Branding Strategy: Website & Social Media

New Media

Online social media platforms, including blogs, community forums & interactive portals, are becoming powerful channels to disseminate information, build positive word of mouth and create networking opportunities. All of these are currently leveraged by BCM Institute.

To elevate the brand further online, tweaks should be made based on the feedback and research outlined in the branding document.

Recommendations

1. Clearly outline the vision and key value proposition on the homepage that speaks directly to your key target audience, e.g. BCM Institute: Asia’s Leading Expert on Business Continuity Management
2. Implement greater interactivity via a feedback channel on the homepage rather than embedded in the site.
3. Interactivity could be straw polls and flash audits on BCM topics and issues. Data garnered from these polls could be repackaged in marketing collateral and used as content for media stories, as survey findings are always of interest to the media.
4. Resources need to be delineated. Perhaps identifying regional experts, e.g. ASEAN, Middle East, Europe, etc. and how these resources help contribute to the strength and abilities of BCM Institute.
5. Manage Talent Innovation with social networks better. The “unofficial framework” is blurred with the “official”. Aside from Dr. Goh, who sits at the pinnacle, a framework where employees, partners and teaching staff (formal) must be more clearly defined for interaction with experts, contacts, and potential partners/customers (unofficial). This collaboration must be demonstrated on the website and other communications and might need a people innovation manager to decipher the push and pull benefits to determine “value” for BCM Institute.
6. Fine-tune social networking resources: Figure out what to do with Twitter – what’s the core function (e.g. for communicating crisis?)
   
   

Weakness of BCM Institute

Website and online channels

BCM Institute’s brand communications take place mainly through online channels and social networks. To this end, the website was recently revamped with a more updated look and feel to cater to the new online communication channels such as social media networks and YouTube.

However, feedback from an interactive marketing expert felt that the site could do better with a user feedback/ response channel, as interactivity with target audiences is the key premise underlying the success of any form of online marketing and communications.

Target Audience

At first glance, the site doesn't seem to convey its value proposition or identify its intended audience.

If HR/ Training managers are to be targeted, perhaps end users are not who they want to feature. The homepage should target the gatekeepers (OHR) and opinion leaders (managers). It is best to feature testimonials from the person who manages the training budget and higher-ranking attendees.

Reviewed Comments by Dr Goh Moh Heng: The target audience is the professionals who want to be upgraded.  The HR or training managers are the second tier of the target audience.

On the ‘Get Involved’ page, apart from the forum, which is helpful, the section mainly includes press release duplications from the homepage. BCM Institute should consider capturing compelling experiences about organisations that have worked to build their Business Continuity capabilities, having performed better under challenging circumstances, and how BCM Institute helped.

BCMPedia

Aside from their Wiki contribution and the forum, there isn't much Web 2.0. The first step would be to put meaningful content in the Forum, which I didn't find on a quick read. An interesting online evaluation tool that identifies the immediate weak spots for specific kinds of organisations and allows the user to audit their strengths and weaknesses might be one approach. Case studies are promising.

Other Detailed comments on the website:

Home page: Visual design can afford to be more engaging, the logo doesn't convey the organisation's purpose, and the picture of the President behind a mike doesn't belong here. Maybe under a People section

Website Organisation: we need a message at the top of the page that motivates readers to continue exploring. Who's the target audience? What's the value proposition? A brief but convincing case study would convey this information effectively.

Language: excessive use of passive voice "deadens" the message; there are many minor but obvious grammatical errors that need to be polished if they want to be on par with international organisations

Testimonials page: End users are perhaps not who they want to feature. This page should aim at the gatekeepers (OHR) and opinion leaders (managers); we need testimonials from the person who manages the training budget and higher-ranking attendees.

Video: Right now, it’s too long to engage individuals.

Get Involved page: This seems mainly to repeat press releases from the homepage. No involvement potential here. The Forum is a good idea, though.