That is of course, if you have one in the first place.

There is often confusion in the “strategy” and the “plan”. Let’s think of it this way, do you remember the “forest theory” as stated in the book, Seven habits of highly effective people? Don’t fail to see the forest because of the trees. More often than not, we are so engrossed in trying to “cut down the trees” that we don’t realise we have been bulldozing in the wrong forest all these while. So think of the strategy as “the forest” and plan as “the tree”. Hence, a move such as creating a facebook page is not a strategy, it is an execution that is part of the plan. So each time you are excite by an execution, take a step back and review what is your strategy. We know that in business, we are often restricted by budgets and resources. So keeping tabs and checking back regularly will ensure that these resources and money are put into best use and not in clearing a wrong forest at the end of the day.

So once you have your strategy in place, you start drawing out your plans, which may include building of properties, content etc. While you are eagerly trying to grow your fans and having fun with the social media hype, please pause and make sure you have done the following :

• Study your consumer behaviours… not solely on your site/page but on your competitors’ as well. Who are your target audience? When are they logging on? What are they interested in? If you have a social media consultant, please seek his/her advice. If you have engaged him/her based on their experience/capabilities, trust that they may have a few good advice for you.
• What, when, where?… On a day-to-day basis, your brand may be filled with an wide array of products, events and promotions and you want everything to be on your social platforms – all at once. Well, think again. Look back at your strategy, think about your objectives and target audience. In the end, you don’t want your page to look like another bazaar in a flea market. So don’t rush to have everything dumped into your social platforms. Decide what, when and where.

The reason I have entitled this blog post “Pace your social media strategy” is because I have observed some “spamming” from some brands. Not literally but rightfully so in the eyes of the consumer. Pacing is VERY important and the steps above will help you understand how you should pace your strategy. Let me cite you an example…

Brand A wants to build a sustainable community on Facebook, and to use it as a platform to promote the USPs of their premium product targeted at 24 – 35. However, aside from that they also have many overlapping campaigns with different objectives running at the same time. So while they are sharing resources and lifestyle topics around the primary product focus, they are also flooding the page with a brand campaign, a sponsorship campaign, as well as a hip event targeted at the youths between 14 to 21. As the bulk of the work is aplenty, there are multiple agencies handling the different pieces and posting at their own pace. Unfortunately, it caused an influx of Youtube video posts on the event over a weekend that takes the fan page by storm without warning or build-up towards it. And on the conversational side, another agency is trying to talk about World Cup. And in between those event posts, there’s news about their sponsorship efforts which targets at a very different group of users.

Now think… if you are a fan on the page. Would you continue to “like” it?

A question may be appearing in your mind at this time, “But then… shouldn’t a sustainable strategy means that I do not separate my brand into multiple pages?” Yes indeed that should be the ideal. Then, how can you make the efforts seem more receptive to your audience while you are trying to promote different things at the same time?

1. Objective > Strategy > Plan: You may not be able to do everything on the same platform. But really, WHAT are you trying to do? Build fans? Build brand equity? Build product awareness? What is it? With that mind, you will know how to pick and choose from the bulk of your content.
2. Pace it, time it: Different group of audience may have different usage behaviours. By posting relevant content to relevant audience at a time where you can maximise eyeballs, you are likely to see better success for your efforts. At the same time, analyse the trends of your fans consumption for content, do you start losing them when you post more often or less often? What is their tipping point?
3. What they like and not what you like: Many of us can be disillusioned in the type of content that will appeal to our community. Listen and observe when they tend to reply more often, what kind of content gets better traction. Test waters and ask for feedback.

It is common for brands to start flooding their fan pages with everything when the strategy is not clear. There is no direction on what the content should be building towards or where the end destination should be. There is also no way to plot a content strategy out of all the information on the table. My experience working with some clients are that many a times, they are more concerned with themselves than their target audience. They are concerned if they are posting it quick enough or accurately enough and not if their target audience are reading it or are interested to read it. And in this instance, the momentum is inconsistent which is likely to grow into a broadcasting platform for them to rave about themselves.

As the saying goes, more haste less speed. To create a sustainable community for long-term brand benefits, pause for a moment and think about where you are heading. Pace your footsteps as you would as you embark on a marathon, so that you can complete this long and tough race to reach the finishing line in victory.

Hello my friends, the following article was written for the Chinese papers in Singapore but was never published due to sensitivity in comparison between traditional and digital media. Hence I am posting it herein for your reference. Will try to translate an English copy soon for the greater audience.

