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The seven deadly sins of community engagementCommunity engagement is no longer a marketing option; it's a marketing imperative. Yet many organisations fail to exploit the opportunity effectively. Let's take a look at the seven ‘sins' that will ensure that an engagement strategy fails fast. Businesses that continue to use outdated and comparatively expensive ways to reach and influence their channel community are ignoring the power and efficiency of modern information and communication technologies. Such shortsightedness results in opportunities being left open for competitors. Exponential adoptionThe exponential adoption of Enterprise 2.0 technology by business reflects the effectiveness of such a communication channel, where exchanges are more immediate, more direct, more precise and more personal. According to renowned Internet researcher Arthur Goldstuck, interactive media has now reached its ‘tipping point', with more than 4 million South Africans surfing the Internet regularly and 38 million using cellphones. Compelling evidence proves that the direct engagement of communities differentiates an enterprise from its competitors, driving up sales and slashing costs in the process. Despite the high paybacks on interactive marketing investments, however, many organisations cease to see its potential or fail to exploit the opportunity effectively. While ignoring the opportunity outright will, ultimately, result in the decline of an organisation within the modern information economy, here are a further seven ‘sins' that will ensure that an engagement strategy fails fast. Seven sins
Two key threats While Enterprise 2.0 technology offers savvy firms significant opportunity, two key threats lurk in the background. Firstly, technology has a way of showing up the inefficiencies and service apathy of an organisation quickly. Before layering an engagement strategy, ensure that a company is willing, able and structured to fulfill on engagement promises. Secondly, since there is rarely a need for a second source of reliable industry collaboration and information, the supplier that first establishes the interactive capability and credibility is likely to retain the communication medium for a long time. Research shows that, in the highly commoditised markets of today, share of voice translates into share of customer. Community engagement is no longer a marketing option – it's a marketing imperative! About the authorJonathan Hall is CEO of leading Enterprise 2.0 community engagement systems and services provider, The Virtual Works (www.virtualworks.co.za). A specialist in business community engagement, Jonathan uses his unique blend of strategic, marketing and human alignment expertise to help forward-thinking organisations achieve exceptional commercial advantage by transforming the way they interact with their communities. Email him at jonh@virtualworks.co.za. |