Many are treating the social web with a “gold rush” mentality which as I’ve written before very much feels reminiscent of the dot.com rush and bust of the late 90s.  I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that true social web strategy in my estimation is not a “get-rich-quick” scheme, rather it is an investment of time and disciplined business planning like any new business strategy.

Want a shortcut to getting on the right track in the development and implementation of social media business strategy?  My advice is to focus/refocus your thinking away from “what do we do?” mentality toward the better questions of “why” you are engaging in social media in the first place and “how” social media will help you advance the mission, vision and goals of our business.

While this sounds overly simplistic at first glance, the difference between the “what”-focused approach compared to the “why/how”-focused approach could be the difference between success and disaster.  In other words, the question you must ask yourself is whether you are rushing a series of half-thought tactics into the marketplace full of uncertainty OR are you investing in a solid business planning process unique to your organization geared toward evolving and advancing your business mission in an effort to adapt to the opportunities and realities of this new business environment.

Remember, the true successful practice of eCommerce emerged as a disciplined long-term business strategy in the aftermath of the dot.com craze which produced countless business models which have succeeded for new and existing business enterprise.  I predict the same will hold true for web 2.0 and social media in that once the smoke clears from the craze and “snake-oil” presently saturating the air, we will find that those who succeed in tapping into the social web did so through a deep understanding of the psychology behind social media participation as it relates to their business and the development/execution of a well-conceived creative business plan which is integrated within the overall business model of the organization.

I also hear allot about Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, as if that is somehow enough to leverage the potential of the social web.  The reality is social media is more than a communication channel, rather it is a one-to-one and one-to-many conversation and relationship-building tool.  The same types of conversations and relationships we have been engaging in with current and prospective members for years.  It’s also a business strategy, just like other vital aspects of organizational operations provided it is already acceptable for staff to answer the phone and handle attendee questions at conferences.

Simply put:

The social web is an opportunity to expand your association sphere by listening, connecting, engaging and building vital relationships which expands your association sphere.

Why is this important?  Because conversations and relationships are what led to the creation of associations in the first place.  Further, social cohesion is the glue which holds together and propels our organizations.

A member’s commitment to an association is measured by the extent to which they feel a connected part of the organization.  The way members connect to an association is through some form of engagement or participation.  Before the social web, it required a greater sacrifice and investment to participate (planes, trains and automobiles), but today the social web provides an inexhaustible opportunity to connect and participate.

As the saying goes, the more things change, the more they remain the same.  The social web is simply a smarter tool with which we can adapt and greatly expand our mission.  With the right organizational foundation, we can all be ready when Facebook inevitably becomes tomorrow’s MySpace.  While the platforms will continue to change, the “rules” will always remain the same.

I designed the cluster symbol above to demonstrate the way in which a like-minded group of people bond together to form an association.  Clusters form within associations to initiate new projects and components.  Today, new clusters are forming outside the walls of your association, in almost every case not to replace you but to give rise to issues and concerns facing a trade or profession.  As associations, our goal is to reach out and create new bonds with individuals and groups working in support of our interests.  This symbol is also the official symbol of my new consulting practice, Social Frequency Media, which I started out of a deep desire to help associations transform their futures and leverage the potential of social media.  I hope you will find the above information and other postings here at Association 2020 useful.  SM

Quite conversely, part of leveraging a strong social media business strategy is ensuring the appropriate operational controls are in place.  Policies, standardized practices and process are a responsible part of any business strategy and the business strategy of social media should be no exception.

This week, potential liability regarding the use of social media hit home as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released new Guides concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.  Essentially, the new guides will work to ensure a higher level of honesty and transparency in the use of the social web for the purpose of marketing in terms of “pay to say” disclosure and factual representations.