Thanks!

数字媒体的侵略 (September 19, 2009)

许多品牌和商家在经济不景的2009年都纷纷缩紧荷包，减少广告和营销开支。为了迎合消费市场，各家使出了浑身解数，在有限的资源下舒展预算。而其中，把部分营销转移至网络线上成为了普遍的策略。

利用线上平台直接与消费者进行交流不仅省下了透过传统媒体传达信息的广告费用，且能够为品牌树立更亲民的形象定位。在今年初的一项调查显示，24%的新加坡人表示拥有网络存在性的品牌能够“显著地引起他们的兴趣”。

无论是网络广告、数字公关、线上活动等，在费用与持续性上相对之下都比传统管道来得经济一些。亚洲拥有全球41%的网络用户，而本地的宽带网渗透率更超越了102%。在所有本地用户当中，就有74%积极参与社交网络(social network)的交流。是属于全球百分点最高之一的城市。在这种种趋势的推动下，不难理解品牌和商家们为何提高了网上的活动范围而渐渐将视野分散至数字媒体(digital media)。

《宝洁 – 护舒宝》(P&G Whisper) 近来就利用了Facebook社区在本地首次展开数字运动(digital movement)，鼓励妇女以正面态度看待生理变化和月经这个羞涩的课题。连同为此运动特别设计的迷你网站(http://www.happyitshere.com)，以可爱的插画和轻松的语调，《护舒宝》成功地在一个月之内团结了超过3,000名妇女参与这个社群。此频道大受妇女欢迎，许多人都乐意大方地，毫无忌讳地公开讨论生理状态和经历。这有效地建立了一个妇女们能够寻找共鸣和强系的群体。从短期的分析来看，在全无产品促销与个人利益的推使下，这在本地可以算是相当成功的例子。但是单凭持续对话的这样一个方式是否能够长期引起消费者的兴趣就不晓而知了。或许在强调真实性和诚意的当儿，品牌依然不得以而必须考虑到消费者利益和关注的事项。在整个运动的伸展计划上需要持续的努力和不断植入更多的新元素。

近期也在探索Facebook的企业更包括了《职总平价合作社》(http://www.facebook.com/thatsmyfairprice)。据报道了解，他们在短短3小时内就聚集了超过1,000名粉丝的加入。唯一不同的是，他们积极地利用这个平台进行线上比赛和促销活动。《职总平价合作社》是本地家喻户晓的商家，而目前为止在Facebook上的新加坡用户已超过110万人次。选择大力运用社交网络促进与消费群的关系，并且加强商标信誉是最适当不过了。但是，许多企业都轻视了长远计划和持续性。通常都交由广告、公关或整合营销公司处理，但这只能是短暂之计。品牌和商家必须意识到数字策略应是一项内部政策。需要专门人士的照料才能够在一段延长的时间得到预期的成绩。

另外一间颇有远见的机构便是《星和电信》(Starhub Mobile)。在3间电信公司当中，只有《星和》勇于冒险跳上Twitter(@StarhubCares)这项微博(micro-blogging)服务。他们利用这平台与消费族群建立深远的关系，并同时为公司增添了多一条顾客关系管理频道(customer relationship management channel)。这允许他们在第一时间对于顾客的负面反馈做出直接的回应。也很有可能在长期内减少了危机处理所需的时间和柜台职员的负担。在某种程度上甚至能够为公司减少资源上的开支。但是根据经济报章，The Business Times近期关于Twitter的报道，《第一通信》(MobileOne)似乎对此平台仍心有余悸，目前正在观望状态。除了电信公司以外，有一些其它的企业非常适合运用类似Twitter这种微博平台与顾客直接对话。这包括了零售银行业，旅游业，科技产品等。只是目前还未发现有哪间本地银行愿意做出这样的尝试。

除了以上例子，还有一间值得一提的机构就是《HP惠普公司》。数字媒体在HP并不是一项短期营销手段而是完整地融入在他们的环球商业战略中，成为重要的公关策略之一。HP的每一条产品零售线都拥有自己专署的网络社交平台。各个产品线独自建立有用的线上人脉，透过这些直接管道收集民调，与消费者进行紧密的交流，在产品或营销运动推行时便能够事半功倍，有效地吸引影响者(influencer)的关注并且间接利用口碑行销(word-of-mouth marketing)手段将信息传播开来。其中，《HP改变世界》的企业社会责任(Corporate Social Responsibility)推广活动 是最突出的例子之一。HP展示了整个团体上下对于数字媒体拥有共同认识的重要性。介入社交网络，在数字空间占有一席之地并不是营销部门或公关部门单独承担的责任，而是全体同仁应有的共同努力和意识。

