J.A.McArthur

Breakfast was good at this morning’s meeting of Social Media Charlotte, but the real star was SapientNitro’s Joey Wilson. “A company’s mindset is more important than it’s organization,” says Wilson. Change in a mindset leads to a changes in the way a company might operate.

Here are some current mindset changes that could lead to corporate innovation:

• Big vs. Small
  Creativity in media messaging can yeild mass momentum for small voices. Moreover, small events can lead to big issues for a brand.
• Office hours vs. “Always-On”
  Mobility, design, and an always-on mentality offer instant interaction between businesses and their publics. Online, businesses are always open, needing to meet their consumers when they are ready.
• Location vs. Place
  Making the shift from a location-based concept founded in physical structure to an “everywhere-is-here” model creates the opportunity for real innovation.
• Finding Customers vs. Catching Them
  The impressions garnered from a marketing perspective fall into three categories: bought media, owned media, and earned media. Traditional offices are excellent at bought and owned media. However, a lack of attention to or investment in earned media is a common mistake.Earned media is not free. Wilson says, “You can’t hire a tousled-hair kid with a skateboard to tweet for you.” Rather, you have to earn legitimacy by catching impressions.The goal is to turn earned media into owned media.
• Customer Loyalty vs. Consumer Engagement
  By really looking and listening online, an organization can move toward its consumer base. The goal is no longer just to connect a consumer to a brand identity, but rather to make the brand relevant. The key for businesses, says Wilson: “Humanize yourself.”