What was your journey until taking on this role in the company?
I am originally from Busto Arsizio, in the province of Varese, and I have lived in Verona for about ten years. I studied Accounting with a Marketing focus because I have always had an interest in Communication. I graduated from the University of Milan, Bicocca in Marketing, Corporate Communication and Global Markets. I wanted to continue my studies with a Master's degree that would take me away from Milan: I understood that this city, despite how many opportunities it offers, is not the right place for me. I therefore went in search of a course of study, again in the Marketing field, which would allow me to also combine my passion for the wine world. I moved to Verona to attend Marketing and Communication of the Territory, with a focus on wine, and then I embarked on a completely different path. After university, in fact, I decided to keep this sector as a personal passion. Subsequently I had my first work experience in an American multinational in the logistics sector, where I joined as an intern. Here, together with the Marketing Manager, I managed Marketing and Communications throughout Europe. It was an incredible learning experience because, finally, I was able to experience and apply the theory I had studied over the years. I then moved to a smaller company, still in the same area as the previous one, and then, for about 3 years, I worked in Confcooperative Verona, where I had the opportunity to interface with different realities and companies. I communicated with companies from every area, from agriculture to the social sector. Subsequently I joined an agency where I worked for a few years. I then moved to Ddchem through a job offer just under a year ago.
What do you think about social media in the B2B market segment?
My impression is that, in B2B, social media is not yet perceived as the fundamental tool that it is. This sector is based on the reputation of companies, a radical fact around which a series of cascading elements revolves. Ddchem's competitors, even the very large ones, use social media little. Their fan bases are largely made up of people who, in fact, already knew them previously, as they are important brands in the sector. I find that platforms should be used to communicate company values more clearly, from the mission to the human side. At the moment we are working a lot on our brand identity and 360° marketing. We want to increase brand awareness and create a complete strategy in every aspect.
Which social network do you use with the most involvement and which one the least?
Ddchem is present on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. The main social network is LinkedIn where we find our target audience and where collaborations and partnerships are born. Instagram is also a platform on which we communicate well. Channels like TikTok and Facebook are the furthest from our business model, especially because the two main target audiences are not close to our audience. TikTok is a platform that requires constant content and attention so it is very expensive.
The data shows that having a low number of followers damages the brand image, what do you think?
It's a double-edged question. On the one hand, I agree with the fact that a high number of followers can help a brand to make itself known and grow further, standing out for the content published. On the other hand, I think it is not the only metric to focus on: followers could be untargeted or non-organic. At Ddchem we are convinced that it is preferable to have a fan base interested in the topics that are discussed on the profiles. These are customers, sector professionals, people who know us thanks to our presence at trade fairs, affinity with our world. I think it's the quality of followers that makes the difference rather than quantity.
How important are online reviews, are they important?
For us the "canonical" reviews, those on the Google panel, are important, but not fundamental. This is because Ddchem receives numerous feedback from salespeople, creating a new review method. We are really happy because on average this feedback is very positive: the quality of the product, the organization of distribution and logistics are the aspects that are highlighted the most. We are also super proud of being perceived as a reliable and consistent reality. However, we also want to work on this aspect, consolidating our presence and our brand.
Have you thought about enlisting the help of professionals from the social world given the importance achieved by digital platforms and their management complexity?
Of course, with Ddchem we have collaborated with various external entities and we are still supported by external professionals. We rely on an agency for a branding process during which we worked on the corporate image as well as on the contents. I am convinced that cooperating in synergy with other professionals can help you grow both on a professional and personal level. A relationship is established where both parties can bring added value to that partnership.
What are the future corporate communication projects?
One of the projects we have closest to our hearts features the Ddchem payoff, “Chemistry you can trust”. We want to link all communication to this concept, giving space not only to the quality of the product, but also to the people who create the brand. We want to convey the care and passion behind our work, from products to tailor made products. Branding will also have a central role in the future: we will focus on reputation and awareness. To do this we must focus on how to bring the chemistry sector closer to people, perhaps with collaborations or academies.