参与种种网络社区的交流，在我看来绝对是利多与弊。我们亚洲社会的商业文化相对较为保守，对许多新茂的科技与手段都更为谨慎。这并没有什么不好的。但当世界因为网络社群变得更整合，消费者的需要越来越高，企业必须不断地以光速求新求变才可能符合这新新人类的苛求。

数字媒体绝对不是一种潮流趋向。我们的日常生活和工作环境早已经和网络世界融为一体。所谓的现实与虚拟不再是两个空间，而是同时平行前进的一个大世界。但是更重要的是，企业必须要了解到无论是哪一个平台，无论是用什么方式，都必须是一个整合战略。根本无须分歧传统媒体和数字媒体的优异。因为这一个大环境里，需要双方的相辅相成才能够有效地将主要信息和项目宗旨进行到底。应从各角度去了解传播信息，而非过于重视一方而忽视了另一个平台的重要性。

回到根本，无论是什么管道，无论世界如何进化，人与人之间需要的是更多细心聆听和真诚对话。而社交网络提供给我们的恰好只是这回到人类基本的平台。

每一个正在蓬勃发展的机构都应将数字战略列入企划考量当中。这不再是短期减少部分营销开支的课题。这种环球趋势将会延续下去。若你不参与，你将会险遭淘汰。

[此文章仅代表作者个人的观点而非所任职机构。]

The recent release of the new FTC guidelines for social media has caused much stir in the online community.

Although I don’t totally agree, but somehow, I think that is a natural evolution in digital marketing & PR. It is simply a natural extension from offline to online to uphold the most basic principles of honesty in business. Most of us industry professionals do live up to the promotion of transparency and authenticity. However there are cases where makes it hard for these principles to be in place. Well explained by John Bell from Ogilvy, I highly recommend you should read it.

Unlike journalists, bloggers are free individuals who are not bound by job responsibilities or professional ethics. They are not obliged to promote or say good things about the brand. There are many grey lines to the concept of a effective set of governing rules. While monetary transactions are clear, there is a difference between giving away samples and endorsements. While I agree that any form of endorsements should be disclosed, but are samples considered “sponsorship” as suggested by FTC? Surely it’s not an issue to tell anyone the sample was given. But it is also the influencer’s free will to decide if he/she thinks it is an issue worth mentioning at all. After all, you get samples when you shop at malls. It’s not such a big deal to everyone.

According to page 59 of the FTC guidelines, this example was cited,

A consumer who regularly purchases a particular brand of dog food decides one day to purchase a new, more expensive brand made by the same manufacturer. She writes in her personal blog that the change in diet has made her dog’s fur noticeably softer and shinier, and that in her opinion, the new food definitely is worth the extra money. This posting would not be deemed an endorsement under the Guides.

Assume that rather than purchase the dog food with her own money, the consumer gets it for free because the store routinely tracks her purchases and its computer has generated a coupon for a free trial bag of this new brand. Again, her posting would not be deemed an endorsement under the Guides.

Assume now that the consumer joins a network marketing program under which she periodically receives various products about which she can write reviews if she wants to do so. If she receives a free bag of the new dog food through this program, her positive review would be considered an endorsement under the Guides.

Okay, I understand the examples above. But what if… the consumer did not join a network marketing program, but rather because she’s an existing customer, the brand was listening to her rants online and approached her to try a new product to garner feedback. Would that be considered as endorsement under the Guides? Apparently it should. But as free individuals, not representing professional bodies, this rule to make it compulsory (forced) for the influencer to mention, and the brand/company to monitor his posting for “compliance” may make the influencer feel pressured, as though prisoned or under the eyes of an eagle. Such action seems to be sailing away from the primitive objective of blogging and conversations. Please don’t mistaken me, I am not against the ideals of this guideline as a marketer. I am just doubting it from my capacity as a social media activist. Question is… would I prefer to freely do it, or be compelled to do it – by law. But again, this is a very tough question to answer, as laws are usually there to protect against deceit and fraud. But this case in particular, it seems to infringe the private space of individuals. Much to be debated about.

