www.basho.com

How one tech Marketer built and maintains a social community w/ limited budget and resources

Renay M. PicardVice President of Marketing Basho Technologies

CouncilTel Attendees• Andre Pino, Acsis• Joseph Stanhope, Alterian• Ted Julian, Application Security • Tim Minahan, Ariba• Jeff Hoffman, BASHO• Boyd Peterson, BASHO• Alla Valente, BPS• Mike Hulme, Cordys• Santi Pierini, Day Software• Chuck Ros, Emerald Software Group• Loren Weinberg, FatWire• Michelle Soltesz, Global Crossing• Rajeev Suri, Infosys• Sunder Sarangan , Infosys• Francis An Pham, Intel• Lorita Vannah, Kalido• Marchai Bruchey, KANA Software

• Joanne James, Logicalis• Laura Mooney, Metastorm• Arunn Ramadoss, Micro Focus• Julian Dobbins, Micro Focus• Amy Quigley, Molecular• Anthony Bianciella, MTI• Michelle Faulkner, Neolane• Pat McHugh, Neolane• Kim Stanick, ParAccel• Clark Easterling, Perimeter Internetworking• Michelle Boockoff-Bajdek, Quaero• Kathy Jaques, SecureWorks• Shaun Ennis, Siemens PLM Software• Erica St. Angel, Sonic Foundry• Kristin Zurovitch, Sonic Foundry• Jon Rabinowitz, Sparta Systems• Kelly Wenzel, Tideway Systems• Kosten Metreweli, Tideway Systems

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Key Considerations for a Successful Online Community

Presented by: Renay Picard, VP of Marketing

Basho Technologies, Inc.

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Should I care about building an online community?

Is it right for my organization?

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Agenda

The Overt ChallengesThe Basho Community StoryInitial and Ongoing SuccessesLessons LearnedNew and Improved Basho

CommunityYour Plan

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The Challenge That’s the Opportunity

What are my goals and who is my audience?

Where do I start?How do I create an effective online

community on a limited budget?How do I attain executive-level buy-in?Which social media tools should I employ?How do I measure these activities?

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Basho Technologies, Inc.

Basho TodayMetric-driven approach to sales through live training, workshops and software

Basho in 2006Online Community Launched

Initial Marketing strategy•Branding•Thought leadership

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Initial Startup of the Basho Community

The PROS for the Basho Community:• Handful of loyal customers created the foundation• A dynamic CEO with a strong message• Small business with big image• Training constantly provides potential community

members• First-mover advantage in the sales training space• Desire to create a support system that went

beyond the training engagement• Testing ground

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Initial Startup of the Basho Community

The CONS for the Basho Community:• Budget (obviously)• Limited resources• The challenge of content

development• Lack of in-house expertise with

online community

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Launch Plan

Determine objectives and audienceSelection of features and functionalitySome pre-determined ideas:

– Podcast series– Email newsletter– Pre-established Basho LinkedIn Group

What else made sense?– Blog– Library

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Launch Plan

Joint website and Basho Community launch

Talented web development firm, tech-savvy and adept with social technologies

$10K for developmentSimple backend

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September 2006: Launch!

All features live except podcastInitial Launch Activity• 500 members within 6 months

and 4,600 members today!• Greatly increased dialogue with

customers• New way to “test” and gain

feedback on content

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September 2006: Launch!

Success Story1. Questions surrounding use of LinkedIn came

in through the community2. Led to local event3. Then webcast event (Basho Labs)4. Community member wanted LinkedIn

training for her org, reached out to sales5. Led to workshop training ($1800), corp

training ($40K) and ongoing engagement ($100K+)

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September 2006: Launch!

Success StoryHigh Profile Technology Client• Initial engagements: Inside Sales• Goal: Expansion to Field Sales• Discovery of Basho podcast “brown

bag lunches”

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September 2006: Launch!

What were the initial challenges?• Limited resources• Content development• Lack of podcast availability• Had we selected the right

technologies? How do we make that Blog work?

• Segmentation

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Key Considerations & Lessons Learned

1. Know your audience and understand their online behaviors.

2. It’s better to select a few key technologies and tackle them effectively.

3. Don’t get too mired in the details.4. Use multiple channels to promote

your content.

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Investment and Measurement

Initial dev $10KPodcast dev $8KBlog hosting $1K

Members 80/week4,600 total

Podcast subscribers 1,000Podcast downloads4-5,000/episode

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What’s Next for the Basho Community

Incorporate new audiences SegmentationImproved data capture and backendContemplating new technologies:

sales wiki, video podcast, Twitter, social networks beyond LinkedIn, live community events

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Analysis

So why has the online community worked for Basho?

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Your Story

The Basics: What Are Your Goals?

•Branding•Thought leadership•Online resources•Client contact•Training•Create a dialogue

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Your Story

The Basics: Who is your audience? What are

their online behaviors?Based upon this, what technologies

work best?Create your strategy for eachHow will you keep it relevant and

keep the content creation moving?

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Renay PicardBasho Technologies, Inc.T: 617.714.1789Email: renay@basho.com

www.basho.com/community

Suggested ResearchCurrent Research:

• “Community Marketing: A New Discipline For Business Technology Marketers” by Peter Burris

• “Tech Marketers' Online IT Community Playbook” by Peter Burris

• “B2B Marketers Fail The Community Marketing Test,” by Laura Ramos

Upcoming Research:

• “The CMO As Community Steward” by Peter Burris

• “Case Study: Using Web 2.0 To Build Customer Advocates” by Laura Ramos