Preparing for Social Media

by Sherry Heyl, Chief Strategy Officer

As Fritz suggested in the previous post, we are constantly evaluating what new technologies and trends are coming our way, how and when will they impact our lives, when do we need to start preparing and will they turn out to be just a fad anyway.

In the past 40-50 years technological innovation has accelerated at speeds that are sometimes hard to fathom. Not long ago StarTrek showed us technologies that could never be possible, but as the History Channel recently pointed out in their show How StarTrek Changed the World;

The evolution of the computer, the microchip and software programs is peppered with influences from the television series, from the primitive Altair 8800 (named after a solar system in the shows) and its evolution into the first Apple computer to the rise of Bill Gates and Microsoft. And as a result of the series, human operating systems also began to reflect this futuristic vision. The USS Enterprise sickbay, under the medical supervision of Doctor McCoy, specialized in quick diagnosis and scalpel-free — and painless — surgery. For Stanford University Hospital brain surgeon Doctor John Adler, this protocol was the only way forward. Today, non-invasive diagnostics, CAT scans and MRIs are a matter of course. Inspired by the technologies presented in the series, Adler has invented the Cyberknife — a computer-controlled robotic device that employs a laser beam to remove cancers without even the smallest cut.

But at the same time we still do not have our flying cars. Even more disappointing...

I no longer have WebVan!

I also no longer have the cool convertible I bought myself in 1999 - because in 2003 I could no longer afford the payments.

Many people no longer have the IPO stock that was going to make them rich, or the house they bought with the sign-on bonus they received.

Yes - beyond the flying car, almost all of us have been let down with what was promised to be the next big thing.

It is no wonder that people are skeptical, hesitant, or even critical of this new or evolving web, that is so disruptive it is going to change everything. Yeah - we heard that one before.

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

The Internet was possibly one of the most disruptive innovations of our time. It disrupted the ways we communicated, by knocking down the cost, geographic boundaries and speed in which we communicate. It changed the way we market to individuals by enabling us to market to individuals and track their responses to our marketing messages. It knocked down many barriers to entry for small businesses and leveled the playing field, thus increasing competition. The Internet changed the world by applying the offline world of mass communication and transactions to the world wide web.

They say the bubble burst. It must have. I had to downgrade my car, I can not order my groceries from my PC and many people are still making half as much as they were 10 years ago, but one thing did not change. We did not stop using the Internet.

The other thing that did not change is we are still using the Internet to apply our offline world to the world wide web by staying in touch with our networks, meeting new people, and discovering people of like minds. This seems so subtle but it is having a huge affect on businesses competing to get their messages out.

In the world of customer service it is suggested that if a customer has a good experience they might tell a friend, but if they have a bad experience they would tell three friends. That does not seem so alarming, until they begin telling their friends online, so that all the world can hear.

Kristy Evans is one of our interns. She is finishing up a Whitepaper on how online communities are affecting the restaurant industry. Here is a brief introduction of what she has found:

Everyone’s a Critic

Chances are if you have a local restaurant, your last thought is about how your business is doing online. However, it definitely is something you should be concerned with, especially if are a local restaurant owner in the Atlanta area. There is a veritable universe of social media, which would be impossible to learn about in one post or even a full report (which will be coming soon)! But I will attempt to fearlessly navigate through the most prominent and relevant areas.

The easiest way to start out as a participant is by well, not participating. You can instead play the passive observer. Keeping up with reviews in newspapers and food magazines is nothing new, and in this digital age, monitoring the blogosphere should be next on the agenda. The best way to do this is to set up a GoogleAlerts on your restaurant. Any mention of your restaurant anywhere online will be noted and e-mailed to you. This way you can be aware on a daily basis of who is blogging about your business and about the restaurant industry. Remember, the Internet is just another medium.

Here is a quick list of recommendations for becoming an more active and also effective participant in the blogosphere:
_ Know what people are saying about the restaurant industry, about how the economy affects people’s leisure activities, especially dining out. Also keep track of your competitors. You can do this using larger review sites like Yelp.com, CitySearch.com, Google Maps, Zagat.com, and so on.
_ Keep note that User Generated Content (UGC), including blogs, video clips, podcasts, consumer e-mail feedback, message board posts, forum comments, etc. is created by employees and consumers, not by agencies, corporations or consultants. It's often inspired by relevant product or service experiences and is frequently archived online for the convenience of readers and key marketplace influencers. The marketing reach of UGC is staggering!
__ Finally, you can avoid crisis communications by blogging proactively yourself, and having responses and reactions prepared for both positive and negative comments received. Creating blogs are free or a very low cost, and once you get in the right circle, people can come to you to find out how the industry works from the inside out. This is just simple public relations.

This isn’t a call for you to advertise online. It is a way to market yourself, inexpensively. By participating proactively in the blogosphere, your business stands to enlarge its online presence and create for itself an opportunity to develop additional positive spin on its food and atmosphere. With consumers turning in increasing numbers to online research prior to making their purchasing decisions, blogging can also help indecisive customers choose your restaurant over the other guys.

The Internet did not replace broadcast or print media, it just forced companies to reallocate their budgets and attentions to more places by evaluating where the reach and response rate was most effective. As their audience changed habits organizations had to change habits.

Social Media is not a new technology that is going to change everything. It is people behaving the way people behave but with technologies that enable greater reach with fewer restrictions. Many social media ideas and tools will come and go. So called web 2.0 companies will fade away, the so-called bubble will burst again. But we will continue to stay connected, communicate across boundaries, and knocking down walls.

Your audience has changed. Have you started making plans to keep up?