Social Media Guidelines beyond FTC

I definitely foresee the Guidelines to be assessed and reviewed over time. But nevertheless, it will become a norm in many countries in the years to come. And one such place I believe which will catch it on quickly, will be my homeland, Singapore.

Singapore has always been known for all kinds of rules and regulations. Being a country run by campaigns and systems, I am confident MDA (Media Development Authority of Singapore) will definitely use FTC Guidelines as a benchmark to draft a similar set of domestic guidelines for Singapore. However, the issue of disclosing collaboration between brands and bloggers was kind of resolved a pretty long time ago here, when Nuffnang was set up in 2007. Nuffnang is a blogger advertising community which bridges advertisers and bloggers. Note, I mentioned advertisers. Which means it does not exactly promote or build long-term relationships. It basically plays as the media company (like a matchmaker) between the two. Which, to be really really honest, despite the success of the concept, I don’t agree with it at all. It is making all our top blogs look like advertising billboards, and instilling the concept of blogging to earn money. I can’t decide which comes first. Passion or Money.

Anyway, back to the topic… despite having bodies like these in place setting some rules straight so consumers can recognise an ad when they see it, it is still an opt-in program. An official guideline will act as a good balance to set the note right for the many social media developments in the near future. Social media as we know it, has expanded beyond simply blogs. And it is fast becoming unclear what would deem to be an advertisement, what is really credible and what is actually a chapter of stealth marketing. It is likely beyond a community effort to keep it authentic any longer. Even with official guidelines, it will be challenging to execute it efficiently.

What Singapore Can Do?

Instead of implementing hard and fast rules, what I suggest MDA could do, is to work with 4As and other professional bodies governing the marketing and PR profession to make it mandatory for agencies to commit and declare themselves to a set of disclosure guidelines (Take a leaf out of CASE – Consumer Association of Singapore), which binds the industry to perform ethically instead of confusing the public with vague descriptions on concepts of “endorsements” and “sponsorships”, which could lead to 101 different cases of possibilities and arguments.

No one would want to risk a personal reputation for nothing. Unless it is a clause or request from the paymaster, I doubt any influencer would intentionally keep payments or endorsements discreet. So by instating such guidelines on the professional bodies, most of such doubts should be cleared. And in cases where samples are sent to bloggers, I think it should be their free will to disclose the source. There are always sites to sign up for free samples and I do not think this is a pressing issue since they are not obliged to write anything positive about the product. Hence, their credibility should not be doubted.

Asia Beyond Singapore

With Asia’s social media developments growing at a robust 29% annually, it is currently the largest region in the world with lowest internet penetration.

And would such guidelines be effective in other parts of Asia outside Singapore? I’m not sure if there are existing guidelines in Japan or Korea (please let me know if there are) but I think this would probably work in Taiwan and Hong Kong. The consumer market there is largely similar to Singapore although having different purchasing behaviours. Social media activities such as blogging is a mainstream activity in Taiwan, where it is reported that 70.9% of the internet users have created a blog themselves. Which many of these celebrity bloggers have now been converted into TV commercial models.

However, you would probably be more interested with the case of India and China. I would think China is desperate for such a set of guidelines but they are not ready for it. I would use the word “messy” to describe the social media landscape in China at this point. I believe they are still in a process of figuring out the best model that will work for the majority. Having such a vast land and population also means it is hard to administrate the rules if mass education is not in place. (Just look at all the domestic problems they have in ensuring quality control over health, food, manufacturing products etc).

As for India, I am not all that familiar with the market but I think it still lacks maturity  and will take a couple of years to grow before the population catches it on as a mainstream activity.

But I do believe South-east Asia would be a potential region to explore such guidelines. It is however up to individual countries to decide the importance that social media will play to its economy.

Never too early to think about it, never too late to execute it.

But the FTC guidelines for social media has grown to become an international concern and benchmark beyond the United States. The world is watching, observing, learning and reflecting.

No matter what kind of approach is adapted in the end, nevertheless, it’s time to stop and rethink authenticity.

My second article with Lianhe Zaobao was published on 17 May, 2009 without my knowledge. Luckily I manage to get a copy of it from my colleague. The article provides an overview and introduction of importance of Personal Branding and how it can potentially tap on digital media as a platform. What you read here is a brief take only, which a detailed account would probably not have adequate space on print as I would have wished.

