{"id":25603,"date":"2011-05-07T16:07:42","date_gmt":"2011-05-07T15:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?p=25603"},"modified":"2011-05-07T16:09:45","modified_gmt":"2011-05-07T15:09:45","slug":"good-conversations-build-relationships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/good-conversations-build-relationships\/","title":{"rendered":"Good Conversations Build Relationships"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ <![CDATA[\n    google_ad_client = \"pub-7021221536180758\"; \/* 468x60, created 11\/11\/09 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"1949837292\"; google_ad_width = 468; google_ad_height = 60;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><br \/>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h6><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">The following is by G. A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.markencom.com\/index.htm', 'Marken Communications']);\" ><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">Marken Communications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking article. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the opinions expressed are solely those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and the <strong>opinions of the rest of the ABT staff.<\/strong><\/span><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> <\/span><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"><span style=\"color: #00ccff;\"> \u2013Mark Poppin,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #00ccff;\">ABT Senior Editor<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>All About You<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"&quot;htt&lt;\/p\"><strong> <\/strong><\/a><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-11.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-25604\" title=\"Untitled-1\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-11.jpg?resize=500%2C282\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-11.jpg?resize=500%2C282 500w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-11-300x169.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>\u201cIt is a choice, Wesley, that each of us must face: to remain ordinary, pathetic, beat-down, coasting through a miserable existence, like sheep herded by fate &#8211; or you can take control of your own destiny and join us, releasing the caged wolf you have inside.\u201d<\/em><em>.<\/em> <strong>\u2013 Sloan, Wanted, Universal Studios (2008)<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Soon we will all be able to spend our time blindly, mindlessly, fearlessly on the Web.<\/p>\n<p>Government officials who can\u2019t balance their own budget have taken up a more difficult, more popular (and visible) challenge \u2013 protecting your online persona.<\/p>\n<p>These people know that you want 1<sup>st<\/sup> class services from your government and lower taxes.\u00a0 And \u2026 that you want instant access to information\/material that is relevant to you without paying for it.<\/p>\n<p>Boy, you\u2019re a tough cookie.<\/p>\n<p>Actually, the public outcry over Apple\u2019s, Sony\u2019s, Google\u2019s, Facebook\u2019s, recent problems did more to force the companies to look at their policies, their procedures, their programs than the grandstanding Congressional hearings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>You Are Heard<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Ordinary people do more damage to the companies than the \u201cirate\u201d class-action lawsuits which will come as sure as night follows day.<\/p>\n<p>Just thinking about the two protectors \u2013 lawmakers, lawyers \u2013 make you agree with Wesley, <em>\u201cYou know, if I wanted to get beat up, I would&#8217;ve stayed in my cubicle!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>With a few exemplary exceptions, too many marketers still approach social media the old-fashioned way.<\/p>\n<p>You know, one-way communication \u2013 pitch them to buy the stuff you want to sell &#8211; and a sales program that talks <em>at<\/em> the customer rather than with the customer.<\/p>\n<p>But every time an incident occurs, they do take a harder look at what they\u2019re doing, how they\u2019re doing it\u2026because you make it known in a very loud, clear, immediate fashion.<\/p>\n<p>Social media has changed the entire landscape of customer relations.<\/p>\n<p>One of the first things companies are beginning to understand is that Wesley was right when he said, \u201c<em>My job title is account manager. I used to be called an account service representative, but a consultant told us we have to manage our clients, and to not service them. I have a girlfriend who I neither manage or service.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The opportunities and challenges of social media marketing are significant, and they run the gamut.<\/p>\n<p>Direct conversational\/relationship marketing means that for the first time employees\/representatives connect with people first as a human being, then as a customer.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Social Media Goals<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-21.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-25605\" title=\"Untitled-2\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-21.jpg?resize=366%2C187\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-21.jpg?resize=366%2C187 366w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-21-300x153.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 366px) 100vw, 366px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Marketing Shift \u2013 <\/strong>Today\u2019s more astute, forward-looking marketers see the shift that is taking place with online communities and consumers.\u00a0 They no longer market <em>at<\/em> consumers.