Building a communityRick Mans - Social Media Evangelist

Youcannotcreate a communityWhatyoucan doCommunities are already thereThe only thing you can do is help them betterCommunities are groups of people that:Have a common purposeHave a motivation to interactHave time to interactHave shared experiencesCommunities are participating on a platform they chooseA community is not just a list of members and debates!

Communities are already there

The only thing you can do is help them better

Communities are groups of people that:

Have a common purpose

Have a motivation to interact

Have time to interact

Have shared experiences

Communities are participating on a platform they choose

Communities are part of human nature…CiceroWe were born to unite with our fellow men, and to join in community with the human race.Henrik IbsenA community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the helm.Jeremy BenthamIt is vain to talk of the interest of the community, without understanding what is the interest of the individual

…and part of Capgemini’sTechnovisionMash-up ApplicationsMashup applicationsReal-TimeBusinessProcessControlReal-timebusinessprocesscontrolReal-time Integrated Business IntelligenceReal-time integrated business intelligenceComposite applicationsComposite ApplicationsSensing NetworksSensing networksPackaged Sector /Segment SolutionsPackaged sector /segment solutionsSmart Business NetworksSmart business networksFree Agents Nation Free agents nation Role Based User PortalsRole-based user portalsSocial Collaboration Tools /WikinomicsSocial collaboration tools /WikinomicsiPodificationiPodificationSoftware as a ServiceSoftware-as-a-serviceGoogle-ficationGoogle-ficationUtility Business Infra-structureUtility business infra-structureMastered Data ManagementMastered data managementJericho Style SecurityJericho style securityRich Internet applicationsRich Internet ApplicationsKeytechnology building blocks

Communties are mentioned in these building blocksSmart business networksSocial collaboration tools / Wiki-nomicsFree agents nation From Transaction to InteractionOrganizations and individuals in a continuous cycle of learning, creating and collaboratingCreating additional value through business innovation with markets, players and consumers constantly shifting positionGlobal ‘open’ markets where information on available products and vendors vastly increases the competition compared to the levels of existing localized ‘closed’ markets

Organizations and individuals in a continuous cycle of learning, creating and collaborating

Creating additional value through business innovation with markets, players and consumers constantly shifting position

Global ‘open’ markets where information on available products and vendors vastly increases the competition compared to the levels of existing localized ‘closed’ markets

From Content to People, the Technology Side is there…•Web 1.0 is an electronic version of existing content•Value is generated by aggregating content within portals•Publishing technologies are complex and slow to implementWeb 1.0Web 2.0Traditional mediaGoogle searchGmailFlickerMainly BroadbandMainly narrow bandAlternative media blogsnetvibesPublishing is complex and limited to few traditional media and online merchantsValue is created by aggregating content (portals)WikipediaEasy publication for allValue is generated by tools allowing to publish easily20042005Web 2.0 is an interactive collaborative environmentBlogs (e.g., Dell hell, You Tube, Flicker)Wikis (e.g., Wikipedia)Mash-up (e.g., iGoogle, RSS feeds etc.)Hosted service (e.g., Google spreadsheets, Ikea bathroom designer)Social Networking website (e.g., Facebook, My space etc.)

Blogs (e.g., Dell hell, You Tube, Flicker)

Wikis (e.g., Wikipedia)

Mash-up (e.g., iGoogle, RSS feeds etc.)

Hosted service (e.g., Google spreadsheets, Ikea bathroom designer)

Social Networking website (e.g., Facebook, My space etc.)

