Week 3 Reading Response

Week 3 Reading response

In reading Groundswell Chapters 7 and 8 I have come to learn ways of energizing and supporting the groundswell of internet activity and social media within a company. The book explains energizing as "spreading the word" and this is what is referered to with political candidate as "energizing the base". Supporting on the other hand is when "companies put a lot of product and problem-solving information online and encourage customers to use them". All these tactics, according to the Groundwell, are cost effective ways of supporting the already existing processes in a company's profile.

Energizing can be seen as marketing and spreading the "word-of-mouth" good will a company has with its base. Supporting can be a boost to already existing customer service lines and this helps to alleviate technical support problems from customer service lines. Energizing and supporting the groundswell can both improve customer confidence and reduce costs of already existing services.

The book provides a number of ways to energize the groundswell. These include providing a website with ratings and reviews which can show customers how enthusiastic they are for the company's products. It also advices that companies shouls not see complaints as negatives, as they add an air of legitimacy to positive reviews. It ealso enables a company to review and remodel products that receive negative reviews.

Creating an online community for a company's costumers is another way to energize its base. Costumers with similar interests and product enthusiasm can share new information and uses for products with other people who are enthusiasts. When customers particapate in these discussion, it helps the growth and the sustainability of the company.

Answering questions about their products give customers confidence that their company cares about their concerns and also allows the company to be part of the conversation in which their products will be branded. Providing insiders information on new product development can also provide current and prospective customers with more enthusiasm, and help proselytize their company even further. A company must look into the number of ways it can help provide a boost to its groundswell activity.