Here’s a brief translation of the article for your reading pleasure.

In the midst of the economic crisis, many people are starting to worry about their rice bowls. Among the many job seekers, how do you make yourself shine from the rest, to become the primary choice for your potential employer? Aside from experience, qualifications and skill sets, have you ever considered about your professional image? If you are working in the field of marketing, then perhaps this article may be able to offer you some fuel for thought.

In the competitive environment today, “packaging” has become a common and essential keyword in our everyday life. Regardless of the things we eat, wear or use, almost every product needs to undergo a process of packaging to attract the interest of the mass consumer. Even enterprise and government agencies are actively packaging themselves and revamping it into a new and refreshing enterprise brand. So to transform itself into an eye-catching brand culture that will fit into the society today.

Most of us have the common impression that branding is a commercial strategy. In actual fact, all of us are unique individuals, with qualities that can evolve into a unique brand. “Branding” is extremely important, especially to those in the creative, advertising, marketing and PR line of work. This is not only limited to the professional knowledge required at work, but how to effectively use it to construct a personal image.

The lightning evolution of technology is gradually changing our social cultures. Social networking, which has become increasing popular in the past few years, comes in timely to create such an effective and free demonstration platform for us. To folks who are considering a shift in career, this platform has also created a channel to transform your professional image. This will allow others to get to know you from a refreshed angle through direct interaction, by repackaging your personal brand.

Following are introduction to some social networking sites that are mandatory to check out.

1.  Linkedin : This is a site designed for professionals, especially those in the field of marketing technology. Currently, it consist of more than 35 million users from over 170 different industries. You can upload your CV with Linkedin, exchange industry news and engage in friendly discussions with people of the same interest. Its network may look to be smaller than Facebook or Myspace, but it is concentrated with industry specialist from around the world. There, you can effectively establish very useful connections and relationships.
    
2. Facebook : I believe everyone is very familiar with Facebook. According to statistics, approximately 19% of Singapore’s population owns a Facebook account each. That is almost 760,000 people logging on to this social network at least once each month. Contents in Facebook are relatively less formal, therefore if you choose to use Facebook as one of your personal branding platforms, then you must be careful to manage the different messages communicated between your professional and private image. We are usually at comfort with our shortcomings in the face of our close friends and family. But this is a very serious taboo. Hence I propose that you consider having two accounts to manage the different nature and needs. Or you could also make use of Facebook’s privacy settings to determine which contents are suitable for what audience.
    
3. Twitter : As compared to the other two social networks above, this is a relatively new social media tool in Singapore. Obama made use of Twitter extensively to reach out to Americans during the Presidential election period. It created a lot of positive responses. Since then, it grew to become a mass media in many parts of United States and Europe. Whether it is getting the latest breaking news or making connections with enterprise celebrities, Twitter has proven to be a very effective tool for these purpose. Through frequent daily tweets (messages sent through Twitter are known as tweets), you can build and establish your professional image and positioning over a long term. It can also increase exposure and attract more readers for your blog.

4. Professional Blog : We definitely cannot ignore the representation of Web 2.0, which is the blog. I recommend that before you publish your professional blog, you first register for a personal domain. This domain could be your name, or a handle that you most commonly use in other social networking sites. The biggest difference between a professional blog and a personal blog is in the selection of contents. A professional blog is an important link to building your personal brand. It enables your followers to better understand your views and analysis on professional topics. This will allow them to further affirm your industrial knowledge and standards.

When managing the many social sites, you should also take note in maintaining a uniform style design. Additional care must be taken in the selection of photographs, colours, handle/name and bio. Having the same personal brand image across would ensure netizens will have no problem identifying and locating you regardless of whichever social site they may be browsing. I propose that you approach it in a witty, friendly yet professional treatment.

Personal branding is a long term image strategy and simply cannot be built only when its needed. Having merely presence on these sites are not adequate. A certain amount of time must be invested daily to expand your online community. Back to the basics, human relationships has always been built on the foundations of sincere communication. And this society rule had never changed with time.

Everybody wants to become a rockstar on the digital sphere. Those who will really shine can only be told with time. Hence, don’t be too hasty with results and expect returns within a short term. Building a personal brand reputation requires first and foremost sincerity and unwavering passion. Only when you understand its true importance then will it open doors for your career. 

Opportunities are only for those whom are prepared. Are you prepared for it?

