Leveraging Social Tools
In A B2B Environment
Presented by
Greg Narain
May 2007

What Makes
Something Social?
It seems everything’s “social”
these days - how did they
get that way exactly?
May 2007

A Shifting Of Focus
Features Yield to Contexts
May 2007

The Social Architecture
Connected Contexts
May 2007

Start With Individuals
Social applications center around
the individual.
We call this the “Me-First” model.
May 2007

Connect Social Networks
Social applications connect
individuals to others with similar
interests and needs.
This builds on existing and creates
new relationships.
May 2007

Enable Marketplaces
Social applications enable
individuals and networks to create
marketplaces of intent.
Relationships drive usage,
engagement and success.
May 2007

What Tools Are Social?
Can anything be socialized?
May 2007

In most cases, Yes
“Except for a narrow range of enterprises from the
media industry, or other industries that are
information-intensive, the benefits from the
various segments of the Web 2.0 movement,
including technologies, Web sites and online
communities, may be discounted by a broad
range of traditional industries”
- Gartner
May 2007

Social Networking
May 2007

Social Media
May 2007

Media Sharing
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Social Bookmarking
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Social Search
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Social News
May 2007

Social Commerce
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Social Awareness
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How Does This
Impact Strategy?
What is the significance of
these 3 contexts on
business strategy?
May 2007

The New Opportunity
“many traditional enterprises do not realize
that the beneficial aspects of Web 2.0 have as
much to do with harnessing the
power of newly enabled online
communities and content stores as they
do with leveraging new technologies in the
enterprise”
- Gartner
May 2007

We’re All Participants
Expand your
definition of the
“user” - it’s
everyone from
your employees &
executives down
to your customer’s
customers
May 2007

Find Lakes, Not Puddles
Tap your largest
networks for
knowledge and
insight
May 2007

Identify Mavens
Every group has its
experts - find and
acknowledge them.
Enjoin them in your future
growth - you quickly
become pervasive
May 2007

Look for Open Windows
If you’re not where
the most important
people to your
business are
gathering, you’re
in the wrong place
May 2007

Shake the Orange Tree
Once you’ve found
those individuals,
listen carefully at
first.
Find the low-
hanging fruit and
harvest it.
May 2007

Fix Broken Windows
Show your community
you’re listening.
Fix things that mean
something to them.
May 2007

Plant Green Fields
DO NOT try to co-opt
individuals away from
other communities.
Create new green
fields for them to
graze.
May 2007

Encourage Experimentation
Provide the tools and
assets for others to
“mash up” your business.
May 2007

Foster Firecrackers
Find the most
promising projects
and give them an
extra edge
May 2007

Reward Ingenuity
Pave the road to
future innovation by
rewarding the
brightest stars early
and often
May 2007

Stratify Success
Create strata in
your own rewards
system.
Everyone wants to
be a whale in a
pool full of
minnows.
May 2007

Double-Up Dialog
With everything
else working, be
sure to have open,
as in two-way
dialog.
Keep everyone
aware of what’s
happening.
May 2007

Thank You
Blue Whale Labs
– http://bluewhalelabs.com/
– info@bluewhalelabs.com
– Images courtesy of iStockPhoto.com
May 2007