Brilliant Reads: what digital culture means to you and how to harness the power of influencer marketing

 

Innovation is more than a new piece of tech

Innovation has become a buzzword that usually means ‘new tech’. There’s no denying that new technology plays a huge role in brand innovation – it often enables it – but being truly innovative means going beyond this. Instead, real, ground-breaking change can come from re-structuring your business model or company culture.To keep ahead of competitors, innovation needs to be at the heart of your organisational culture. The boundaries need to be constantly pushed to solve not just current customer problems, but problems that haven’t yet been realised.Marketers must reclaim the word ‘innovation’ before it dies Marketing Week, 7 minutes

Listen to your customers… because they’re worth it

Customer-obsession directly benefits organisations: this is difficult to debate and everyone has been talking about it for years. Why, then, are there still organisations who are late to the party – or worse, think they’re already there? Writing in Forbes, our own Antony Mayfield explains why customer-obsessed digital transformation is different, and why today’s (and tomorrow’s) organisations need to embody it.2017: The year of the empowered customer Forbes, 4 minutes

What does digital culture mean to you?

We talk a lot about digital culture here at Brilliant Noise. It’s something we know many organisations are concerned with, and looking to change. But what does it actually mean?Culture means ‘how we do things round here’ and digital cultures harness the best of digital tools and ways of working to deliver the best customer experience.Your culture should value: diversity and collaboration, empower employees to make decisions and be accountable for their work, be transparent so that people feel connected with leadership decisions, place customers at its heart, and value employees by recognising their work and encouraging skill progression.What defines ‘digital culture’ and how to achieve it Marketing Week, 3 minutes

Don’t restrict your employees with a rules-based culture

Put down your rule book. Rethink all of those bureaucratic processes (yes, all of them). These might make you feel comfortable, but they are likely limiting the success of your organisation by restricting the ability of your employees to think on their feet and deliver great customer service.What now seems like the most-discussed business scandal in recent history – United Airline’s dramatic ejection of a passenger from one of their flights – can be boiled down to low employee empowerment in a rules-based culture. United’s rules dictated that the passenger should be removed from the flight despite it not actually being oversubscribed and the resulting behaviour shocked us all.Don’t just go and amend your rules and processes; actively seek out and cut unnecessary barriers. Allow employees to make fast, customer-focussed, common sense decisions by keeping rules to a minimum.Trust your employees, not your rule book Harvard Business Review, 4 minutes

Influencer marketing can encourage authentic communication

Customers want to engage with authentic experiences. They perceive traditional brand advertising as fake, untrustworthy and self-serving.Influencers can cut through the ad noise and give you a direct connection to your customers. People perceive influencers as authentic, with many inviting them into their lives and advocating their causes because they’re their causes, too. Hearing a brand endorsement from a trusted influencer can be more convincing than a traditional brand ad.Influencer specialist Freya Lifely visited our office recently to explain what influencer marketing is, and how you can navigate it successfully.Could influencers be a key part of your next campaign? Brilliant Noise, 4 minutes

What are the blockers to digital transformation?

On May 16th we’ll be joined by Craig Hepburn from Tata Communications and Forrester Research Director Martin Gill to discuss how organisations can transform their culture and capability and achieve real change.The event is in central London and open to brand decision makers – get in touch to request an invitation before it’s too late.