-
Website
http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/ -
Original page
http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/2008/11/26/how-to-win-buy-in-for-social-media/ -
Subscribe
All Comments -
Community
-
-
Top Commenters
-
Popular Threads
Oh ... and it seems Flock was the culprit ;)
I too had this realization a short time ago and have been blogging and talking to people about it a lot in the past little while. We are too mired in the buzzwords and lingo. I'd love to stop using the words "social media" altogether.
I think that the way people are using the Web is evolving before our eyes, and what we are trying to communicate to our clients is that there are strategies and techniques they can employ that will enable them to be successful within this new medium.
As you say, we need to figure out what it's like to "live in someone's world". That means getting to know how our clients communicate and build relationships currently, and helping them to find the right solutions for them.
thank you for that
Craig
www.budgetpulse.com
Great perspective. In my experience, "show and tell" really helps people wrap their minds around how these different tools can help them be more productive, build their business, communicate with employees and customers, and so forth. Once they "get it," then we can help them develop strategies for using social media effectively.
Best,
Daria
I
Another thing I will sometimes do in a pitch meeting is find an analogous business and show them what they did that was successful. Admittedly, this can be tougher since there aren't always enough success stories to go around. But the minute you remove something from the theoretical to the practical, you have nearly won the battle. I remember when I was first introduced to RSS and Google Reader. While it has completely ruined my life (kidding, people) when I had that "a-ha" moment, it changed everything.
FInd your client's "RSS moment" and you're golden.
I would focus on their customers, people in management can get that concept. What if you said I can show you are tool where you can eavesdrop on what your customers are saying about you in real time. You can then join in the conversation. A Twitter search or even a simple Google Alert can do that.
These days most businesses have some customers using Facebook and Twitter - use these tools to find out what they are talking about within their peer group. Never before have we had the tools to listen in on the conversations of our prospects and customers. Social media now makes this reality.
Peter
For example, back in April I was speaking at Small Business Marketing Unleashed. The attendees were small biz owners, and Jennifer Laycock and myself were telling them all about Twitter and how amazing it was. Most of them had never heard of Twitter and there were plenty of eyes rolling when they listened to us explain why Twitter was so amazing. We told them to get on Twitter and we could tell they were basically agreeing to sign up just to get us to leave them alone.
Then the sessions started, and of course Jennifer and I jumped on Twitter and started twittering. The attendees got on Twitter and discovered that while there was a discussion happening at the event in the session, that there was a completely different conversation happening online, on Twitter. And they noticed that not only were attendees discussing the session they were in, some of the attendees in another session were ALSO on Twitter at the same time talking about the other session.
Then the lightbulbs went off.
Jennifer and I had explained why Twitter was a great communication tool, but when the attendees saw how information was being exchanged, how attendees were relaying and discussing a live event, then they realized the significance. By the time the conference ended, over half the attendees were on Twitter, and when the second SBMU was held in September, 40% of the attendees came from referrals via Twitter.
@isfan
http://twitter.com/isfan
How do you overcome concerns about confidentiality with tools such as ooVoo? Some of the biggest implementation opportunities for a company may be inside its walls...
I would be curious what you thought my take on the underlying reasons social media solutions work. I am trying to start a conversation on identifying them and using them as a guide for innovation.
http://web20new.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/lesson...
Ken
We need to remember that we do indeed live in a different world in the social realms, and where it gets REALLY interesting, is where the social or free line and the market / business line converge. Those of us who can master that, are able to live in multiple dimensions or worlds at once.
Secondly, I completely agree. Many executives don't see the value of social media or social networking sites, and may actively block Facebook its brethren as time wasters.... until THEY themselves get on Facebook and start experiencing the magic of connecting with dozens of old friends, near and far. THEN all of a sudden they "get" social media.
So YES, don't talk to them about it, GET THEM USING it.
@Susan Murphy: Instead of social media, use "customer engagement."