I will probably try to work on a separate post here that attempts to touch a little further on the topic. This could take awhile considering a very busy month ahead. However, I would be more than happy to discuss this topic with you. Just drop me a buzz at @belindaang on Twitter or beep me any time over my email.

Your comments and inputs are greatly appreciated.

Many companies are wary about joining the social media because they have no idea how to manage negative information and news. A digital crisis can come like a typhoon and most companies are not armed for it. Although it would probably take an entire book to explain how companies can best deal with the digital sphere.

I have summarised 3 most important points here to helping your company manage negative information and feedback.

1. Timely : Have a clear internal process on management of a digital crisis within the organisation. Most company have no idea if the PR people or Marketing folks, Corporate Communications, GM or MD should make the decision. Hence have this thought process clearly drawn out. Make the approval and clearance channels as minimal as possible to assure shortest response time. Remember, time is often the deciding factor to all crisis management especially online.
    
2. Transparency : Maintain a policy of transparency. I understand this may be hard for many companies to embrace. But there is NO way one can dictate all the information distributed online. And attempting to do so will only give a bad name. I recommend that all negative comments be taken in positively. Engage active commenting users to gain insight to the issue and credit them for the efforts. Such successful examples include AsiaAir, who transformed negative publicity into loyal customers and a long-memory of good word.
    
3. Consistency : Consistently gather statistics, observe and listen to conversations in order to understand ground sentiments. Digital strategies should be frequently relooked and adjusted accordingly to meet organization’s objectives as well as ground demands and expectations

Lastly, note that a digital strategy for any company is never one person’s work. It requires the like-mindedness and joint effort of every single member of the company. Encourage the culture, not attempt to deminish or control it. However, draft a clear social media guideline for your staff so that certain professsional ethics will still be met and expectations managed.

Hear hear…

After the Domino’s effect, it has become ever more obvious that Crisis Management is one of the most important function of every PR person in a company. In the digital age today, it is almost impossible to take absolute control of every individual and tiny bit of information. Many a times, the bad PR would have found its way into the mass faster then you can say, “SXXX!”. And just in case you missed all the action, Adage gives an overview on the “cheese in the nose” incident here. And guess what, the two protagonist of the prank video are facing charges, as reported by NY Times.

Traditional marketers usually attempt to lie low and wait for news to subside as people tend to (used to) have a short memory when overwritten with news of the following day. But things online is a quite different scenario. News don’t simply get overwritten. But rather, they get passed on and duplicated in multiplies. People talk wildly about them, make assumptions and create a large snowball effect that could have an unimaginable damage. One that can get out of hand and destroy an entire brand, if not dealt with properly, and timely.

Domino’s was critized for not responding to the issue promptly. But on realisation that these rumours are not going to stop and customers are quickly losing trust in the brand, they reacted swiftly to turn the tables around. Domino’s incident started off with a viral video. Domino’s decided to end it with a viral video.

As touched on previously during the China’s melamine poisoning incident, hiding facts or pretending to be an ostrich no longer works. Likely that the most positive PR is really to face the issue oncoming and find all possible ways to minimize the damage and rebuild brand confidence. Taking criticisms positively may also help to calm and convince consumers in one’s willingness to listen and address the problem. Consumers wants to know what IS to be done, not what cannot be undone.

But what really prompted me to write this was not Domino’s. I mean yes, Domino’s affair caught my eyeballs and I was having a whole lot of fun following the news. There are no Domino’s in Singapore, so I guess what doesn’t really concerns me won’t affect me too adversely. However, one incident DID affected me.

Just last Wednesday, I posted a blog post on “How Companies Are Using Twitter” and commended on the proactiveness of Midphase (my web hosting company) in addressing customer satisfaction issues. I was given much confidence from the General Manager himself on the service quality and was promised downtime wouldn’t happen again. That was last week. I was happy for a couple of days and tweeted positively about it. BUT today, not only was there a server outrage, emails were down but the entire Midphase iterally “disappeared“. Even their own company site and support systems could not be reached. No one is attending to their Twitter accounts. GM Marc Bollinger‘s last message was 8 hours ago and their parent twitter account @Midphase was 16 hours ago! It was creating a nervous breakdown for many customers who anxiously hanged online to wait for any possible news.