Though I am not  a lawyer (nor have I ever played one on TV) and always encourage consultation with legal counsel, I did read through the 81 page FTC document yesterday and came across an important consideration which I don’t believe has been adequately highlighted.  That consideration is the liability an employer faces for the actions of employees engaging in social media activities either within or outside the scope of their work responsibilities.   The FTC addresses this scenario in response to a question which appears to have arisen during an open comment period relating to employer liability.  Below is a verbatim excerpt from the FTC’s response:

“…although the Commission has brought law enforcement actions against companies whose failure to establish or maintain appropriate internal procedures resulted in consumer injury, it is not aware of any instance in which an enforcement action was brought against a company for the actions of a single “rogue” employee who violated established company policy that adequately covered the conduct in question…  The Commission does not believe, however, that it needs to spell out the procedures that companies should put in place to monitor compliance with the principles set forth in the Guides; these are appropriate subjects for advertisers to determine for themselves, because they have the best knowledge of their business practices, and thus of the processes that would best fulfill their responsibilities.” see page 48 of the complete FTC document for full text

What this means is it is time to create social media policies and practices within your organization which carefully balance innovative business uses of social media with clear lines drawn on unacceptable practices.

While it is my intention to use my Association 2020 blog to add value to our community rather than endlessly promote my consulting practice, Social Frequency Media Communications, this is one instance where I want everyone to know that social media internal policy and procedure development is a core part of my services.  Click here to learn more about Social Frequency Media Communications or feel free to contact me directly at stuart@socialfrequency.net.

• If you get PAID to SAY, then you must SAY you got PAID.

• If you CLAIM RESULTS, it better be TRUE.

Here is a verbatim breakdown of the FTC Office of Public Affairs release (10/5/09) as it relates to bloggers:

1)  The revised Guides also add new examples to illustrate the long standing principle that “material connections” (sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers – connections that consumers would not expect – must be disclosed. These examples address what constitutes an endorsement when the message is conveyed by bloggers or other “word-of-mouth” marketers.

2)  The revised Guides specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service.

3)   A  paid endorsement – like any other advertisement – is deceptive if it makes false or misleading claims.

Let’s all work to preserve the integrity in the appropriate use of social media, within which resides immense possibilities for a more meaningful world.  Since I’m not a lawyer, I encourage you to consult a lawyer or legal counsel for advice or a complete interpretation of the  complete 81 pages of text.

Those businesses and organizations who refuse to begin charting a path toward collaborative and conversational social media communications models will eventually find their high-paid mass media messages generating a lonely echo on a faint frequencies.

Fear not my friends.  Below you will find a comparison of 11 ways in which social media is different than traditional mass media which will hopefully get those right brain neurons firing in a new direction.

1)  Traditional Mass Media is passive consumer participation, Social Media is active consumer participation.

2)  Traditional Mass Media is one-way “one-to-many” communication, Social Media is two-way “one-to-one” communication.

3)  Traditional Mass Media targets isolated consumers, Social Media connects consumers who generate conversations and content.

4)  Traditional Mass Media is message-driven, Social Media is conversation-driven.

5)  Traditional Mass Media is built around perceived brand control, Social Media is built around shared control and humanizing transparency.

6)  Traditional Mass Media consists of a limited set of targeted channels, Social Media consists of a conceivably unlimited number of targeted channels.

7)  Traditional Mass Media impressions are fleeting with awareness subsiding after date of publication/broadcast, Social Media conversations and content are lasting and continually discoverable via search engines.

 Traditional Mass Media is brand-driven, Social Media is service and consumer-driven.

9)  Traditional Mass Media has limited reach with increasing cost as reach expands, Social Media offers unlimited reach and micro-targeting while investment remains relatively constant.

10)  Traditional Mass Media is a financial investment in paid channels and creative, Social Media is a social investment in people, conversation and user-generated content.

11) Traditional Mass Media carries varying levels of credibility and authenticity, Social Media is conveys a stronger sense of credibility and authenticity.

12)  Traditional Mass Media is like night, Social Media is like day.

While the above picture has been painted with a broad brush and is far from complete, I believe the progression of social media to date has proven these thoughts to be fundamentally true and are becoming truer by the day.  What will be your next move?

As associations, its time for us all to awaken to the reality we can no longer ignore the social media-based conversations which are taking place outside our organizational walls.  Even more, we must realize that every single conversation is an opportunity to cultivate insights, trends, engagement and relationships.

