How to write a ‘social media’ strategy without calling it ‘social media’: Part 1

Do you have a company strategy for using the telephone? Sending email?

Probably not.

And a strategy for ‘using social media’ is the same. It misses the bigger picture. That is, that social media is just one type of channel through which a modern company can choose to engage with its clients and networks. Call it ‘online engagement’, ‘PR with a purpose’ or ‘Coining it in with Comms’ – but it is vital to step back and think about the endgame of all that customer engagement.

This is how you might start:

1. Start with your company’s goals and vision statement. Don’t have them? Well, there’ll be somewhere on the server (and if they don’t exist then engaging with customers online is the least of your worries). Identify aspects of the vision and direction that relate to customer liaison and client relationships.

2. Who are your customers? No, really… who the heck are they? Not sure? Then you’ve got some homework to do. User surveys, focus groups, chats down the pub and with your colleagues. Where do they hang out? What do they read? Are they even online? If so, where and and how often? Find out everything you can about the people who pay your wages. Why not develop some personas while you’re at it.

3. Make connections between the vision statement, the company goals – and those all important customers. Identify all the ways in which the company aims to impact on their lives. Persuading them to buy shiny stuff? Working with them to teach them stuff? Whatever you do to make a buck, you need to know what customer liasion looks like, for your company, when it’s successful.

But, hang on. Isn’t this about working with them online? Where’s the ‘online’ bit?

There is no point planning an online strategy without knowing your company direction, your customers – and how you can work with them successfully. Once you’ve done that, then…

4. Identify the online and offline channels that can be used to touch your customers’ lives most successfully and in a way that suits them. No point having a Facebook book page for people who don’t use social media – but a great idea to use Twitter to reach techno-savvy clients.

5. By the time you’re at step 5, the devil is in the detail. You’ll need to plan timeframes (so you need to know what’s realistically possible). You need resources (but how long will it all take? and how much will it cost?). You need to choose ways to monitor, listen, evaluate and plan again (and is there software to do this for me)?

And we haven’t even got to the part that’ll make your CEO think all this is a good idea.

Watch this space for Part 2 of this post – where I’ll unpack No. 5, with some useful links that I’ve found really helpful.

So, what are you waiting for? Time to get started on steps 1-4.

Barcamp 2010: It’s the people, stupid!

Today I attended the BarCamp 2010, on online communities, organised the wonderful folk at Ideasshop in Wellington. It felt like a wee homecoming, talking with other people who ‘get’ the online community passions and pitfalls. Largely Comms and PR folk, there were also some very switched on Gen-Y+ students (have you worked on your personal brand yet? They have.) and a smattering of Marketing and social media consultants.

Chatham House rules being what they are, I will stay schtum on some juicy details but the key themes that seemed to emerge were:

• Don’t even start to create content, websites, media channels or a single tweet until you are very clear on who you are talking to and why. Keep them involved, collaborating and co-constructing the journey.

• Personas/user information are a great way to remind us that we do NOT own channels or communities – and that it’s the people, and their needs, that matter most. What do they want? When do they want it, and where? What are their mindsets at the point where they engage with you?

• Despite risk aversion, successful models are de-centralised and high trust with a clear line of sight to the business goals. Different voices for different channels. Remember that businesses do not intentionally hire idiots, so trust your staff to talk to your customers; they may be your strongest advocates.

• Mass broadcast is yesterday’s paradigm; local, specialised, personal is where it’s at.

• Websites are not information brochures but relationship management tools, controlled mutuality. Why do your users want to have a relationship with you?

• Social media is a different paradigm. We are pulling people to us, not pushing our message. Find your community and find your conversation. Where are your people, where are they hanging out and what are they saying? Listen to them.  [Some great tools for this: SocialOomph, GoogleAlerts, Flock, Tweetdeck,  Surchur, Technorati (influencer ranking), Radian6 (sentiment), and a plug for the local boys, NetEmpathy ( sentiment)]

• Engage with their communities first then use the community chats to leverage traffic to your own business.

All that, plus some relaxed people, enough sugar to put us all on the ceiling, and some good contacts for the future. Nice one.