\u00a0 They are beginning to communicate\/talk\/work with individual and user communities.\u00a0 It\u2019s new \u2013 for them and you \u2013 so sometimes mistakes are made.\u00a0 But they\u2019re honest and correctable mistakes.\u00a0 <strong>Source &#8211; SmartBrief<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>To work, both parties have to receive value, otherwise\u2026<\/p>\n<p>This isn\u2019t as easy as it sounds because no company representative likes to get criticism. \u00a0No one wants to hear that their child isn\u2019t perfect.<\/p>\n<p>But on a planet of seven billion + people, you know you\u2019re going to have a negative reaction.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t, it means you\u2019re standing neutral with no point of view\u2026no reason for folks to stick round.<\/p>\n<p>When the stuff hits the fan, people expect a response\u2026not a carefully-worded press release a week later.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bite Your Nails<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Publicists who swear by Twitter often compound the problem by telling the world what they think before they\u2019ve thought about it\u2026140 characters can do that to a person.<\/p>\n<p>Social media has grown so quickly because it\u2019s the DNA in every living thing\u2026the desire to connect with others.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s the reason there are more than 700 million people on Facebook and more than 150 million Tweets a day.<\/p>\n<p>That doesn\u2019t even count the people on Flickr, Yelp, LinkedIn, YouTube and the thousands of other sites.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Social Media Users\u2019 Negative Experiences<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-31.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-25606\" title=\"Untitled-3\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-31.jpg?resize=396%2C230\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-31.jpg?resize=396%2C230 396w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-31-300x174.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 396px) 100vw, 396px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Bad Experiences \u2013 <\/strong>You and probably everyone who spends time on the Web has been embarrassed or offended by some of the stuff that goes up on social media sites.\u00a0 When it happens to companies and brands, you have to remember these are people too and they want \u2013 really want \u2013 happy customers who help, assist others in their communities.\u00a0 <strong>Source \u2013 Harris Interactive<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>There are days even the best of us \u2013 regardless of our job \u2013 agrees with Wesley, <em>\u201cI&#8217;m finding it hard to care about anything these days. In fact, the only thing I do care about is the fact that I can&#8217;t care about anything. Seriously, it worries me.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Reputable companies understand people\u2019s concern with privacy and they work to allow folks to share information in the way that they want.<\/p>\n<p>And they want it without a lot of added hassles \u2013 refreshed log-ins, double passwords, opening door after door because you want it <strong><em>NOW!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Free n\u2019 Easy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>To get the free stuff and establish the no-cost community relationship, an executive at the recent ad:tech conference reported that 56 percent of the people interviewed wanted the Internet to continue to be subsidized by company marketing.<\/p>\n<p>To deliver personalized and tailored content both individuals have to know more about each other.<\/p>\n<p>It turns out that most of the folks might be \u2013 just might be \u2013 oversharing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Information Social Media Users Share<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-41.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-25607\" title=\"Untitled-4\" src=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-41.jpg?resize=328%2C409\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i0.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-41.jpg?resize=328%2C409 328w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-41-240x300.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 328px) 100vw, 328px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong>Oversharing \u2013 <\/strong>Almost everyone who spends a fair amount of time with social media has lapses where they forget they aren\u2019t just sharing information with friends but with virtually the entire world.\u00a0 There\u2019s sharing and there\u2019s \u2026.<strong><em>SHARING!!<\/em> Source \u2013 Ponerman Institute<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>The more companies focus their activities on conversations with customers and building the relationship, the better the information the individual receives.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll give you a hint though, a fake profile just to get something free usually means you get other info you could care less about.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not about companies using better marketing technology, it\u2019s a matter of fundamental psychology and sociology\u2026people relating to people.<\/p>\n<p>To do that, the smart firms, marketers, communicators are trying to bridge the gap so people can tailor the content to their needs.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not easy and sometimes people mess up.<\/p>\n<p>When they do, they know it in an Internet-nanosecond.<\/p>\n<p>The last thing any business, organization or individual wants is to have Fox tell them, <em>\u201cYou apologize too much.