corralled, and often the energy of a site can then be drained.
Focus on a few with passion
Focusing on several hundred core community members who have an intense common interest to enable easy mining of membership usage data, in order to be responsive to them, and unlock their participation. If you selected them with precision, it will expand exponentially.
Encourage straightforward conversation
Set the tone for a breezy, open style and articulate early appreciation for input, insight, and participation. Reinforcement should be often and even be rewarded.
Keep the topic focused
Members will remain tight and active from the first day, if the topic is focused and relevant. It is important to not allow the edges of the community eco-system to fray by diluting interests and focus. It is better to split off interested groups at the edges of a community into new communities. Make sure the topic of focus is a topic not a product—or else the community becomes a bashing site.
Don’t censor negative inputs
By censoring, a specific topic, the backfire will be far in excess of letting it go. Group-driven moderation of inappropriate content is far more effective
Mix-n-Match technologies
Members like variety—so relying on just blogging, or posting will be tiring. Toss in a poll, a survey, a pod cast, a game, a puzzle, a competitive activity, posting favorite pictures, a video “day-in-the-life-of…”, tell-a-story, mystery shopping, role plays, or create a new X…. Mixing up the technologies will keep the community vibrant and rich.