Every company needs to think of new media like “working a room”.  A company wants to engage in as many conversations as possible, learn who might be helpful, and circle around to those people later.

It’s not easy changing from a company that has done all the talking to one that now has to do more listening.

Let’s start with a YouTube video that captures the frustration that many consumers feel when trying to talk with a brand or its ad agency.

So, let’s start with what makes up a solid strategy for “working the room”.

1. Company Goals. Companies need an endgame for all the talk. A strategy drives new media conversations toward those goals. Possible company goals would be to set up a network of influencers to:

• test product and write about it
• provide opinions on prototypes 
• provide new perspectives for customer service 
• measure a brand’s marketing and sales messaging
• neutralize negative bloggers with solid communication

There are many others; however, achieving any of these goals starts with developing relationships. 

2. Building Relationships. This has got to be a two way street. Influential bloggers want traffic. And that is helped by developing relationships with strong brands. That brings them authenticity and fresh interesting information for their blogs.  More traffic means more viral growth and a larger loyal following. On the other side of the coin: companies who develop relationships with bloggers want the same things: more traffic to the blog, more influence, and powerful third party messaging that spurs growth. Symbiotic stuff here. 

3. Capturing and Filtering Incoming New Media. How will you find the influencers in the blogsphere? A company must efficiently capture and filter new media. Hiring people to sit in front of computer screens and review the blogs is one option. Another is to employ a software based front-end communication tool that captures and prioritizes the posts. (Saves time and money, although these tools need to be closely managed.) Or, have your public relations firm handle it, if you employ one that is big enough for the job. 

Who will be in charge of the new media initiative and how much power should they have? My suggestion: put a very talented person in charge and give them power. H/she will need it to prioritize the blog posts, stamp certain posts for immediate action, and begin the process of getting the answers out of the company’s departments. 

4. Outgoing Communication.  Finding the blog posts is one thing. Responding to them is another. So, besides giving the new media person the power to engage departments, make sure the departments understand there is urgency in getting answers back to either the media person or into the blogsphere. (The strategy needs to address who will answer the blogs, the media person or the departments.)  The marketing, sales, customer service, and product development departments will all be touched by criticism, praise, and everything in between.  Everyone needs to understand that speed and clarity of response are critical. Letting a bad blog post fester, could mean trouble. Big trouble. 

Next Up: Motrin’s Big Headache

Your brand is whatever your customers say it is.  And in the groundswell where they communicate with each other, they decide.-Groundswell

Many companies in the outdoor space are considering new media. Makes sense.

Our business is filled with, shall we say, dedicated users. Or as Yossarian in a TGR Forum writes, “hard-chargin’, story-writin’, zappa recitin’, flame-throwin’, 24-7-365 thinkin’ (about skin’ and boardin’, anyway), gear-debatin’, pow-ridin’ people in the world!”  There are many of them, and a growing list is publishing in new media: blogs, forums, facebook, twitter, etc.  And many other consumers are reading, commenting, and round and round it goes. 

In the old days we just talked to ourselves. Decided what was cool and what technology would be best, and then pushed that messaging into the marketplace. With new media, manufacturers push product into the marketplace, and the response comes roaring back within days. 

So, how does a company begin the new media journey? Let’s start with what you don’t do:

1. Think you will start small and see where this goes. (Might as well drink from a fire hose.)
2. Assign a mid-level employee to the task of monitoring and responding to new media.
3. Believe that the old push strategy of messaging will work when you respond to a post.
4. Assume that one department can handle new media. 
5. Take your time
6. Just talk

 Let’s take these one at a time:

1. The new media communication initiative needs dedicated support from top management. Without support and guidelines it will whip a company around like a rag doll.
2. A company’s new media person is the “point” for a potential tsunami of information. As blogger Tom Vanlerberghe (www.tomvanlerberghe.com) writes, “being able to speak for your company is a great responsibility, a responsibility not everyone can or will handle.”  
3. This market wants authentic conversation, so stay away from marketing drivel. Tell the truth. 
4. New media will affect most of your departments, particularly customer service, sales, marketing and product development. Why? Because there will be comments and questions about pricing, slow product replacement, brand issues like environmental support, and product feature and benefit criticisms and praise. 
5. Take your time and you allow a negative post to work through the viral world unchecked. The perception, and the reality, grows. 
6. Just talk and you will watch dollars, lots of them, fly right out the door.  Have a communication strategy for new media. 

Next Up: Strategy? How do you attach a strategy to a conversation coming from everywhere?