Tapping into Social Media for Effective Competitive Intelligence
Social media is on the rise. The large and growing number of users they attract claim to offer a rich pool of insights from key opinion leaders about your company, your competitors and your industry. There are a growing number of social media monitoring tools. SCIP’s Board Member and practitioner, August Jackson, claims that by understanding the culture and platforms empowers CI professionals to unearth deep and surprising insights. Case study-based critical success factors from four leading authorities will kick start the collective learning about tapping into social media for Effective Competitive Intelligence. Notable learning points will include:
- Social media: a means to an end or an end in itself
- Critical success factors in leveraging social media in CI
- Navigating the social media monitoring tool landscape: choosing between DIY and full service monitoring tools
- Crowd sourcing-based debate and knowledge sharing to evaluate what’s next for you
As ever, there will be the opportunity for light refreshment and to engage with peers and practitioners warmly.
Panellists
Beth Elliott has over 11 years competitive intelligence experience within the pharmaceutical and biotech space working with one of the world’s leading CI firms. Over the course of those 11 years, she has managed ~200 projects. In addition to project related work, Beth has trained over 150 senior staff in Competitive Awareness, Elicitation Techniques and Trade Show Quarterbacking as well as setting up CI divisions in small to medium pharmaceuticals companies. Over the past 18 months, Beth has been conducting various studies into social media usage and competitive intelligence.
Catriona Oldershaw is UK Managing Director of Synthesio (www.synthesio.com) – a multilingual social media monitoring provider which offers a blend of technology and human analysis to provide actionable insights to brands based on the voice of their customers online. Catriona works closely with key clients including Nissan, Johnson & Johnson, Carlsberg, Accor and Microsoft, on global listening and competitor benchmarking projects. An award-winning marketer, she has 15 years experience managing integrated marketing projects and is a regular speaker on social CRM and the opportunities for brands to develop two-way conversations with their customers via social media.
Arthur Weiss is a managing partner and founder of AWARE, a consultancy specialising in competitive and marketing intelligence, with services including research and analysis, training and CI strategy consultancy. As well as being a specialist in Competitive Intelligence, he is also a popular speaker. He has written numerous articles and papers that have been published in a variety of journals. Current professional interests include the role of social media in business, new techniques for finding intelligence and the influence of national culture on CI. Arthur has been quoted and recognised in the Financial Times, the Guardian, Inc. Management Today, Marketing, Information Today and other similar publications. He is a Chartered Marketer with the UK Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Cormac Heron is a Director and one half of Bright Beehive along with Nick O’Doherty, an organisation which helps business succeeds with social media. Before Bright Beehive, Cormac worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a Social Media / Web 2.0 Project Manager. Cormac has been using social media since before it got its name. Back in 2000 he became manager for the Knowhere Guide which was arguably the Facebook of its day. The Knowhere Guide is, and was, the largest user generated content guide for the UK and Ireland so when it comes to online communities Cormac knows a fair deal. There are things he will not share on the web, but not much. He sees the world of competitive intelligence going hand in hand with social media. Cormac also plays a mean banjo.Resources
30 Useful Social Media Monitoring Tools
DIY B2B Social Media Intelligence, August Jackson
Social Media Around the World, 2011, InSites
