Sure, we all want to be “Outside the Box”, but how far from the box do we normally venture when we try to put this into practice? The “box” is a pretty safe place, and that’s really why we like to stay within its confines. Even when we venture outside of the box, we typically like to stay close to the box because of the risk of being too far out there, etc.
With social media, we can test the grounds outside of the box and really push innovation. Conversations are happening all over different social media channels, and more often than not, around your specific brand as well. Current and future customers are asking for product enhancements, changes and improvements. They have ideas that maybe you have not thought of, and yet they are telling you and your competitors what they are. It’s amazing that so much great information is being discussed, while most of it is not being used or even heard.
I would suggest that brands begin listening to social media especially for new product and campaign launches. Hear what your customers are saying and make changes if you can. If not, feed that information back to marketing, research and product development for future launches. The better you can know your customer, the more you can deliver innovative and exciting products back to them. And in the end, that is simply good business sense.