Social should be natural says Microsoft CMO

A businesses approach to social should be a natural one, otherwise it's counterproductive. This was the message from Microsoft UK CMO, Phillipa Snare, who was the guest speaker at the second in a series of Like Minds Salon Talks.

Snare, who first turned a job offer at Microsoft down before later taking a job in the digital sector of the business, was one of the driving influences behind making MSN what it is today, and has an obvious passion for digital and social.

"Social is a mindset, and getting that mindset into a company will drive the changes you want to see," Snare said.

"Unless the approach to social is natural then you end up looking like the dad on the dancefloor, you have good intentions but ultimately you look foolish. To me social should come naturally to you, and therefore be authentic."

A company with such a global reach as Microsoft needs to be at the forefront of innovation to ensure they are competitive, which involves constant change and evolution, the very aspects that drive Snare and her vision for the future.

"It's our jobs to innovate in the areas that are a moment of truth for consumers," Snare explained.

"For example, one of the areas we have worked on is an easy way to switch watching the same show from your TV, to your tablet and then also phone, a seamless transition. It isn't life critical but it is something that is cool and in demand."

Asked how she has been so successful in developing her role Snare had the following to say: "If I am building a team around me I look for people who fill the gaps that are my weaknesses. I focus on what I am good at and let others worry about the areas where I am not so great. It's funny that in school children are told to focus on their weaknesses to improve them. That's rubbish, we should be focusing on the areas we are strong in and become great in them."

Philippa will also be speaking at the Digital Marketing Show, taking place at ExCel between November 26th-28th.