I love my customers – don’t you? But sometimes, just like a parent, you have to enforce a little discipline.
Like children, they can become easily distracted. They start focussing on the wrong things (think they know better) and before you know it innovation and performance starts to lag. There is nothing worse than conducting an SN strategy meeting (where everyone leaves fired-up and totally bought-in) only to return later and find that nothing has been done.
Customers – With Social Networking, realisations are not accomplishments. You have to act upon your own realisations (and the concepts of your agency) and get stuff actioned quick – it’s going to take time, a few late nights and, maybe, some extra expense, but if you don’t test ideas how will you ever KNOW what works?
It’s simple really, trust your agency – assume they know what they’re talking about until proven otherwise. Don’t block their input or their suggestions – you’ve hired them for a cold objective eye.
And go with your instincts too. The human race still recognises honesty. I think.
Appointing an agency when you have no intention of taking their suggestions is like buying a dog when you want to bark yourself – it’s counter-productive.
Agencies – realise that many of your customers have actually built successful businesses without you. Be prepared to offer solid examples and data on why and where social networking works. Otherwise it’s just so much smoke and mirrors – the result – an increasing number of innoculised businesses will become resistant to hiring us.
For customers and agencies: (KISS)
(1) Communicate expectations with each other
(2) Identify vehicles and test small
(3) Build on results and widen engagement points
Apply this and you will both drink the waters of success without shooting yourselves in the foot.
