This ITAC roundtable was held at the MaRS Centre, Toronto, Ontario. Bob Becker, Principal of SMA moderated the discussion.

“The reality is that everyone uses social media, but a significant number of us continue to struggle with it”

What we learned

• Treat social media as part of our business goals and not the end all
• It’s an addition to our business metrics – just something else to consider
• The more we learn about this space, the more we need to learn about this space
• Look at B2C trends; for example, look at “gamifying” ads based on game apps now available
• Doing nothing is a risk
• The cost of managing social media is bigger than we think; process dollar is bigger than tech dollar
• Social media is all about the collective wisdom of the user
• Before selecting a social media tool, have a strategy in place
• Do it in phases; measure and learn

What does a mobile device mean to you?

• A handheld portable computing battery-operated machine
• It’s not limited to phones and laptops, but may also include GPS, iPad, any interactive device that provides access to social networking
• It’s becoming less about the device and more about where people are and what social networks they are accessing
• There is no perfect device; everyone wants something different

How do you ensure customers and prospects using mobile devices can properly view and interact with your marketing efforts?

• Consider “mobilizing” your website.  Instead of compacting information, re-purpose it  
• Investigate modifying your website for a mobile device rather than creating an app for it
• Do not consider a mobile device as an internet channel; instead, think of how you can add value to users’ mobility
• It’s not about advertising, but rather where your customer is and when they want a specific piece of information

COMSCORE  Statistics  (digital market intelligence source)

How do you define and manage target market demographics?

• Consider segment messaging and figure out what vehicle your market is using. Currently, people between 25 – 54 years old are online; there is still a need to understand who they are, where they are, what they are doing, and how to reach them
• Listen, leverage and engage.
• Learn about your target market by taking part in online mobile conversations

What are you cutting or changing to incorporate social media into your budget?

• Look deeper into buying cycles and listen to your target market
• Ensure all platforms are consistent: brochures, website, blog, LinkedIn and Twitter profiles
• Ensure information across all channels and devices is transparent
• Determine what your most expensive media is and get out of it
• Do simple target market advertising
• Listen to conversations and exchange relevant information in a timely manner

Can social media activity be translated into ROI?

• It’s not about how much money you can bring in; rather see it as a journey or a customer experience
• Improving business utilization and its quality will eventually translate into ROI
• Compare regular and mobile metrics; social networking can help significantly to improve on cost
• Social media cannot be looked at independently; it needs to be a part of the marketing mix
• Measuring social media ROI is about nurturing and funneling activities
• First look at what you want your business metrics to be; then see if there is linkage with social media

How do we improve the trustworthiness of social media for B2B?

• Keep it human and speak your target market’s language 
• Be authentic, have a personality 
• Train your staff on social media policy – what can and cannot be done or said 
• On the personal front, be honest and share about yourself. On the organizational front, use social media to create brand awareness
• Every organization should have a business conduct policy in place that includes social media

Panelists:

• Mahmood Ashek, Lead Architect, Mobile Solutions Practice, IBM Canada
• Gary Fearnall, Director Global Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn Canada
• Roger Beharry Lall, Thought Leadership & Strategy, Integrated Business Marketing, Research In Motion (BlackBerry)
• Michael Turney, Director, Field Marketing, SAS Canada
• Steven Connor, Vice President Marketing, Xerox Canada