Comments on: We Need To Talk: 6 Keys to Bringing Up Social Media

By: Christine Flanagan

Christine Flanagan — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:25:32 +0000

Nice post Amber…
If anyone wants to dig into how the Best Buy Blue Shirt Nation creators (Steve Bendt and Gary Koelling) built the employee social networking site – you can watch it here: http://tinyurl.com/5d4tck
The site launched in June 2006 and within a year, 20,000 (of Best Buy’s 150,000) employees had signed up.
Key point though – they started small. It was four months after Blue Shirt Nation launched that Bendt and Koelling received buy-in from senior management and a budget to support the community in earnest.
The end result is significant – the duo managed to create something most established companies only dream of: real and informed employee engagement that cuts across boundaries, silos, departments and disciplines.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:59:51 +0000

Good stuff, Amber. My bosses give me good-natured ribbing most every day. “Having any luck with that Tweeter?” It’s all in good fun, and they do understand the value of using social media as a marketing tool. This post should make a few things crystal clear for them. Thanks!

By: mack collier

mack collier — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:03:40 +0000

“Case studies, case studies, case studies.”
Yes, yes yes! It’s great that we can show our passion and excitement for this space, but we also need to show companies how other businesses have used these same tools, so that they can better realize the potential they hold for their situation.
And welcome to Daily Fix!

By: Loki- SocialGumbo

Loki- SocialGumbo — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:40:43 +0000

Lose the jargon is some of the best advice possible. Sortly after Hurricane Katrina when I was doing web publishing workshops with local community groups they all shied away from the word “blog.” Once I recast the idea as “an online newsletter with interactivity” they were mostly gung ho.
Everyone has a comfort zone, and that applies to language as well. It s always well worth it to find a way to explaining social media in terms your audience is already comfortable with. Then once things are rolling along you can gradually start on accurate terminology.
Excellent post!

By: marita roebkes

marita roebkes — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:20:01 +0000

Great post! We just started a pbwiki for community managers.
The result of the project will be a white paper that shall help company leaders better understand what community managers are all about, their responsibilities and their impact to the overall business
https://communitymanagers.pbwiki.com
It would be great if you could join.

By: Hussey

Hussey — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:23:28 +0000

This is a mind blowing post. the main punch was in laying out a business case and adding social media in to a mixture of marketing/communications sector.

By: Alan Wolk

Alan Wolk — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:39:25 +0000

Great first piece Amber.
CK had told me that you were also a major champion of the “common sense” approach to all this and this article certainly bears that out.
Understanding how to explain this to people who are not up to speed is a critical skill.
Welcome aboard.

By: Jeannie Walters

Jeannie Walters — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:38:33 +0000

Amber – First, congrats on joining this team. Great post! I think #5 is critical. We are no longer in the days of “shape your brand and customers will think that way.” It’s brave new world stuff. Reputation drives perception, and that’s where this type of participation is critical. Thanks!

By: Lewis Green

Lewis Green — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:24:45 +0000

Welcome aboard Amber. Good start.

By: Steve Woodruff

Steve Woodruff — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:11:27 +0000

Point 1 cannot be emphasized enough. We get so used to our own “silo” terms. Have to go back to basics when talking to folks not yet initiated…

By: Daria Steigman

Daria Steigman — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:01:45 +0000

Hi Amber,
This is a terrific post. You’ve done a great job in laying out the business case for adding social media into the marketing/communications mix and in giving marketers a strategy for broaching the topic with their bosses.

By: Sonny Gill

Sonny Gill — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:55:20 +0000

Great first post, Amber! Congrats on joining the MP Daily Fix team. Well deserved!