Social Business Forums: Marketing in the New Millennium

All this activity begs the question; what are companies getting for their efforts? What's the payoff? Are these flashy new Facebook pages driving sales? Are regularly scheduled Tweets really deepening relationships with customers? Granted, there are many documented marketing successes attributable to Facebook and Twitter, the fact remains these channels rely more on outdated “push” messaging rather than the more productive practice of collaborative, “participation” marketing.

While the aforementioned social media have their uses, the most beneficial interactions occur when customers have more freedom to control and direct the conversation. Customers are generally willing to comment on their experiences as consumers but they must be empowered to do so on their own terms, with their own voice. Companies who comply and listen will outperform those that don't.

When provided the proper venue, customers will often share incredibly valuable insights, opinions, experiences, ideas, and even criticisms. Consequently, consumers should be encouraged to participate in the conversation and express themselves without reservation. Further, the most productive communication will occur when individuals can interact with one another directly and build on the dialogue. Promoting genuine, two-way discourse is the key. Unfortunately, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and the like don't support this type of interaction.

Social Business Forums

Enter the “social business forum.” Having evolved from the ubiquitous message board, social business forums are proving to be tremendously effective in opening and fostering high quality lines of communication with customers. Forward thinking companies that commit the resources to hosting high functioning, customer-centric forums often acquire valuable business intelligence that might be too difficult or costly to obtain by other means.

Moreover, soliciting customer engagement through discussion forums can provide other valuable benefits to a company: Significant product improvement suggestions are often realized; customer support services frequently become more cost efficient as customers share solutions with each other; the list of potential returns is limitless. Beyond that, there is another great advantage not to be discounted. That of the goodwill and sense of community generated by a company earnestly partnering with its customers in the collaborative, collective environment fostered by discussion forums.

More and more, consumers are embracing the reality that they are now in charge. The information age has spawned a new market democracy where consumers abhor being spoon fed trite advertising drivel. They want real information, the inside scoop, and they now have the resources to acquire that information. Loyalties and buying dollars will continue to funnel to those forward thinking vendors who engage with consumers and provide the information, transparency and tools consumers need to improve their positions. Therein lies the key to marketing in the new millennium; empowering the consumer.

While many of the vogue new social media channels offer businesses the opportunity to present themselves in ever more unique and personable ways, it is the company that provides true customer-centric tools and resources that will reap the real advantage. Social business forums are proving to be just such a tool.