As you begin to assemble your social media strategy, below are 7 golden rules for engaging in social media conversations:

1. Release yourself from the illusion that you can somehow control the conversation.
2. Regularly monitor the social web and all major social media channels using your brand as a keyword search.
3. Listen very carefully to what is being said with an open-mind as every  perspective is an opportunity to learn.
4. When you discover an opportunity to engage, try to first reach out directly on a one-to-one level either through email or a direct message.
5. When you reach out, know that conversations cultivate valued relationships.
6. Focus on reaching a better understanding of praise and complaints alike while at the same time looking to create value in shaping a positive experience through the interaction.
7. If a public response/comment is necessary, wait until after you’ve had a chance to engage in the one-on-one interaction.

Need help developing your association’s social media strategy?  Social Frequency Media Communications can help your association join its future… already in progress.  Visit our website at www.socialfrequency.net or contact me directly at stuart@socialfrequency.net .

1)  Develop a comprehensive relationship-focused social media strategy driven by the mission and strategy of your association.

2)  Conduct a social media audit to identify all groups and influencers within your association’s social sphere. 

3)  Engage regularly in social media monitoring, utilizing keyword-based search tools built into popular social media platforms or third party applications.

4)  Operationalize the use of social media as a business tool at levels of the organization.

5)  Be authentic, experiment, make connections, build relationships and cultivate brand ambassadors.

You can ultimately achieve social media motives and measurable ROI by keeping the focus on generating value… and, most importantly, valuing the vital role and contribution of participants.  

As Susan Scott points out in her book, Fierce Conversations , the “conversation is the relationship.” 

Social media is an opportunity to make meaningful connections and build vital relationships by providing something of value and genuinely valuing user-generated participation.  Time and time again, I see all types of organizations make the mistake of simply using social media to sell themselves, which is the quickest way to get ignored.

Measuring value generation in it’s many forms is the first phase of your social media ROI equation.

The Truth about Complaints

Unless the person appears to be crazy, always see complaints via the social web as an opportunity to deepen the relationship.  Most people who complain do so because on some level they care and they want to be heard. 

How to Handle Legitimate Complaints

The key is to reach out one-on-one, thank them, listen… really listen, acknowledge, learn, identify mutual commonality, provide additional information which might provide clarification and thank them again. 

In doing so, you stand a chance to either neutralize the discontent or, even better, establish a relationship which could convert the individual to a promoter.  I’ve had experiences were the individual issuing the complaint added a retracting comment.  Additionally, once you’ve cleared the air, you can also provide a follow-up comment or post which clarifies any misunderstandings and reinforces your position.

Listening is perhaps the most powerful communication tool.

Since I have two boys under age 10, let’s dive a little bit deeper into what one might be tempted to label as Generation D, the distracted generation. 

The main source of distraction in the eyes of parents is kids texting endlessly.  Just in the past month, here is my top 3 list of strangest places I’ve seen kids texting:

1) A girl texting while riding a bike down the street, one hand texting on the phone the other on the handle bar.

2) A girl texting will riding the hang glider ride spinning round-and-round up-and-down at a summer festival midway.

3) Two kids texting each other while sitting side-by-side.

While I can understand the temptation to label this new generation as distracted, I choose to label them differently… very socially focused.  This is excellent news for associations, especially as we drive our social media strategy into more of a convergent pipeline and straight into the iPhones and smartphones of the future. 

Social engagement is what creates the cohesive social investment which has kept our associations running throughout time and will continue to help us build even stronger futures.  The only thing that has changed is the medium/s in which we operate.  Smoke signals, the printed word, the telegraph, the telephone, the radio, the tv and now the social web sphere.    

While the iPhone dominates the U.S. market right now, the other phone makers are frantically developing comparable platforms which will ultimately enable the development of applications for multiple platforms.  In the meantime, the iPhone is the best bet for application experimentation.  Why not get started today? SM 

Ready to join your future already in progress, but not quite sure where to start?  Visit www.socialfrequency.net