Reviews on Midphase’s services has been dropping quickly since 2008 when their service quality suddenly deteriorated. With 71,900 domains owned by Midphase and hosting on their servers, you can imagine the kind of anxiety each and every customer is going through. Customers are not demanding an immediate restoration. Customers demand and has the right to know what is going on. However, that channel was not made readily available, especially essential for a company with such a global customer base. I had to make a long distance call to the United States to find out what is actually going wrong. As I do not have any existing number with me (website is down). I am for once grateful that Google caches information. (Not grateful for this all the time as their cache caused me a lot of trouble once).

About 3-4 hours later, the service came back on. When the General Manager for Midphase,  Marc Bollinger woke about 6 hours later, he was overwhelmed with the unhappiness and short of explaination to customers on the outrage. People (including me) were coming together over twitter, making wild assumptions and threatening to terminate the service due to frequent downtime. Marc quickly sent a personal apology to each customer and the Midphase blog was promptly updated to explain the issue. Although he explained he was asleep at that hour, the promise of a 24/7 service has been broken and it has shook the confidence of customers in a big way. Isn’t it ever more prevailing that value of customers are invaluable especially in times of recession where businesses are constantly trying to cut each other’s throats to stay afloat. Competitors will be more than happy to benefit from the spill over of this effect. 

So you can see, social media does not necesasary only cause damage to big brands, but small companies can suffer as well. This is of course, largely dependent on the type of business you are in. But a digital crisis is not something to be seen lightly as. Regardless if your company is big or small.

Post-Domino’s Effect

After the much hyped Domino’s incident, PR agencies are sitting up and relooking into ways to tackle digital crisis when they happen. Niall Cook, the Worldwide Director of Marketing Technology for Hill & Knowlton posted a question on twitter yesterday,

“Thinking about a rapid response Twitter app for companies to use during a crisis. Any thoughts?“

As quoted from Adage on the aftermath of the Domino’s case, “In Just 24 Hours, Clip Has Received 760,000 Views, and Warrants Are Out for Offending Employees’ Arrest.” Los Angeles Times quickly churned out an article reflecting the on recent incidents on how the businesses of CNN, Amazon and Domino’s are affected by the power of Twitter.

Like it or not, brands don’t really have a choice to the kind of publicity they want in digital age. The only way to counter the game is to be part of the game. Like they always say, don’t wait for customers to come, be where your customers are. And obviously, where your customers are, will be where the action sparks too. 

I am no PR expert, although I am trying to hone my skills in this area. Perhaps PR gurus can drop your comments here on

how you think a digital crisis could be better managed to minimize damage and what is the desired minimum time delay of responses.

I was quite pleasantly surprised today. Just a couple of hours ago, I received a tweet from @marcbollinger. And he signed off as GM of Midphase, which is my host. Just this afternoon, I was complaining about my email having problems. Apparently, he did a search for “midphase” and reached out to lend a hand to the customers who are on Twitter. My my… am I impressed.

I had been a long time customer of Midphase and have always enjoyed their prompt and polite customer service. However, the hosting service seem to have detoriated in the past year. I had to sigup for a backup host somewhere else while retaining my service for my primary domain. Their GM’s personal tweet and response to the ticket has made this relationship ever more special. As a consumer, I’m telling you… it makes a difference.

Many large MNCs have began exploring Twitter as an alternative channel for feedback and direct customer reach. It has also evolved to become a sales channel with exclusive deals just for Twitter followers. The potential is endless.

Dell claims to have exceeded 1 million in sales using Twitter. They currently have approximately 32 Twitter Accounts, all targeted at different markets for different purposes. Dell listens and builds according to the needs and wants of the market. You can’t blame consumers for loving them in some ways. I am using a Dell, by the way… (not that I love them, it’s affordable!)

But for small companies to use Twitter, not many have jumped on the wagon yet. Or perhaps, not many are really known to be using this medium yet. Many airlines, transportation companies, traffic reports, radio stations have all started using Twitter to inform customers of changes in services and to pick up complains so that crisis and unhappiness can be managed and handled at first point of eruption. This not only increases overall customer satisfaction, the active (instead of passive) approach (just like what Midphase did), more often than not, puts a smile on the face of this once disgruntled customer, who now will broadcast the good name of the company.

Salesforce.com has associated Twitter as an indispensable CRM tool. Not only did they use it at an early point of their business to market the new service, they use it as a consistent customer feedback channel to keep customers feeling involved. 

