What is your role in the company and who do you interact with the most?
I started working in Marketing in Australia in 2014. I then moved to Consulting, in a company in Milan where I worked for 4 years. Subsequently I joined Costantini because it offers me more opportunities and a more stable situation, without giving up traveling for business trips. Now I manage the sales, marketing and IT area. We work a lot in B2B so I interface with architects and interior designers and coordinate the agents, contacting customers personally in their absence.
Which social network do you use with the most involvement and which one the least?
First of all, I believe that, in the market niche where Costantini operates, social media is effective when creating a strategy linked to brand awareness. The platform closest to us is Instagram. TikTok, on the other hand, is a channel that we still feel is a little distant, where there are few of our competitors. It is a social network that requires a lot of investment, both in time and resources, because it requires very creative content. We are also present on LinkedIn, a platform on which we grow organically.
The data shows that having a low number of followers damages the brand image, what do you think?
I think that the number of followers is a metric that still influences the perception that people have of a brand. During the purchasing process, for example, it is a piece of data that could make the customer feel calmer. Somehow having a large fan base makes the public "believe" more in that particular brand. In B2B, Costantini's main market, it is a little different. In this case it is a different audience that knows the company for reasons that go beyond social media.
How important are online reviews, are they important?
Costantini is a particular reality. We are 95% exporters and work little on the Italian market. For this reason I believe that the classic reviews are not fundamental for us. In this market niche, I have noticed that very often those who write their opinions do so following complaints that have not been handled adequately. Personally, I leave a lot of reviews, especially on Google, since I travel a lot. I find that TripAdvisor is a little more cumbersome than Maps, especially now that they have integrated all the functions into a single platform.
Have you thought about enlisting the help of professionals from the social world given the importance achieved by digital platforms and their management complexity?
Yes, at the moment we have two external agencies following Costantini's communication. One supports us in a more operational way, especially on the lead generation and website aspects. The other reality, however, helps us on the newsletter and copy side. For us, newsletters are the most important point of contact with the customer. In a company like ours, I believe it is essential to have an exchange between internal and external. A synergy between these two aspects is essential to avoid remaining closed in our bubble and to learn more about the digital world.
What are the future corporate communication projects?
In the next few months we will be at two important sector fairs: the Salone del Mobile in Milan and High Point in North Carolina. The Costantini stand in Milan will showcase our marbles, new materials and will focus on practicality. As for the social side, we have various new features in mind. We would like to talk about our work and make our reality known more specifically. We would like to create lines, such as water-based paints and fabrics, to broaden and make our reality known more specifically. We will definitely talk about craftsmanship and the role it plays for us.