Social  Media  Strategies  Phillip  G.  Clampitt,  Ph.D.  ,  Blair  Endowed  Chair  of  Communication  8/

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Agenda  

1.  Course  Objectives  

2.  Getting  to  know  you  

3.  Major  Assignment  Overview  

4.  Origins  of  the  course  theme  

5.  Elements  of  SM  Strategy  

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1.  Course  objectives  

Ê  Transform  you  from  a  SM  user  to  SM  strategist  

Ê  Prepare  you  to  think  about  strategic  questions  for  the  rest  of  your  life  

Ê  Coach  you  on  how  to  respond  SM  critics  

Ê  “The  old  foundations  of  strategy,  so  far  remains,  as  though  laid  upon  a  rock.”  –  Alfred  Thayer  Mahan  

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The  SM  Strategist  

Ê  “To  think  strategically  is  difficult  and  unnatural.  You  may  imagine  you  are  being  strategic,  but  in  all  likelihood  you  are  merely  being  tactical.  To  have  the  power  that  only  strategy  can  bring,  you  must  be  able  to  elevate  yourself  above  the  battlefield,  to  focus  on  your  long-­‐term  objectives,  to  craft  an  entire  campaign,  to  get  out  of  the  reactive  mode  that  so  many  battles  in  life  lock  you  into.  Keeping  your  overall  goals  in  mind,  it  becomes  much  easier  to  decide  when  to  fight  and  when  to  walk  away.  That  makes  the  tactical  decisions  of  daily  life  much  simpler  and  more  rational.  Tactical  people  are  heavy  and  stuck  in  the  ground;  strategists  are  light  on  their  feet  and  can  see  far  and  wide.”  –  Robert  Greene,  33  Strategies  of  War  

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2.  Getting  to  know  you  

Ê  Name,  Major,  Area  of  Emphasis  

Ê  Why  taking  this  course?  

Ê  What  SM  do  you  typically  use?    

Ê  What  %  of  the  popular  literature  about  SM  is  tactical?  

Ê  A  question  from  a  SM  critic  

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3.  Major  Course  Assignments  

Exams   Projects  

•  Test  1  -­‐  MC  over  Books  •  Test  2  –  Take-­‐home  Essays    

•  “Investigate  &  Evaluate”  SM  •  “Isolate  &  Ruminate”  on  SM  •  “Compare  &  Repair”  SM    

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4.  Origins  of  Course  Theme  

SM  Literature  

Strategy    

Critical  Thinking  

Geometry  

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Origins  cont.    

Geometry   Strategy  

Complicated  >  Simplicity  Focus  on  Essence  Timeless  Universal    

Experienced  Tested  Debated  Evolving  

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Military     Business   SM?    

5.  Assignment  1–  “Investigate  &  Evaluate”  

Ê  Rationale  

Ê  Most  SM  users  have  little  understanding  of  the  underlying  dynamics  at  work  when  they  choose  to  use  a  particular  SM  

Ê  SM  strategists  should  help  others  weigh  the  relative  costs/benefits  of  their  choices    

Ê  SM  Strategists  should  know  how  to  evaluate  the  effectiveness  of  SM  alternatives  

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6.  Assignment  2  –  “Isolate  &  Ruminate”  

Ê  Rationale  -­‐  Limited  #  of  Variable   Ê  Grasp  Essence  of  Subject  (Think  football  play)  Ê  Understand  system  dynamics  

Ê  Helps  identify  choke  points,  constraints,  &  possibilities  

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Assignment  2  cont.  

Ê  Example  –  Typical  Lecture  Hall  Communication  Ê  Watch  What  We  Are  Doing  

Ê  Listen  to  How  We  Doing  It  

Ê  Glean  Lessons  About  How  to  Attack  Assignment  #1  

Ê  Starting  Elements    

Ê  Variations  on  Theme    

 

 

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