Give and take of social media

I read with interest your spotlight on public relations (MW last week), and would agree with Jay O’Connor when she states that companies need to take an integrated approach to social media.

Social media presents companies with a double-edged sword/ it gives them significant opportunities to engage with customers, but also gives customers significant opportunities to engage with companies.

This latter point is one of the prime reasons as to why the crisis management teams at Eurostar, Toyota and latterly BP failed to take it into account. Companies that are embracing it and using it as a tool for customer service, crisis management or added value will be the ones to watch and emulate.

For these reasons the Kent branch of the Chartered Institute of Marketing has devoted this year’s annual marketing lecture to “navigating a social media crisis”.

Neil Lakeland, Chairman, CIM Kent Branch