Position Paper: The 20:20 Social Approach to Social Business Strategy

As regular readers of this blog would know, I have been thinking very hard about the shift from Social Media Marketing to Social Business Strategy.

I had earlier written about how Dachis Group/ Headshift and Altimeter Group are driving this shift. I had also written about the need to decode Social Business Strategy as “Social + Business Strategy” not as “Social Business + Strategy”. Finally, I had written about the need to go beyond the buzzwords and present a grounded methodology for develop Social Business Strategy.

Here is the position paper Dave Evans and I have written on the 20:20 Social Approach to Social Business Strategy.

In this position paper, we have offered the outline of a methodology for aligning Marketing with Operations, and using emerging social technologies for transforming business, instead of merely reaching out to customers with marketing messages.

2020 Social Position Paper Social Business Strategy

We will be delighted if you remember these three highlights from this position paper –

1. Step up from Social Media Marketing to Social Business Strategy

Use social technologies, and the value systems embedded in them, in an integrated manner, across customers, partners and employees, to transform your business and create long term business value.

2. Align Marketing and Operations to design a talk-worthy Experience Ecosystem

As Dell’s Bob Pearson noted, creating positive experiences directly drives positive conversations. Listen to and learn from your customers, partners and employees and use Social Applications to engage them in collaboratively designing your products, services, as well as customer-facing processes like sales and support.

3. Catalyze a community around the Social Object, not the Brand.

More often than not, your brand is not an integral part of your customer’s social life, so don’t try to build a community around your brand. Instead, catalyze a community around a Social Object — a lifestyle, passion, or cause – and associate your brand with it.

Remember, social is not only about marketing.

Published on September 12, 2009 in Tags: , , , , , , , .. View Comments
  • anishtripathi
    Gaurav I agree with your post and it outlines how there needs to be a more business focus along with a strategy, what those engaging strategies are and a more detailed article with case study examples would have been great. Other than that point agreed on the shift that is need.
  • @Gautam: You hit the nail on the head. The idea that you need to start from "social object" is one of the key insights in the position paper. The idea that conversations are driven by experiences and Marketing and Operations need to be aligned to deliver talk-worthy experiences are the other two core ideas.
  • True, it'd be interesting how prospective clients view "social objects" because actually they are not objects at all...Would you tell them "value proposition" in case they don't know what 'social object' is?
  • @Gautam: So far, we have been very successful in explaining to clients what a social object is. :-)
  • @Gautam:true..social objects are still somewhat nebulous to most marketing decision makers.The worshipped icions of USP and value proposition is hard to shake off even in the new paradigm.
    @Gaurav: Your approach is sure worth a look in..."Instead, catalyze a community around a Social Object — a lifestyle, passion, or cause – and associate your brand with it".Some successful Indian instances come to mind...How ITC successfully retained hardcore smokers and lured a new set 'with discover a passion' when they jettisoned Classic as a brand.And used TME well with 'Discover a passion' theme programmes through their popular HORECA platform.It wasnt only about the aura around the brand classic...but the consumer engagement around the social experience of consumers being passionate about having a good time.The subtle allure of smoking being a passionate habit surrogately tied in.Asian paints did it remarkably well with "Sharad Shamman" the annual durga puja feting.Where the festive revelry nudges in the core brand values.Its time they took it international and online.
  • How true!

    Going from brand-outside is where the "consumers" mindset is limiting

    Going from social object-inside is where "participation" and collaboration actually start impacting the way an organization fundamentally sees itself - not as merely a profit making entity but a catalyst for a community around the social object
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