From outsider to evangelist

Get to the outsidersActionable stepsSet your goalsIdentify who your members can beIdentify the drivers of the membersHow technical are they?Where are they already?Choose a platformStart promoting it (not once, but continuously)Set goals and identify members

Make outsiders viewers and visiting fansActionable stepsCreate valuable contentAdd value based on the identified driversPromote your content (continuously)Continue promoting the platform (not once, but continuously)Start solving real world tasks for your membersCatch the attention

MakepassivemembersactivemembersActionable stepsProvide methods for interactionWith youWith each otherEnable co creationAdapt your processes so you can handle co creationSolve real world tasks for your membersContinue promoting the contentContinue promoting the platformInteract

MakeactivememberspassionatemembersActionable stepsEnable co creationAdapt your processes so you can handle co creationLet them promote the community, content and platformContinue promoting the contentContinue promoting the platformCreate success

RememberKeep in mind that …The phases of members is not a lineair processThere is stillan ‘offline’ world, paper butalso email are greatways to promoteyour platform. Do notignore ‘older’ mediaBuilding a communitywilltaketime (a vividcommunitycostapproximately9 monthsto build, most enterprisesalready stop after6 months...)Youreallyneed a community managerLeadingbyexampleis the onlyway to build a communityYoushouldnotbeafraid to failFocus is important, notonlyonyour goals, butalsoon the goals of the membersFailing fast and quickly is sometimes of tremendous benefit. Failure can be informative and serve to create longer lasting success; it’s synonymous with risk taking and experimenting. Also, the public is often forgiving of failure if it’s in the execution of a worthy principle.

The phases of members is not a lineair process

There is stillan ‘offline’ world, paper butalso email are greatways to promoteyour platform. Do notignore ‘older’ media

Building a communitywilltaketime (a vividcommunitycostapproximately9 monthsto build, most enterprisesalready stop after6 months...)

Youreallyneed a community manager

Leadingbyexampleis the onlyway to build a community

Youshouldnotbeafraid to fail

Focus is important, notonlyonyour goals, butalsoon the goals of the members

PlatformsWhat are the possibilitiesInternal vs external hosted solutionsExisting platformCreate a new platformPrivate vs public platformsSharepointLotus ConnectionsAlmost an endless choice in platforms you can use (intern, extern, public, private)

Internal vs external hosted solutions

Existing platform

Create a new platform

Private vs public platforms

Cases

Lego factorySOLUTIONLego launched the Lego Factory (http://factory.lego.com) – an online model of engagement for potential and existing Lego users, which allows users to design, share and buy their own customized LEGO modelsTHE LEGO FACTORY WEBSITE BACKGROUNDLego had traditionally been surrounded by a highly active constellation of Lego User Groups - fan communities comprising of both adult and young membersThese groups maintained large online presence; operated independently of the company; exchanged and showed creative toy designs and models amongst themselvesLego needed to move out of closed proprietary mode and adapt a participative strategy for customer interaction, which would utilize existing user creativity in product designBENEFITSDesigner users can then order the bricks needed to make their model, and also customize their own box for the modelOther users on the site can buy uploaded designs in the gallery, and will receive both the bricks for the model as well as the building instructionsThrough the Lego Factory, the company has taken a step further in the evolution of user involvement, building strong brand relationshipThe initiative has created high levels of awareness and interest with the consumersThe initiative has put Lego a step ahead of competition by moving out of closed proprietary content mode and involving fresh ideas from consumers and community for New Product DevelopmentUsers interested in custom-designing their own Lego models have to download and install the ‘Lego Digital Designer’ – In the designer, the user can drag and drop to create a virtual toy designOnce the user has created a design, he can upload the same to the online galleryLego approves all designs before they are added to the online gallery, to filter out models for appropriateness for all age groups

Lego launched the Lego Factory (http://factory.lego.com) – an online model of engagement for potential and existing Lego users, which allows users to design, share and buy their own customized LEGO models

Lego had traditionally been surrounded by a highly active constellation of Lego User Groups - fan communities comprising of both adult and young members

These groups maintained large online presence; operated independently of the company; exchanged and showed creative toy designs and models amongst themselves

Lego needed to move out of closed proprietary mode and adapt a participative strategy for customer interaction, which would utilize existing user creativity in product design

Designer users can then order the bricks needed to make their model, and also customize their own box for the model

Other users on the site can buy uploaded designs in the gallery, and will receive both the bricks for the model as well as the building instructions

Through the Lego Factory, the company has taken a step further in the evolution of user involvement, building strong brand relationship

