social strategies for revolutionaries

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groundswell.forrester.com

Social Strategy For RevolutionariesCharlene LiVice President, Principal AnalystCo-author, GroundswellForrester Research

March 9, 2008

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09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0

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HD-DVD Processing Key

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The revolutionary – talk show host Shaun Daily

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Definition

► Groundswell

A social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions like corporations

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Will you be a radical like Thomas Paine?

Sparked American Revolution with

“Common Sense”

Joined the French Revolution and got

thrown in jail

Obituary: “He had lived long, did some

good and much harm.”

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Or a revolutionary like Thomas Jefferson?

Wrote the Declaration of Independence

Became the third President of the US

Staunch defender of Thomas Paine

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The dog days of 1776

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Theme

Making revolution stick will require frameworks

and process

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Agenda

• What process can be used to create a social strategy?

• How are revolutionaries creating social strategies?

• How should you get started?

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The four-step approach to the groundswell

POST

People Assess your customers’ social activities

Objectives Decide what you want to accomplish

Strategy Plan for how relationships with customers will change

Technology Decide which social technologies to use

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Creators

Critics

Collectors

Joiners

Spectators

Inactives

The ladderof participation

Adults Youth

18% 39%

25% 43%

12% 14%

25% 58%

48% 66%

44% 26%

Base: US online consumersSource: NACTAS Q2 2007 North American Social Technographics online survey and NACTAS Q4 2006 Youth online survey

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Age is also a major driver of adoption

Base: US online consumersSource: NACTAS Q2 2007 North American Social Technographics online survey

NACTAS Q4 2006 Youth online survey

Percent of each generation in each Social Technographics category

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Development

Support

Sales

Marketing

Research

Groundswell objectivesRoles

Listening

Talking

Energizing

Supporting

Embracing

Key roles and their groundswell objectives

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Agenda

• What process can be used to create a social strategy?

• How are revolutionaries creating social strategies?

• How should you get started transforming your organization?

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Blendtec talks with viral videos

Users can also add the video to their

own sites

Viewers record video responses

Over 4.6 M views

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George Wright, VP of Marketing spent $50

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Dan Black, Director of Campus Recruiting for Ernst & Young

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Ernst & Young listens – and talks with college students on Facebook

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Gary Koelling and Steve Bendt, Best Buy

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Blueshirtnation.com serves front line employees

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Josh started Intelpedia on a spare server

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Steve Fisher, VP of Platform, Salesforce.com

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IdeaExchange built the case against sawbanners

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Agenda

• What process can be used to create a social strategy?

• How are revolutionaries creating social strategies?

• How should you get started transforming your organization?

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The four-step approach to the groundswell

POST

People Assess your customers’ social activities

Objectives Decide what you want to accomplish

Strategy Plan for how relationships with customers will change

Technology Decide which social technologies to use

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Lionel Menchaca, Dell.com

BackgroundProduct technicianProduct review PR

Knew everyone

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Dell’s blog didn’t get off to a good start

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Michael Dell gave Lionel support

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This audacious post set the tone for the blog

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Dell executives review and implement customer suggestions

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Dell uses a blog to talk to investors

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Find and support your revolutionaries

• Find the people most passionate about developing relationships with the groundswell

• Educate your executives

• Put someone important in charge

• Define “the box” with policies and process

• Make it safe(r) to fail

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Final words of advice

• Making revolution stick will require frameworks and process

• Start small, but think big

• Make social strategy the responsibility of every single employee

• Be patient – cultural change takes time

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Charlene Li

+1 650.581.3833

cli@forrester.com

groundswell.forrester.com

Thank you