Target and ConAgra Foods on Converting Social Media Activity into Sales

By PYMNTS | January 9, 2011

How do social media initiatives translate into revenue? Even major companies like Target and conAgra don’t have the answer.

Shelley Hyytinen, Merchandising Process & Support Vice President at Target Corporation, said that Target is looking forward to exploring how unstructured data (from outlets including social media sources) can be turned into tangible and valuable insights.

conAgra put all of its executives through social media training, according to Doug Knudsen, the company’s President of Retail Sales. Yet he said he is still trying to figure out what the conversion to sales is. He acknowledged that when he spoke to his team members, many of them did not have a good answer.

National Retail Federation’s 100th Annual Convention & Expo

Sunday, Jan. 9

1) Using Mobile Payments to Increase the Base of Contactable Customers (9 a.m.)

– The Golden Rule of mCommerce

– Astounding Figures on the Growth of Mobile Banking

– Why Mobile Could Be the Ultimate Cross-Channel Marketing Tool

– What Consumers Want Out of Retailers’ Mobile Apps

– 90% of Consumers Would Pay for Mobile Payment Options

2) Target and ConAgra Foods on Converting Social Media Activity into Sales (10 a.m.)

3) First Data’s Security Panel Offers Tips for Protecting Your Business (11:30 a.m.)

4) IBM on How to Capitalize on the Smarter Consumer (1:45 p.m.)

5) SAP Examines Precision Retailing and the Mobilized Consumer (3 p.m.)

Monday, Jan. 10

1) Deloitte VP Offers Suggestions for Harnessing Power of Technology in Retail (10:30 a.m.)

2) Macy’s, Tesco and Food Lion Executives Analyze Evolving Retail Landscape (11:45 a.m.)

3) Why Bankers Might Not Be Fond of the Tesco Credit Card (12:15 p.m.)

4) Greetings from the Floor at NRF! (1:45 p.m.)

5) Social Commerce: Is It Worth the Effort? (2:45 p.m.)

6) iPad Retail Apps: Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down (3:15 p.m.)

7) Steve Madden and Golfsmith’s Biggest mCommerce Mistakes of 2010 (4:30 p.m.)