The initiative has created high levels of awareness and interest with the consumers

The initiative has put Lego a step ahead of competition by moving out of closed proprietary content mode and involving fresh ideas from consumers and community for New Product Development

Users interested in custom-designing their own Lego models have to download and install the ‘Lego Digital Designer’ –

In the designer, the user can drag and drop to create a virtual toy design

Once the user has created a design, he can upload the same to the online gallery

Lego approves all designs before they are added to the online gallery, to filter out models for appropriateness for all age groups

P&G connect + DevelopSOLUTIONP&G launched the ‘Connect + Develop’ initiative, tapping into a global innovation network comprising of a host of sources, right from independent innovators to virtual innovator networks such as InnoCentiveHaving a clear sense of consumers' needs, the company identifies promising ideas throughout this network and applies its own R&D, manufacturing, marketing, and purchasing capabilities to them to enhance the rate of innovationBACKGROUNDAs P&G grew to a $70 billion enterprise, the global innovation model it devised in the 1980s was yielding shrinking success ratesTheir R&D productivity had leveled off, and innovation success rate had stagnated at about 35%, whereas innovation costs were climbing faster than top-lineWhile P&G owned a 7500+ strong R&D team, it realized that viable product innovation was increasingly being done externally at small and midsize entrepreneurial companiesP&G CONNECT + DEVELOPP&G converts them into ‘science problems and sends into the networkP&G identifies top 10 customer needsP&G’s Global Innovation NetworkBENEFITSMore than 35% of P&G’s new products have elements that originated from outside P&G, up from about 15% in 2000R&D productivity increased by nearly 60%R&D investment as a percentage of sales is down from 4.8% in 2000 to 3.4% in 2006P&G’s average two-month cycle of generating physical prototypes and testing them with consumers has reduced to around 24 to 48 hoursP&G’s 7500+ R&D team work on solutions suggested and with internal communitiesINNOVATIONS In Areas Of Packaging, Design, Marketing Models, Research Methods, Engineering, Technology, Etc

P&G launched the ‘Connect + Develop’ initiative, tapping into a global innovation network comprising of a host of sources, right from independent innovators to virtual innovator networks such as InnoCentive

Having a clear sense of consumers' needs, the company identifies promising ideas throughout this network and applies its own R&D, manufacturing, marketing, and purchasing capabilities to them to enhance the rate of innovation

As P&G grew to a $70 billion enterprise, the global innovation model it devised in the 1980s was yielding shrinking success rates

Their R&D productivity had leveled off, and innovation success rate had stagnated at about 35%, whereas innovation costs were climbing faster than top-line

While P&G owned a 7500+ strong R&D team, it realized that viable product innovation was increasingly being done externally at small and midsize entrepreneurial companies

More than 35% of P&G’s new products have elements that originated from outside P&G, up from about 15% in 2000

R&D productivity increased by nearly 60%

R&D investment as a percentage of sales is down from 4.8% in 2000 to 3.4% in 2006

P&G’s average two-month cycle of generating physical prototypes and testing them with consumers has reduced to around 24 to 48 hours

NiveaSOLUTIONAs the mainstay of its ‘Beauty Is’ campaign, NIVEA launched a desktop application called Ticker, in collaboration with SkinkersBuilt on Skinkers information broadcast technology, Ticker is a downloadable, opted-in application that pushes interactive content directly to the desktopMessages sent via the Ticker to the desktop include news, beauty tips, competitions, video podcasts and questionnaires, with the objective of all messages being to drive consumers to the revamped NIVEA websiteBACKGROUNDNivea, a global leading skincare brand, wanted to transform the customer’s view of the company and its brand from being ‘skincare-focused’ to ‘beauty-focused’ and also wanted to increase presence in emerging economiesIn this direction, the company had launched the ‘Beauty Is’ campaign at a global level, which included:A complete revamp of both the global as well as regional websitesRegional websites to be a one-stop shop for all aspects of beauty and includes news, lifestyle advice, offers, competitions and video podcastsWhile the campaign used a variety of channels including on and offline publications, email and advertising; the company was looking for a reliable way to drive consumers to the revamped websiteThe company regularly publishes beauty and wellbeing related video podcasts on its website; notifications of the same are pushed to the user through TickerBENEFITSBy utilising the desktop as a communication channel, the company does not need to wait for customers to identify and open emails or remember to visit their websiteThe Ticker provides constant exposure to Nivea’s globally unified experience with a consistent message across its product range, building customer trust in the brandPost-launch of the ‘Beauty Is’ campaign, the Germany-based company has benefited from high sales in emerging markets such as Eastern Europe, Latin America and AsiaUsers are asked to upload a photo on the site which depicts their idea of what ‘Beauty Is’; the entire collection of photos is also displayed on Ticker

