I’ve seen a few people speculating about the end of marketing as the role of social media takes increases in Corporate America. While anything is possible I don’t see this as a likely outcome of companies embracing Social Business Design. Here a few simple reasons why:
- Social businesses must focus on customer engagement first. This does not mean making friends, it’s business afterall, but it means being as transparent as is possible and working to co-create value for the entire customer community. Simply put, customers and companies will produce knowledge base articles, engage with other customers that are having problems, etc.. This is the domain of account managers and support teams. These are your caregivers who are passionate about helping you grow a successful and satisfied customer base. Social Support Communities to the rescue.
- Social Businesses will naturally seek to convert potential customers (leads) into new business. You do want new business, right? Your marketing team wants to bring these new customers on board. Your marketing team wants to extend your brand, shout your praises. Social Support Communities are not the place for marketers, they need other channels, public channels.
Your support team will focus on semi-private communities (SSC). Your marketing team will focus on public channels (Twitter, Facebook, etc..).
What happens if marketing starts to spend too much time in your SSC environment? Existing customers begun to feel less trust in the company they are working with. Instead of co-creating value they are worried about what the marketing team is trying to convince them to buy. This natural separation of function is needed for businesses to be successful. Two teams, to different communities in which they engage.
Yes, I know the social universe will evolve and the solutions will enable selective targeting, on-demand delivery of information to the right people, and time machines….Yes, we need time machines… Even with all of the magic that awaits us in the future you still have caregiver mentality vs. hunter mentality. You need both, right?
John
October 29, 2009 at 5:07 pm
John – thanks for expounding on this topic. Per our chang yesterday, I think the form and function of marketing as it exists today will potentially be unrecognizable, for sure. Will it become extinct? I don’t think so either.
First, marketing has many different subfunctions and performs many roles: Marcomm, PR, product management, sales support, lead generation and probably more thatn my techie brain can’t process right now. Each one of these functions’ roles will be radically different. Will product management go away? Maybe. Or the focus shifts from eatures and functions to the value creation for the individual consumer.
Here’s what will happen over all though…and turst me I didn’t come up with this. But I believe it to be fact. The proliferation of social networking will force ‘marketers’ or whatever its called going forwrd to evolve from building a better mouse trap and going to the town square and shouting about it to listening to consumers for information about what they want.
Here’s another prediction. Marketing in its current form is not going to want that job. So, therein lies the driver for the power shift from marketing and brand management to customer service as the strategic powerhouse in the organization.
Ok crystal ball just went dark. I’m out. Thanks.
October 29, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Barry, thanks for weighing in, insightful as always. I think you’re right, or at least I agree with you and maybe we’re both wrong, that marketin will certainly evolve as time goes on. While neither of us can really predict the the future I do feel that the natural separation of work styles are still needed, and will be needed, even as social takes on a larger role in organizations.
I think part of our difference of opinion may lay in how we view social impacting the business world. I think it will continue to transform marketplaces but I do not view it as having a transformative effect across all industries, all countries. Since I view it as impacting something closer to 50% of the world (in terms of markets, geographies), not 100%, I disagree wit the “experts” that view the changes you suggest.
Now, with that said, I am wrong on a daily basis so time will be th real judge. In the mean time we will all keep learning, sharing and shaping our opinions, and hopefully helping others figure it out as well.
Thanks Barry.
John
October 30, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I don’t agree that marketers don’t listen. Wait, let me clear something up. I’m not talking about “Adverstisers”. Relationship marketers spend a lot of time analyzing data to spot changes in the customer lifecycle, relationship, etc. Then, they try to understand “why”, so they can deliver What,When and to Whom (and Where), whether it’s a product, service or simply a message change. It as nothing to do with the channel. This has been going on in catalogs, TV, the Internet all over the place.
I have to admit, most of the “marketers” I know are nothing more than graphic designers. But, there are some extremely intelligent true marketers out there that really do understand their audience.
October 29, 2009 at 4:49 pm
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October 29, 2009 at 2:03 am
[...] The end of marketing? Nah… « Random Thoughts of a Boston-based CTO: John Moore’s Weblog johnfmoore.wordpress.com/2009/10/29/the-end-of-marketing-nah – view page – cached Posted on October 29, 2009. Filed under: Social Business Strategies | Tags: Social, Social Business Design, Social Business Strategy, SSC | — From the page [...]