NEWS

EMEA Reference Group

Are you based in EMEA and would like to participate in an EMEA Customer Reference Program Community where you can:

• share best practices
• set-up regular conference calls in order to get to know each other and build a stronger community
• exchange common challenges and ideas on how to overcome them
• get together for face-to-face meetings (plan is to also setup a conference later in 2010)
• exchange regional and local best practices on marketing initiatives
• share documents, etc.

Please email Claudia and let her know if you’d like to be added to the list of members! Claudia Koenig CKoenig-Consulting@gmx.de

Lessons from the Summit on Customer Engagement

Eric Larson and Anika Lehde from Projectline attended the 2009 Summit on Customer Engagement in Quincy, MA October 19-21. Below is a quick recap of the event. You can read the full write-up here.

It was exciting to hear from Citrix’s Chris Fleck (@chrisfleck)
about how customers’ voices can directly sway new product
development. In his presentation, he mentioned that Citrix
had intended to build a new Blackberry application. But,
suspecting they needed more info, he blogged the question,
“Do you want Citrix XenApp to run Windows apps on the
iPhone?” When his post got more than 500,000 views, he
used the interest to get resources assigned to building an
iPhone app. By tuning into customer needs, they were able to
prioritize the app that customer wanted most.

Early Registration is open for the 2010 Customer Reference Forum which will be held in Santa Clara, CA. More information can be found here.

References and Social Media

IN THE WORLD OF REFERENCES

Evidence of the Month

Have you read the new FTC rules on blogging? It’s a must read if you blog. Read “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” in full or the press release.

Chris Kanaracus from IDG News Service just came out with an article this week called “Customers Can Gain From Being a Vendor Reference” The article appeared in PC World and can
be read here. Yeah for customer references getting publicity in tech trades!

Jeremiah Owyang posted on his blog “Web Strategy by Jeremiah” a post called “Checklist: Develop a Successful Advocacy Program“. Here’s a sample of what he wrote:

“Companies aren’t trusted, brands aren’t trusted, and nor are
your executives. People trust each other, and now they have
the tools to communicate with each other using social
technologies and mobile with or without brands involved. As a
result, trust has shifted to the participants. Many brands,
knowing their credibility has diminished, rely on advocacy
programs where trusted members of the community are given
a platform and encouraged to speak.”

Need a good whitepaper on the link between customer references and social networking? Read “Recalibrating Customer Reference Strategies to Embrace Social Media and Networking Tools and Trends“. The whitepaper is provided by References Online.

Boulder Logic and Big Sky Communication have joined forces to create “The Customer Reference Handbook”. This is a great guide for those just starting off their reference career and for those needing a refresher course. You can download it here.

Podcasts

Interested in hearing how other reference professionals manage their programs? Check out Eric Larson’s podcasts with reference leaders at companies such as Ford Motor Company, Comcast and Microsoft. No matter the size of your company, your budget or your program staff, something of value can be found in each one of these podcasts.

Check out the list of podcasts here.

Code of Conduct

Have you checked out the official CRKSN Code of Conduct? Worried that the CRKSN will become just another group for spammers or people to vent? Read it here.

Jobs

Looking for a reference job or for someone to hire? Let us know and we can post it here.

• @BayAreaJobsMkt: Public Relations and Customer References Mgr – Quantum Corporation – San Jose, CA

Social Media

What’s Being Said

What are we talking about at the CRKSN? Check out these hot topics and questions that members have posted. Do you have comments or a question? Let us know by posting to the LinkedIn or Facebook group or tweet us a question on Twitter.

Customer reference professionals are seeing a growing need and therefore adoption to social media. Naturally, the CRKSN wants to be part of the movement.

Here are some of the great questions and discussions that have come in through our social networks:

• Name ONE good thing that has come from reduced marketing program budgets by Robin Hamilton
• Customer-Centricity Online Audit by Lynn Hunsaker
• Starting a customer “knowledge bank” by Casey Hibbard
• @Ambal @CindyKing @Casey_Hibbard @MicheleLinn @globalcopywrite @StephanieTilton pick their favorite case study http://bit.ly/1g0L0N
• @jill4witz: What’s your definition of a customer reference? http://bit.ly/36IfOO
• @Akostic: Twelve best practices for online customer communities http://ow.ly/z8Ls

Are you following us on Twitter? More than 240 folks are following us. Come and join us!

Welcome to our new members who have joined us on LinkedIn. We’re now more than 260 members strong!

• Douglas Jiang, Intern, Business Development and International Trade at Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Cincinnati Area
• Gary Gaessler, Rural Broadband & Internet Ventures, Greater Denver Area
• Eric Laughlin, CoFounder at Propadoo.com – Testimonials, Referrals, and Employee Recognition, Greater Denver Area

Our Facebook group is also going strong with more than 157 members! Check out our page and see what’s happening.