As the mainstay of its ‘Beauty Is’ campaign, NIVEA launched a desktop application called Ticker, in collaboration with Skinkers

Built on Skinkers information broadcast technology, Ticker is a downloadable, opted-in application that pushes interactive content directly to the desktop

Messages sent via the Ticker to the desktop include news, beauty tips, competitions, video podcasts and questionnaires, with the objective of all messages being to drive consumers to the revamped NIVEA website

Nivea, a global leading skincare brand, wanted to transform the customer’s view of the company and its brand from being ‘skincare-focused’ to ‘beauty-focused’ and also wanted to increase presence in emerging economies

In this direction, the company had launched the ‘Beauty Is’ campaign at a global level, which included:

A complete revamp of both the global as well as regional websites

Regional websites to be a one-stop shop for all aspects of beauty and includes news, lifestyle advice, offers, competitions and video podcasts

While the campaign used a variety of channels including on and offline publications, email and advertising; the company was looking for a reliable way to drive consumers to the revamped website

By utilising the desktop as a communication channel, the company does not need to wait for customers to identify and open emails or remember to visit their website

The Ticker provides constant exposure to Nivea’s globally unified experience with a consistent message across its product range, building customer trust in the brand

Post-launch of the ‘Beauty Is’ campaign, the Germany-based company has benefited from high sales in emerging markets such as Eastern Europe, Latin America and Asia

Nike+, in collaboration with AppleSOLUTIONHEAR YOU RUN…Sensor in the shoe helps the runner hear through the iPod, the details about pace, time, distance and calories burned1BACKGROUNDSEE YOU RUN…Nike wanted to create an immediately resonant experience for a broad target market, from marathoners to fitness joggersNike+ was born as a multi-channel, multi-sensory marriage of Nike and Apple technologiesNike+ provides a robust platform of virtual racing, progress tracking, motivational goals and stories, global community comparison toolsOn docking and synchronizing the iPod, Nike+ software loads the workout statistics to their website where the user will be able to track his/her workout progress2CONNECT AND CHALLENGERun data can be used to track progress, set goals, motivate runners. win rewards and challenge pals or all Nike+ users3CUSTOMER CENTRICITY THROUGH BETTER INTERACTION USING WEB 2.0Nike.comIIIBENEFITSWidgets for setting challenges, goals…Blog facility for Nike+ usersLink to purchase Nike+ kit and other Nike gearNike+ is a unique way to engage with and promote higher levels of brand identity amongst Nike usersDelivers increased value to Nike users through a unique way of collaboratingEngages current and prospective Nike users with uninterrupted and targeted advertising20% reduction in ad budgets as Nike is moving towards developing its own media network through such technological endeavorsIIIIIIIIIIII

Nike wanted to create an immediately resonant experience for a broad target market, from marathoners to fitness joggers

Nike+ was born as a multi-channel, multi-sensory marriage of Nike and Apple technologies

Nike+ provides a robust platform of virtual racing, progress tracking, motivational goals and stories, global community comparison tools

Nike+ is a unique way to engage with and promote higher levels of brand identity amongst Nike users

Delivers increased value to Nike users through a unique way of collaborating

Engages current and prospective Nike users with uninterrupted and targeted advertising

20% reduction in ad budgets as Nike is moving towards developing its own media network through such technological endeavors

