The Conversation Manager: Q&A with Author and Consultant Steven Van Belleghem - Ed Keller - MediaBizBloggers

I write regularly in this column about the rising power of word of mouth and social media and the opportunities for brands to spark consumer conversation as both a marketing strategy and an outcome of marketing activity. But a key challenge that arises for brandmarketers is to determine what they must do to adapt their organizations, and their individual behaviors, to succeed in today's new social era. Steven Van Belleghem, Partner at InSites Consulting in Belgium, has recently published "The Conversation Manager: The Power of the Modern Consumer, the End of the Traditional Advertiser," which provides a compelling roadmap for change in the way we as marketers must carry out our day-to-day work, and offers solutions which will enable us to meet today's new challenges.

Q- A lot has already been written about the rise of social media. What is the unique contribution of "The Conversation Manager"?

A- In fact, the subject of the book is not really social media. It's about the integration of word-of-mouth in all our marketing thinking & acting. We all agree that word-of-mouth has become the key driver of consumer decision making, but hardly any companies integrate this parameter in their strategy. In "The Conversation Manager" I describe how you can apply this in your branding strategy, advertising approach (also through traditional media), and of course also on social media.

Q- Your subtitle is "the end of the traditional advertiser." Please explain what you mean. Are you saying that the rise of social media means that advertising is dead?

A- Brands that have been successful in the last 20 years are brands who were excellent in using mass media to build their brand. It's my belief that the successful brands of the future will be those who have the capability to build an in-depth relationship with their consumers and who are capable of having conversations with them. In order to succeed, we need to let go of a whole bunch of old marketing credos. In order to do so, I suggest we let go of the job titles who remind us of these old beliefs.

Q- What are the most important steps a brand manager must do to become an effective "conversation manager"? Which steps are the easiest? Which are the hardest?

A- The easiest one is starting to observe what people are saying about your brand on social media. There are some new tools that can help us with that. Also, joining the groups that consumers join is something we can learn easily, I think. It becomes harder to change the way that we advertise and the way that we manage our brands. For instance, advertising should become the starting point of a good conversation. What should people tell each other about our brand is the new question, not what should we be saying to them.

Q-Is conversation management a strategy or a tactic?

A- It is definitely a strategy! It's about the integration of word-of-mouth in all our marketing thinking and doing. It is managing the most important driver of business growth. Besides, it goes further than an external strategy - good conversation management starts from within, from your own employees who help you build the brand.

Q- What are the biggest obstacles to companies embracing the "conversation manager" philosophy?

A- The lack of a consumer-centric vision. A company that does not have the culture to work very hard to make clients happy won't have any positive word-of-mouth. If your own employees don't believe this story, it becomes difficult. Another aspect is the legal part - the current policies regarding online conversations are not adjusted to the expectations of the consumer. A consumer wants a fast and swift conversation, not a conversation controlled by some legal advisor.

Q-What should a company that wants to practice "conversation management" do to get started?

A- Start up a few test projects that should help to prove your point. Start by experimenting - you learn more by doing something than by talking about it. Any such case study should begin with observing the current word-of-mouth (both online & offline) about your brands and learning from it. Listening is an important skill of the "Conversation Manager." Once you've created case studies, then you need to turn your attention to finding fellow believers of conversation management in your organization, and to building support. Eventually, you need top management support to push it through the entire organization.

Ed Keller, CEO of the Keller Fay Group, has been called "one of the most recognized names in word of mouth." The publication of Keller's book,The Influentials, has been called the "seminal moment in the development of word of mouth." Ed can be contacted at ekeller@kellerfay.com.

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