Customer service is no longer about passive response. Customer service today cannot wait for a complain to arrive. They have to go out there and seek to solve the problems in the wild. A good customer service is one that goes out to the customers, not the other way round. Today, if I’m unhappy, I’ll walk out of the store, wire up with my iphone and tweet about how bad a service is. Think about how much time a brand has to do damage control. Crisis management is required almost immediately. Well, unless you never pisses anyone off, which I really believe is not possible.

Seriously, I cannot figure out a much cheaper and more effective way to provide great customer service like this. Yes, we know NOT everyone is on Twitter, but a good company with online presence should try to exploit every possible way of building an effective B2C relationship with their customers. 

Setting up an effective call centre or customer support system could get quite costly. Twitter is free for now, and even if they start charging, it is still a viable and great way to reach out. Twitter has evolved beyond simply a messaging or micro-blogging tool. But rather, it has become quite a community by itself. People are connected, they share, exchange and build new offline relationships. It is smarter to be “included” now than “excluded” later.

A quick search on Google targeted at Singapore pages revealed disappointing results. I can’t find any local company who is utilizing Twitter for their business yet. Not even our Big 3 Telco firms, Singtel, M1 or Starhub. Some may say Plurk is more popular in Singapore. But no, they aren’t on Plurk either. The only way to reach them is either I walk in, send an email and wait for a reply (if any) or hold on to the phone for half hour (or more) and wait for someone to pick it up. More often than not, a voice recorder talks to me. (Note : In all these options, I’m approaching them. Not the other way round). 

Some possible advices for SME who are thinking about tapping on Twitter.

1. Be a user, not a spammer.
   Use the service, have a desire to connect and engage in conversations. Twitter is not a notice board. You have to reach out and not just shout out.
    
2. Human face, human tweep
   Please, please, please don’t use a robot. You could have an official company account with your logo, but do have another of a managerial level or someone people could speak with that has a name to a face. There is always greater sense of relation to a face than a logo.
    
3.  Use Twitter Search
   Search for keywords like your company’s name. Observe conversations and take initiative to reply. Provide solutions and assistance. Don’t just attempt to be “around”. 
    
4. Start a Hashtag
   Once you make yourself known to the Twittersphere, you could attempt to start a hashtag. For example #companyname. So whenever someone has anything to say that they want you to hear about, a hashtag can be added to the tweet. It makes your search easier and much more organised. 
    
5. Know what your Twitter Account is for
   Dell has 32 accounts for different purposes. Know what your account is for. Don’t confuse followers who may decide to unfollow you the next minute. As with all other tweeting rules, grow a twitter asset, not a liability. People want to follow only when you are a valuable addition. Twitter is a demographic targeted sphere. So, know your customers.

For Singapore or Asian companies who are just beginning to explore social media as a channel of outreach, please feel free to contact me at me@belindaang.com for consultation. I will be happy to provide you with the advices, steps and necessary management of your online blueprint.

THE Government will leverage on new media in the next General Election, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said.

My two dime worth

I believe the evolution of tapping on new media in Singapore is possible. But evolution means it will take time to grow through stages of change, trial and error. And I agree that real name should be used.

A blogger, Angelina_jo mentioned, “May be our PM still does not get it, Sporeans cannot use their real names esp if they are against Govt policies, for fear of reprisal.” I think the concept has to be put right first. Being “Against” has to be with grounds and rational. If accompanied with constructive suggestions and evidence, then the word “against” no longer applies. I would think, when Singaporeans first decide to speak, appropriate and respectful language should still be used. Ultimately, respect is essential for any conversation. Be it to the government or simply your neighbour. Only with due respect, would anyone be interested to listen. And if someone chooses to speak up, make sure its a valid statement and not simply some form of intended scandal and message of angst.

I am sure both public and government can make out the difference between the two. The Internet has a long memory and even our government understands
that. SG government is wise enough to know what advices are to be taken positively and negatively. Just a reminder, our island’s success is by no chance simply a case of luck.

But again, USING the new media platforms is not equivalent to UTILIZING the new media platforms. Obama had a Social Media Head. Does our Singapore government have one? Training to get the staff hop on the social media wagon may not be the best way to implement these measures. Focus, time and in depth understanding of netizen behaviours and social media scope of influence is essential to the success of such a campaign. Obama has been crowned the best marketer of the year by adage. His online strategy was a revolutionary well planned case of Digital PR and marketing combined. In a moderated society like Singapore, the extensiveness of such an effect probably cannot be matched.