By Liam Dowd - June 27th, 2014
Some of key ideas and insights shared over two info-packed days
On June 16-17 over 300 social media and marketing execs met at The Corporate Social Media Summit New York to discuss the evolution of social media. Top brands shared insight on how they're using social media for employee training and communication to product adaption and customer feedback.
One of the great assets of the Summit is the calibre of speakers and attendees. In numerous sessions both speakers and attendees engaged in insightful conversations that gave the rest in attendance ideas and thoughts to take back to the office.
We've just published our Summit eBook which outlines the top takeaways, tweets and thoughts from speakers around the Summit.
Below I've listed just five of the takeaways from the eBook...
1. LET EMPLOYEE ADVOCATES SHINE
One of the main themes of the Summit was finding ways to engage employees. Dan Lewis, CCO at Molson Coors stated that the biggest missed opportunity in social media is activating employees.
Greg Shove, CEO at Social Chorus, stunned the audience with the fact that 150 active employee advocates will create the same reach as 1 million fans.Companies should encourage and empower employees to use social on behalf of their brand. Considerable time should be allocated in creating clear guidelines and training.
2. SMALL DATA > BIG DATA
Over the two days speakers highlighted the need for a more granular approach to data. Natanya Anderson, Director of Social Media at WholeFoods, stated she used to have Data FOMO (fear of missing out) and would worry about data she didn’t even know about.
Whole Foods, McDonald’s, ESPN, Sprint and NASCAR are all drilling down into their data to finder better insights from particular groups, which in turn helps inform and improve their business decisions.
3. ALL INCLUSIVE CONTENT
Great content shouldn’t be reserved just for your customers, employees benefit just as much. Bev Thorne, CMO at Century 21, stated that they train employees through videos on social media. Nathan Bricklin, SVP Head of Wholesale Social Strategy at Wells Fargo, shared great insight on how Wells Fargo utilizes Yammer to inspire innovation and collaboration.
Whole Foods go one step further, they share weekly infographics internally on the top performing stores on social media. This both inspires and rewards stores’ social media efforts.
4. STRIVE TO BE CUSTOMER CENTRIC
Successful businesses put their customers at the heart of all that they do, and that should be the case for social too. Resaturant.com, has customer centricity at the heart of what they do, first they focus on engagement, secondly customer service, and then finally revenue.
Amir Weiss, Head of Global eBusiness at MetLife, was asked if his MetLife was customer centric, his direct response was “What else would you be?”
5. THE SOCIAL MEDIA REVOLUTION
Throughout the two days speakers shared stories on why social media is evolving into something much bigger, SOCIAL BUSINESS. Dan Montanaro, CEO of TradeKing, Bev Thorne, CMO at Century21, Christopher Krohn, CMO and President at Resaturant.com and Amir Weiss, Head of eBusiness at MetLife all stated social business is all encompassing; it includes customer care, product development, brand building and employee engagement.
A comment that resonated with the audience was from Bev Thorne “we really have an infinite-sized team of consumers that we’re trying to inspire in creating a social business”.
To get a full run-down of all the key takeaways and thoughts from the Summit, simply download the free Summit eBook
At one point the Summit #CSMNY was trending nationally in the US alongside the NBA Finals and the World Cup...
The Summit only confirmed to us something that we've thought for a long time, social media is well and truly embedded into businesses and is now seen as integral to corporate strategy.
Companies are in the early phases of understanding the full benefits that social media brings to business. We're sure next year's Summit will highlight even more new ideas and opportunities of social.
Exciting times ahead!