What was your journey until taking on this role in the company?
I attended the Faculty of Economics, International Trade and International Markets at the University of Trieste and seven years ago I joined Kronospan in the Italian commercial area. At the time the marketing department was not yet developed and therefore I continued my training by diversifying my job description, until I received the promotion proposal to Marketing Manager in 2021 which lasted one year. Since November 2022 I have been Marketing Director. Right now marketing is a fundamental part of the company's image, it supports not only sales but also other areas such as Human Resources, communicating the company atmosphere externally. I have always been a curious person and passionate about studying: the most beautiful and satisfying part of my job is talking to professionals and people who deal with sectors different from mine. This way I have the opportunity to learn skills relating to each department, putting myself on the line and making the most of what I learn.
What do you think about the use of social media in the B2B market segment?
I believe that the use of social media, especially in the B2B market, is largely influenced by what the target audience, therefore the customer, perceives. Kronospan contents are filtered through this lens: you have to do a job of identifying with the customer and understanding what he thinks can attract the end user. What works for B2B may not work for B2C and vice versa: here lies the skill in verticalizing one of the two sectors. It is also essential to know how to create content that is aimed at both the customer and the end consumer, including everyone, from industry experts to beginners. The language of digital is now very important and those who don't update themselves inevitably fall behind: communication works like a machine that needs to be constantly maintained. The foreign market is certainly ahead of the Italian one, where knowledge of the social world is linked to a culture still based on fairly old and well-tested reasoning. Traveling a lot for work, I am always in contact with different realities where, from Peru to China, passing through the States, the social media situation is very dynamic and fast.
Which social network is more in line with your business model and which is less?
For Kronospan, LinkedIn and Pinterest make the difference. LinkedIn is a formidable tool in terms of market information and valuable connections, as well as the corporate and Human Resources side. Pinterest helps us reach professionals, such as architects and designers, overseas who are looking for inspiration for their projects and enter the Italian market. It is still a somewhat static platform but I see that it is slowly awakening, especially in the furniture sector. We are also present on Instagram where, however, I believe the market is a bit saturated. For this reason we tend to prefer other platforms. We were one of the first companies in the furniture world to use social media and, for this reason, we are able to understand which is best for us.
The data shows that having a low number of followers damages the brand image, what do you think?
I think it is actually a fact that influences the perception that users have of the brand. Kronospan's followers on Instagram arrived within about a year even if we never invested the budget in considerable actions, we let them grow organically. We use sales-oriented platforms and, being the first in the sector on the market, we have never needed actions aimed at follower growth. Ours is a very particular slice of the market: social media is not that important but it helps to create brand awareness. Now we would like to implement the communication of Emporio Skin, the Kronospan premium brand, which certainly lends itself more easily and is more accessible on social media. One of the strengths of Emporio Skin is certainly the exclusive production in Italy which, therefore, will be discussed extensively on the digital side. This project also aims to bring about brand awareness for Kronospan.
Have you ever collaborated with professionals regarding the social sphere?
At Kronospan we only collaborate with external agencies. We now have some internal resources that deal with communication and one that focuses on the creation of editorial plans to follow for the publication of posts on various social networks. Let's say that our profiles are still young so previously we didn't need collaborators. We are still testing the waters a bit regarding collaborations to find the right matching on all fronts.
What are the future corporate communication projects?
In addition to the projects I mentioned previously, we would like to create a vertical brand on doors: Emporio Skin Doors. This will allow us to outsource and complete Kronospan's offer, with new equipment, also destined abroad. We still have to define and finalize the communication linked to the product, choose the main features and make everything revolve around them. We are also designing several other products such as panels and different surfaces with steel or aluminum sheets. We would like to direct the products towards an increasingly cutting-edge line.