Turning Potential Into Power
Knowledge is power; it’s an adage we’ve all heard. I’ll add one caveat: only if you use it. Having insight is certainly a better position than blissfully ignorant, but if that information sits in databases and isn’t turned into something actionable, then knowledge is potential, and unused potential is a wasted opportunity.
This month, we’re focusing on action. Not only in the cover story that profiles the actions of this year’s Visionary Award winning hotel companies, but also in a particularly insightful feature story, “Social Media Intelligence,” that discusses how to turn one of the most current and compelling sources of knowledge — your social networks — into actionable CRM data.
Last month I sat on a panel discussion at a tech vendor’s users’ conference. The panel addressed current trends in retail and foodservice markets. When the topic of social media came up, I asked the audience for a show of hands: ‘who has heard of Klout scores?’ One hand in a room of 50 went up.
Klout is a start-up company out of San Fran that’s tracking how much influence an individual user has via all of its social networks, combined. Seek out interactions with well-connected consumers and you can increase your reach. Did you hear about the guy who was passed over for a job because the other candidate had a higher Klout score? No joke.
The lesson is this: connecting with your guests on social channels is important. Take it a step further and compile knowledge about your guest via those channels. What you do with that knowledge will be what separates those with potential, from those with power.
This month, we’re focusing on action. Not only in the cover story that profiles the actions of this year’s Visionary Award winning hotel companies, but also in a particularly insightful feature story, “Social Media Intelligence,” that discusses how to turn one of the most current and compelling sources of knowledge — your social networks — into actionable CRM data.
Last month I sat on a panel discussion at a tech vendor’s users’ conference. The panel addressed current trends in retail and foodservice markets. When the topic of social media came up, I asked the audience for a show of hands: ‘who has heard of Klout scores?’ One hand in a room of 50 went up.
Klout is a start-up company out of San Fran that’s tracking how much influence an individual user has via all of its social networks, combined. Seek out interactions with well-connected consumers and you can increase your reach. Did you hear about the guy who was passed over for a job because the other candidate had a higher Klout score? No joke.
The lesson is this: connecting with your guests on social channels is important. Take it a step further and compile knowledge about your guest via those channels. What you do with that knowledge will be what separates those with potential, from those with power.
