Program Agenda:
• Basics of Social Strategy
• Social Strategy Process
• Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
Case Study
• Questions
Keys to Successful Social Network
Implementations
Suzanne Carawan
VP Marketing & Strategy
Higher Logic

To Thine Own Self Be True
DEFINING IMPLEMENTATION

What is Implementation?
• “We are going to start playing with social networking
software”
• “Our intern set up our Facebook page and it’s doing
pretty well…I guess”
• “Our members use LinkedIn so we’re going to go with
that”
• “We’ll think about it [social networking] in 2010 and
probably budget for it in 2011—until then we are going to
use Twitter”

Apples and Oranges, or All Orange?
• Twitter
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Plaxo
• Private Social Network
• Organization Website
• Email Marketing

What Are We Implementing?
• “Social networking” is not one tool that an organization
buys or builds
• Reframe and Refocus
– We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect
business performance.

What Makes for Successful Implementations
THE KEYS

Key One: Implementing a New Program
• Elements of Programs or Initiatives
– Defined Purpose
– Stated Goals and Objectives
– Executive Sponsorship
– Defined Managers
– Defined Processes and Procedures for Continuous Quality
Management
– Methods for Creation and Innovation
– Milestones or Ways to Define Success
– Measurable
Real Implementation of Social Networking:
We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect business
performance.

Key One: Implementing a New Program
• Characteristics of Programs or Initiatives
– Owned by many
– Organizationally supported
– Designed for long-term
– Requires building of internal capacity
– Intent is to be self-sufficient
– Intent is to be sustainable
– Intent is to align with other organizational goals to bring about
continuous positive growth over time
Real Implementation of Social Networking:
We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect business
performance.

Key Two: Executing a Social Networking
Program
• Identify stakeholders
• Assess internal capacity
• Identify budget
– Technology
– Capacity Building
– Marketing Communications
• Assign staff
• Plan, Act, Assess. Plan, Act, Assess.
Real Implementation of Social Networking:
We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect business
performance.

Key Three: Technology Tools
• What’s the right combination for you?
• Technology choices depend on:
– Integration with existing systems
– Interoperability
– Knowledge management
– Brand awareness
– Brand management
– Recruitment
– Retention
– Non-Dues Revenue
Real Implementation of Social Networking:
We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect business
performance.

Key Four: Marketing Methods
• What are we actually implementing?
– Bringing a new product or service to market
• Marketing fundamentals:
– 4 Ps (price, product, promotion, placement)
– Demand creation
– Consumer behavior
– Influence marketing
• Go-to-market (GTM) strategy
• Integrated marketing campaigns (IMC)
• Marcomm execution tasks
Real Implementation of Social Networking:
We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect business
performance.

Key Five: Influencing User Behavior
What We Need: How We Do It:
• Awareness • Setting Expectations
• User Adoption • Ownership
– New tools • Building Capacity
– New business • Setting Challenges
practices
– New mindset
• Public Praise
• User Engagement • Rewards
– Consistency
– Excellence

Key Five: Influence the Behavior
• Organizational Framework:
– Coaching
– Facilitating
– Advocating
– Supporting
– Praising
• Organizational Skill: Talent Management
Real Implementation of Social Networking:
We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect business
performance.

Key Six: Target Population
• Who are you influencing?
• What are you influencing them to do?
• How will they know?
• When will they know?
Real Implementation of Social Networking:
We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect business
performance.

Key Seven: Business Performance
• What is the primary driver when going to market?
– Retention
– Recruit new members
– Non-dues revenue
– Increase event attendees
• Define short-term objectives
• Focused support and IMCs around these objectives
Real Implementation of Social Networking:
We are implementing a new program or initiative that is executed
through using new technology tools and marketing methods to
influence the behavior of a target population to affect business
performance.

Top 10 Reasons Implementations Falter
1. Treat social networking like an IT project
2. Little stakeholder buy-in and support
3. Low capacity and plan for building capacity
4. Focus on execution before strategy
5. Technology tools that disrupt current systems
6. Lack of member data used in planning, implementation & assessment
7. Lack of strategic marketing plan
8. Lack of demand creation
9. Talking to the member masses instead of targeted groups
10. Focus on long-term business value instead of creating short-term
measurable business objectives

Plan the Work. Work the Plan.
PLAYBOOK

Get Ready
• Data Assessment
– Email addresses
– Categorization of people
– Demographics and Psychographics
– Taxonomies (tagging)
• Landscape Assessment
– Pulse on the membership
– Member satisfaction survey
– Website, email marketing, reports—stats
• Technographics Assessment
– Who’s Doing What
– What/How are they Using
– What Mental Models Do They Know

Get Set
• Find Your People
– Stakeholders
– Advocates (staff, volunteer leaders, senior executives)
– Partners (technology providers, consultants, service providers)
– Support Group
• Get Your Gear
– Technology tools
– Examples, models, samples
– Workbooks, white board, paper, laptop

Go!
• Create the marketing plan
• Implement the technology
• Create the content
• Create the GTM plan
• Execute the GTM plan
• Celebrate!!!

Next Step:
• Management of Social Networking Programs
Thursday, October 29th @ 2 pm eastern
Scott Hammond
VP Business Development
Nattergalen
Register: www.higherlogic.com

Suzanne Carawan
Vice President, Marketing & Strategy
Higher Logic
suzanne@higherlogic.com
202.360.4468