62
c h a p t e r3 :BUILD A SOCIAL BUSINESS■Build Your Social Presence
Campaign-centric communities are not the focus of a social business program. If you
fi nd yourself thinking “campaign,” you are either heading for social-media-based
marketing or traditional/digital marketing that is made to “look like” social media.
Beware: The focus of social business—distinct from social media marketing—is
around the application of the Social Web to business in ways that are driven funda-
mentally through organic versus paid processes and which are intended to benefi t your
business generally versus sell products specifi cally.
Organic communities and Social Web activities built around a business are
designed to exist independently of direct spending in marketing, with the possible
caveat of initial seeding. They are intended to inform the business, to connect it to its
audience, and to encourage collaboration between customers and employees toward
the objective of improving the business, and to sustain this over time for the purpose of
driving superior business results. It is equally likely that the software and related infra-
structure expenses of a social business program will be paid for through Operations or
IT as through Marketing.
Again, this is not to say that there is no value in spend-driven communities.
There is potentially signifi cant promotional value that arises out of measured fulfi ll-
ment against marketing and advertising goals. It is to say that in addition to these types
of marketing campaigns, social business programs are centered on core business objec-
tives and expressed through an appeal to the lifestyles, passion, and causes of custom-
ers. These types of programs are specifi cally put in place to encourage collaborative
participation. The collaboration that occurs between customers and between employ-
ees is the root focus of social business.The Elements of Social Business
The following are helpful when considering a social business strategy. Taken together, and built
around a central alignment between Marketing and Operations, these core elements support an
organic approach to the application of the Social Web to business. The later chapters that focus
on each are also indicated.
Customers, Stakeholders, and Employees
Beginning with the conversations occurring on the Social Web, actively listening, responding,
facilitating collaboration, and retaining customers are among the primary objectives of a suc-
cessful social business implementation. Chapter 5, “Social Technology and Business Decisions,”
Chapter 6, “Social Analytics, Metrics and Measurement,” and Chapter 7, “Five Essential Tips When
Starting Out” in Part II along with Chapter 8, “Engagement on the Social Web,” and Chapter 9
“Social CRM,” in Part III provide tips, best practices, and examples of how this is accomplished.
The Elements of Social Business