.. And there is moreWikisPeer to peer networkingP2P is a technique for efficiently sharing files either over the internet or within a closed set of users. P2P distributes files across many machines, often those of the users themselves. Examples: Skype, Freenet, SpotifyWikis such as Wikipedia are systems for collaborative publishing. They allow many authors to contribute to an online document or discussion.Examples: Dell uses Wiki in their call centre and it has helped in reducing the number off clicks from 20 to 4 and decreased the average call time by 10-20%Mash-upsRSSReally Simple Syndication allows people to subscribe to online distributions of news, blogs, podcasts or other informationWhile banks and financial institutions are usually slow to adopt new technology, that is not the case with RSS adoption.Examples: Federal Reserve use RSS to communicate bank rate changes, Long and Foster’s customers receive mortgage rates via RSS1Mash - ups are aggregations of content from different online sources to create a new serviceoRather than build customized IT systems with hard-wired integration, Web 2.0 can enable mash-ups of existing Web services and data to do the job at lower cost and effortLarge companies often conceal their usage of mash-ups since it provides significant competitive advantageExamples: Google Map was one of the first applications using mash-upsBloggingSocial networkingBlogs are online journals or diaries hosted on a Website and often distributed to other sites through readers using RSSExamples: Libris Kungliga Biblioteket has a blog continuously reporting about news and projects, Pfizer has a CSR (corporate social responsibility) blogRefers to systems that allow members of a specific site to learn about other members skills, talents, knowledge or preferences. Examples: ABSOUT has a page on Facebook entitled Top Bartender, Ernst&Young utilizes Facebook career page for hiringCollective intelligenceRefers to any system that attempts to tap the expertise of a group than an individual to make decisions. Technologies that contribute to collective intelligence include collaborative publishing and common databases for sharing knowledgeExamples: Companies like BootB and DesignBay are using collective intelligence in order to bypass traditional marketing and creative agencies

P2P is a technique for efficiently sharing files either over the internet or within a closed set of users. P2P distributes files across many machines, often those of the users themselves.

Examples: Skype, Freenet, Spotify

Wikis such as Wikipedia are systems for collaborative publishing. They allow many authors to contribute to an online document or discussion.

Examples: Dell uses Wiki in their call centre and it has helped in reducing the number off clicks from 20 to 4 and decreased the average call time by 10-20%

Really Simple Syndication allows people to subscribe to online distributions of news, blogs, podcasts or other information

While banks and financial institutions are usually slow to adopt new technology, that is not the case with RSS adoption.

Examples: Federal Reserve use RSS to communicate bank rate changes, Long and Foster’s customers receive mortgage rates via RSS1

Mash - ups are aggregations of content from different online sources to create a new serviceo

Rather than build customized IT systems with hard-wired integration, Web 2.0 can enable mash-ups of existing Web services and data to do the job at lower cost and effort

Large companies often conceal their usage of mash-ups since it provides significant competitive advantage

Examples: Google Map was one of the first applications using mash-ups

Blogs are online journals or diaries hosted on a Website and often distributed to other sites through readers using RSS

Examples: Libris Kungliga Biblioteket has a blog continuously reporting about news and projects, Pfizer has a CSR (corporate social responsibility) blog

Refers to systems that allow members of a specific site to learn about other members skills, talents, knowledge or preferences.

Examples: ABSOUT has a page on Facebook entitled Top Bartender, Ernst&Young utilizes Facebook career page for hiring

Refers to any system that attempts to tap the expertise of a group than an individual to make decisions. Technologies that contribute to collective intelligence include collaborative publishing and common databases for sharing knowledge

Examples: Companies like BootB and DesignBay are using collective intelligence in order to bypass traditional marketing and creative agencies

The online channel develops fast and what yesterday was a “Differentiator” may today be a “Must have”DifferentiatorsBecoming the normMust have

Contact detailsRick Mansrick.mans@capgemini.comhttp://twitter.com/rickmanshttp://www.linkedin.com/in/rickmans