Do or Die time for small business…Social Branding
In a recent interview conducted by Smart Brief, Shiv Singh, vice president and global social-media lead for Razorfish, author of “Social Media for Dummies”, discusses several key elements that will be essential for brand and business development starting in 2010. Here is an exerpt from the interview.
What are the three trends on the horizon that business leaders absolutely must keep up with?
Social brands. The company must be willing to let its employees and its brand advocates become the face of the brand. Consumers demand that, and brands like Best Buy, which are evolving into social brands (think Twelp Force), will be the ones that win.
Real-time brands. Companies that are dynamic and responsive in real time to their customers and their needs will be the ones that succeed. This doesn’t just mean real-time customer service, but real-time market research, real-time product development and real-time customization and personalization of products and campaigns alike.
Identifying, nurturing and managing relationships. Customers increasingly are also influencers, and companies will need to know who those people are and how much influence they actually have. Along those lines, understanding how customers come together as communities and make collective decisions will be important, too.
Do you have a small business? Leave a comment.
Click here to read the entire interview.