In my morning scan of news headlines, I ran across an interesting article over at MSNBC. The article is about how GM is planning to reinvent itself not only from a business standpoint but also in the minds of consumers. They’ve launched a new website, have begun airing new television commercials, and have entered the wonderful world of social media.
Kudos to GM for recognizing the power of social media. After all, what better way to reach millions of folks quickly and, most importantly, cost-effectively than through Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking resources. And, what better way to let people know that you are truly reinventing yourself than by embracing all available current technology to converse with your customers.
I thought one comment in the article was particularly interesting: “Brands that go deep into social media face more intense scrutiny from their customers, who will talk about them and analyze their changes, said David Reis, chief executive of social media agency Dei Worldwide.” I was somewhat puzzled by this comment. It seems to me that most companies are already being scrutinized and the scrutiny is already intense for some (especially the Big Three in this economy). People are already talking about all types of companies and the products those companies offer. Customers are already analyzing changes, already talking about the good and the bad, and what to like or dislike. Social media tools don’t make the scrutiny more intense. They simply open a window which allows a company to hear and actively participate in the conversation that is already taking place all around the world.
