Dole Foods: Experts are out, bloggers are in... (and is it more important to be 'authentic' than right?)
In a presentation about how companies can embrace social media, Dole Nutrition Institute SVP Jennifer Grossman showed delegates a chart with 'out' on the left and 'in' on the right. 'Out' are experts and authority and 'in' are bloggers and authenticity.
So how can companies navigate a space where facts have been replaced by opinion and being authentic is more important than being right? It's a challenge, said Grossman.
However, there are also huge opportunities for companies to join the conversation and engage with bloggers and other online influencers to find out what consumers are thinking and identify new growth opportunities, she added.
It's also important to be strategic, targeted and discerning when using social media, she said, or you can end up irritating your audience and just contributing to the noise instead of being effective. "Be selective."
