Connecting With Our Students

SOCIAL MEDIA

TheTechProfe.com

TheTechProfe.com

TheTechProfe.com

IT'S TIME TO STOP DOING SOCIAL BECAUSE IT'S COOL. IT'S TIME TO START DOING IT BECAUSE IT'S EFFECTIVE.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO COMMUNICATE?

WHEN?

BACKWARDS?

4 STEP STRATEGYPOST

PeopleAssess your stakeholders social activities

ObjectivesDecide what you want to accomplish

StrategyPlan for how relationships with stakeholders will change

TechnologyDecide which social technologies to use

P is People. Don't start a social strategy until you know the capabilities of your audience. If you're targeting college students, use social networks. If you're reaching out business travelers, consider ratings and reviews. Just don't start without thinking about it.

O is objectives. Pick one. Are you starting an application to listen to your stakeholders, or to talk with them? To support them, or to energize your best stakeholders to evangelize others? Or are you trying to collaborate with them? Decide on your objective before you decide on a technology. Then figure out how you will measure it.

S is Strategy. Strategy here means figuring out what will be different after you're done. Do you want a closer, two-way relationship with your best customers? Do you want to get people talking about your products? Do you want a permanent focus group for testing product ideas and generating new ones? Imagine you succeed. How will things be different afterwards? Imagine the endpoint and you'll know where to begin.

T is Technology. A community. A social network. A wiki. A blog or a hundred blogs. Once you know your people, objectives, and strategy, then you can decide with confidence.

GET SUPPORT FROM SENIOR MANAGEMENT

Show senior management why social media is important. Bring case studies, research and most of all, a plan. The plan should include the high level strategy, tactical execution and metrics for success. 

DETERMINE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA OBJECTIVESThis will help determine what skill sets should be on the team; and show management that you have done adequate research. Besides, having a plan with specific objectives will help when it's time to execute; and the tools you use will depend on what your objectives are. 

LISTENING• Using social media

a s “ r e a l t i m e ” r e s e a r c h a n d ga in ing ins ights from listening to students

TALKING• U s i n g

conversations with s t u d e n t s t o promote products or services

ENERGIZING• b u i l d i n g b r a n d

s t e w a rd s h i p ; a n d identifying enthusiastic s t a k e h o l d e r s a n d u s i n g t h e m t o persuade others

SUPPORTING

• Making it possible for customers to help each other

EMBRACING

• T u r n i n g stakeholders into a r e s o u r c e f o r innovation

RECRUIT THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Here are some questions you should consider when looking for the right people to hire, whether external candidates or internal employees; (1) are they passionate about talking with stakeholders?, (2) Do they understand how to use various social media tools?, (3) are they authentic/real (and down to earth also helps)? If they are not directly on a team and are volunteer(s), ensure that participation is part of their “official” job responsibilities and that they are held accountable <— this is a tough one. 

DECIDE WHAT TOOLS TO INVEST IN AND USE

There are many tools available in the marketplace.

CREATE A GOVERNANCE MODELThe governance model should outline and identify roles & responsibilities; and ownership of social media should be determined prior to execution of the plans/programs/campaigns.  This will alleviate any confusion up front.  Collaboration and communication is important and weekly or bi-weekly meetings should be managed.  Also, it would be wise to publish external social media guidelines.

BEGIN

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