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>New Approach<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The successful conversational\/relationship marketing efforts are done by people who become part of the lives of the firm\u2019s followers and follow back.<\/p>\n<p>They acknowledge the individuals achievements, special events.<\/p>\n<p>They handle problems when individuals have product\/service issues.<\/p>\n<p>They grow their business and brands by being involved in their communities.<\/p>\n<p>Networked markets are just beginning to self-organize.<\/p>\n<p>The individuals in these markets are better informed, smarter, more demanding.<\/p>\n<p>Until now, companies really haven\u2019t realized or had the need to converse as \u201chumans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mass marketing understood demographics, not individuals.<\/p>\n<p>Now that companies are beginning to participate in their networked markets, a lot of \u201cfacts\u201d are being thrown out the window.<\/p>\n<p>Conversations are taking place, relationships are emerging.<\/p>\n<p>Astute people are making strides in an aggressively, cautious fashion because as Fox said, <em>\u201cWe don&#8217;t know how far the ripples of our decisions go.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>One thing we do know, however, is that laws and lawsuits don\u2019t encourage this to happen.<\/p>\n<p>Consumers expect \u2013 and deserve &#8211; a deeper level of personalization and service when they interact with companies.<\/p>\n<p>And they\u2019re getting it\u2026but we\u2019ve been \u201ctrained\u201d by the Internet and we want it now.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s tough\u2026believe us we know.<\/p>\n<p>But this challenge doesn\u2019t keep dedicated people up at night.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Bad People Out There<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You have to keep in mind that each of the incidents was the result of some unscrupulous person deciding that he\/she\/they were going to make an easy buck at the company\u2019s and your expense.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why people who are working to build these relationships can identify with Wesley when he said, <em>\u201cI&#8217;m so much the man that I have a standing prescription for medication to control my anxiety attacks.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In today\u2019s online environment, Mr. X said it best when he said, <em>\u201cYou shouldn\u2019t send a sheep to kill a wolf.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-51.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-25608\" title=\"Untitled-5\" src=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-51.jpg?resize=330%2C159\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"http:\/\/i1.wp.com\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-51.jpg?resize=330%2C159 330w, http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Untitled-51-300x144.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>And in today\u2019s virtual and real world, we all want what Wesley wanted, <em>\u201cYou know there are people, beautiful people, you just wish they could see you in a different setting, a different place.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p># # #<\/p>\n<p><strong>by:   G.A. &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> President<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> Marken Communications Inc.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong> <a href=\"mailto:Andy@markencom.com\">Andy@markencom.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Please join us in our <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/abt\/index.php\" target=\"_blank\">Forums<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Become a Fan on <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/AlienBabelTech\/123268467142', 'Facebook']);\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow us on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech\" onclick=\"_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'outbound-article', 'http:\/\/twitter.com\/alienbabeltech', 'Twitter']);\" target=\"_blank\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p>For the latest updates from ABT, please <a href=\"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/?feed=rss2\" target=\"_blank\">join our RSS News Feed<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Join our Distributed Computing teams<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Folding@Home &#8211; 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A . &#8220;Andy&#8221; Marken, President of Marken Communications Inc. He has kindly given us permission to republish his thought-provoking article. As with everything that we publish at AlienBabelTech, the&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":396,"featured_media":25608,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2533,6],"tags":[4411,4651,3922,4652,4650,3860],"class_list":["post-25603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abt-news","category-news","tag-customer-relations","tag-direct-conversation","tag-privacy","tag-sharing","tag-social-media-goals","tag-social-media-marketing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25603","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/396"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25603"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25603\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25608"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25603"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25603"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/alienbabeltech.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25603"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}