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Social Business: Analysis – Part 1: Base-Lining

April 28, 2010 By 1 Comment

As announced last week, the Fundamentals series will start to get serious about getting into social business. The first phase of entering social business is the Analysis phase where we look at current position, assessing value and effectiveness as well as caveats and pitfalls.

In this post, we’ll look at base-lining, which is the idea of getting a basic feel of where you and your organization stand in the social media sphere. Base-lining consists of a series of assessments on:

  • People;
  • Presence;
  • Reputation;
  • Competition; and
  • Company

Let’s walk through each one step-by-step with actions to get you started.

[Read more...]

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Killing The Now

August 13, 2009 By

Earlier this month, word came out of the Associated Press (AP) planning to introduce a “copy fee” for its content. What it meant was that people using five or more words of the AP’s content would have to pay for it. Copying content from the AP is what the AP considers to be “unauthorized use”. Does this behavior ring any bells?

To me, it looks an awful lot like the crackdown procedures of the MPAA and the RIAA on the movie and music piracy scene. It does signal the perilous situation in which these organizations and their business models are. They are looking to make money from a changed world in a way that only worked in the old world. They’re trying to change the world instead of changing their business model.

Copying of content, piracy of audio and video, and music services on the web are not bad. It’s even a form of flattery. Apparently, it’s worth using and consuming. Attacking these practices and services is essentially also attacking the one they should be aiming for, consumption. They’re running their business into the ground while under the impression that they’re saving it.

Protecting the future by killing the now doesn’t work.

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Dialing The Social Media Police

June 30, 2009 By

Engaging in social media is a risky activity. You never know what to expect from your audience. They can rave about you, but they can just as well cause you the big problems that seriously affect your image. The risk can never be eliminated and the consequences have to be expected, but there are two must-dos that mitigate the risk.

  1. Preparation: Before embarking on social media activities, you should have scouted out your audience. How social media savvy are they? How large is the audience? What is the level their clout? What typical conversations (about your brand) are already taking place? Et cetera. Finding the answers to these questions helps you determine whether the audience is willing and able to embrace you within the social media space. It helps you fine-tune your expectations, priorities and going-in position.
  2. Policy: Create a social media policy for those who will be involved. This creates clarity on what can and what cannot be done while engaging in social media. Prepare not only general guidelines for everyday social media activities but also prepare specific guidelines for special occasions such as publicity dramas and compromised accounts (hackers).

Know what to do when going in. Know what to do once you’re in.

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Protect The Future

December 21, 2008 By

Last month I had the opportunity to visit a presentation and Q&A session with Jeff Immelt. Jeff talked about numerous subjects such as the presidential elections, the economic downturn, corporate social responsibility, and—of course—life as the CEO of General Electric (GE).

He also mentioned “protecting the future”. Every major business decision and business activity was made based on the protecting the future. Many companies capitalize on opportunities in the here and now, generate massive amounts of buzz for a certain (short) period of time, or are focused on quick wins. The question remains, however, whether these initiatives contribute to setting a company up for long-term success.

Using the “protect the future” mantra helps you analyze opportunities and make conscious decisions.

Are your initiatives focused on protecting the future?

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What’s Your Plan B?

September 14, 2008 By

As the economy continues to take heavy hits, what’s your plan B? Perhaps sales are down or worse, your job is in danger. Either way, this is a good time to reflect.

Take the time to reflect on what should be rather than what could be. The current economic circumstances form the best stress-test for your organization and your skill set. Find out what’s working in your organization and what isn’t. Examine best cases and perform some “business process scrutineering”. Make sure you have your exit strategies and future plans in place.

Consider your plan B. Make it just like another plan A.

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