My day job is performance marketing, getting a quantified return for a set amount of cash, it’s what we do at TSW Towers, but even I know that sometimes it isn’t always possible, or even part of the plan.
Social media is a fine example, Pete Blackshaw has just written about Twitters ROI over at AdAge. Great article. But, should we try and determine the ROI of our customer service staff interacting with clients?
What is the value of gratitude, appreciation, making someone’s day?
Engage first, business later.
As Seth wrote
Twitter is about building a foundation for what you can do next
It’s not the ‘next’.
Use Twitter to engage your customers, build trust and then, when they are ready, you will have the foundation to get some ROI.
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Gary, I appreciate this post so much. I see a lot about ROI from social media these day, and I can appreciate that — companies want to see what they’re getting for what they’re investing. But, it’s not always about that, and as we say, social media isn’t like traditional media. It’s long term; it’s a building process. As you say, you’re laying a foundation. It’s all about relationships. What does it cost to replace a customer? You’re building loyalty and collecting data from people that are already your customers. What’s that worth? Do you know what focus groups cost?
Thanks for your post. You’re spot on.
~ Lizz