A New Generation: Firm 2.0

How can you harness the power of Web 2.0 to become a Firm 2.0, and moreover, why should you even care? Now more than ever, the consumer is in control. Between pop-up ads, banner ads, telemarketers, TV and radio commercials, your clients are consumed every second of every day by interruptive marketing. Technology has put consumers in control and they’re searching for communities of like-minded individuals with which to escape the sales pitch and simply enjoy connecting with others. Savvy firms are paying attention and participating in these conversations.

What if you’re not ready? Jenny Hertzig from BCG & Company in Akron, OH says, “Even if you don’t want to have a presence in the 2.0 communities yet, you should at the very least set up listening posts on different networks to monitor what people are saying about your brand.” That’s certainly not the case with BCG & Company, as they are about as active as you can get in the social 2.0 space. Hertzig emphasizes that “when you allow the client to be in control, they tell you what they want or need; you can answer by creating the service or product to fit that need instead of speculating.”

You see, it doesn’t matter how much money you throw at marketing; what matters is your focus and intensity on marketing your brand. That’s the beauty of being a Firm 2.0; the technologies you are utilizing are 1) free and 2) in sync with the way your clients are connecting and communicating. “Your audience is out there and ready to talk, you just have to ask,” says Hertzig. But remember the old adage, “You have two ears and one mouth, so listen twice as much as you talk.” That’s the key; remember this is a dialogue and not a monologue or broadcast media.

Watch WebCPA tomorrow (Inside View section) for the complete article.