Social Media as an Effective Marketing Tool
Social media can be used in very creative ways to market goods or services globally. Conducting business in other countries has been accelerated by various media platforms. Global marketing involves many challenges, and also involves a degree of corporate social responsibility. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, instant messaging, video conferencing, web meetings: These and many other collaboration and social media platforms are now an everyday part of people’s lives around the world. They are also finding their way into global enterprise communications and management strategies. These social media applications and technologies are ready for an even greater challenge—helping companies successfully navigate global business marketing plans. Companies struggle to be successful with such initiatives. According to numerous studies, anywhere from 50 percent to 80 percent of marketing plans do not live up to expectations (Accenture.com). Although the reasons for failure vary, many can be traced to the difficulty with managing multiple talent and organizational elements effectively across a global enterprise—creating a shared vision, gaining buy-in across locations and levels, dealing with expectations and handling the day-to-day upheavals inherent in marketing. These challenges are well suited to the capabilities of social media and collaboration tools.
Executives know that achieving success in a collaborative global business marketing effort requires more than simply telling everyone about the way things are going to be done. Acceptance of change,processes, services, working relationships, policies, and more can be accelerated globally across the enterprise through real-time sharing of experiences. Social networking and collaboration applications are extremely effective ways of bringing global employees together to perform new processes and to share experiences—both the successes and the temporary setbacks. People with common interests or related roles can form
Executives know that achieving success in a collaborative global business marketing effort requires more than simply telling everyone about the way things are going to be done. Acceptance of change,processes, services, working relationships, policies, and more can be accelerated globally across the enterprise through real-time sharing of experiences. Social networking and collaboration applications are extremely effective ways of bringing global employees together to perform new processes and to share experiences—both the successes and the temporary setbacks. People with common interests or related roles can form
References: Accenture.com. (n.d.). Accenture - Outlook-Six Ways Social Media Technologies Accelerate Large Scale Change. Retrieved April 21, 2013, from www.accenture.com/us-en/outlook/pagesw/outlook-2012-social-media-technologies-accelerate-large-scale-change.aspx. Bullas, J. (n.d.). 15 Social Media Frustrations and Challenges. Retrieved April 21, 2013, from www.jeffbullas.com/.../15-social-media-marketing-frustrations-and challenges-what-are-yours/. Corporate Social Responsibility. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21, 2013, from www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Comp-De/corporate-Social-Responsibility.html.