The document discusses the importance of facilitated real-time discussions for communities. It recommends selecting a focused topic, building engaging conversations through open-ended questions and participation tools, and weaving the discussion outcomes back into the community. Successful facilitation engages participants, drives the content organically, and keeps the conversation productive through involvement and acknowledgement of contributions.

1. The Facilitated Discussion
Dana Sednek Bowler
Cisco WebEx Global Collaboration Consultant
Dana.Bowler@webex.com
Twitter: DaynStarr
David Carter, CTO Founder
david.carter@awarenessnetworks.com
Twitter: dkrcarter

2. Logistics
• Got Questions?
• Join the conversation on Twitter
• Hashtag is #awarenessinc
• Use the Chat or Q&A function in WebEx
• Tech Issues?
• Contact WebEx Customer Service

3. Awareness
• •
• •
•
•
• •
•

4. About Awareness

5. Def: Synchronous versus Asynchronous Communication
Asynchronous Synchronous
Browse content in various • Follows a timeline
ways • Moves forward
> Chronological
• Live events
> By Topic
> Author
> Popularity
• Viewer controls what
when they view

6. Social Media Marketing: Making Marketing Social
•
•
•
•
•
•

7. Top 8 Social Media Marketing Use Cases

8. Best Practice Communities: Ready to Measure Success
• • • •
•
• • •
• • •
• • •
•
•
• • • •
• •
• • • •
•
• •
•
•
• •

9. Traditional Marketing is One Way Dialog
Customers
Customers • Traditional Marketing is
about the brand speaking
to the consumer
Brand Customers
• Generally focused on the
first part of the customer
lifecycle… acquisition
Customers Customers
• Customer retention is not
Customers
the job of marketing

10. Social Media Marketing is Customer Lifecycle
Joe • Two way dialog
> Brand to Customer
> Customer to Customer
Brand
(via Stan ) Sally
• Multiple approaches to
cover all aspects of the
customer lifecycle
Susan Peter
Frank • Depth of Customer
Knowledge increases

11. The Result is a Valuable Asset
• Explicit Customer Info
> What they tell us
> What they filled out in their profile
> Data on participation
> When
> How often
> What categories
• Implicit Customer Info
> What topics "move them"
> What do they comment, rate, and vote on
> What are the profiles of their "friends"
• Ongoing Dialog with the Customer

12. Successful Communities
• Don't just build it and sit back
• Define clear goals for the community
• Map the community to the culture
• Ask relevent profile questions
• Create relevant conversation topics
• Leverage and create "Points of Enthusiasm"
• Synchronous Events are ideal "Points of Enthusiasm"
> "Create Buzz" before, during and after
> Capture the conversation as an assets
> Create a "bump" in membership and participation andwork to
sustain

17. Dana Bowler
Collaboration Consultant
Cisco WebEx

18. AGENDA
Importance of facilitated discussion
Select a focused topic
Build engaging conversations
Weave the experience back in

19. Importance of Real Time Facilitated Discussion
• Real Time Discussions
> Punctuated “face” time
> Drives acknowledgment and commitment
> Reset and redirect the tone of the community
• Facilitators help drive meetings, negotiations, and
discussions
> Create a space that is structured yet comfortable
> Group dynamic convergence
• Focused Conversations
> Live voice, live interaction

20. Importance of Real Time Facilitated Discussion
• Facilitated discussions vs. webinar presentations
www.gapingvoid.com

21. Real-time Facilitated Discussion
• Engages the audience : everyone is an active participant
• Drives the content and group experience
• Starts with a focused topic, yet the outcome evolves
• Punctuates an emotive point in time

22. AGENDA
Importance of facilitated discussion
Select a focused topic
Build engaging conversations
Weave the experience back in

23. Select a Focused Topic
• Leverage the “Point of
Enthusiasm”
• What sparked your community’s
interest?
• Get Risky
> highest risk, highest reward
www.gapingvoid.com
23

24. Focused Topics

25. AGENDA
Importance of facilitated discussion
Select a focused topic
Build engaging conversations
Weave the experience back in

26. Build Engaging Conversations
• General to specific points within the topic
• Keep the sessions small (25 or less)
• Start the discussion as if you were in a room together
> What would be the first thing you do?
> Warm up the Group Voice
• Ask with the intent to listen, not the intent to respond
> Come prepared with open ended questions
> Be prepared for unexpected responses
26

27. Build Engaging Conversations
• Useful tools to keep the conversation going:
> Participant Panel – call members by name, recognize and
acknowledge who is speaking
> Annotation Tools - take notes, check opinions, group
resolve
> Raise Hand Tool - keep the conversation going / eliminates
"interruption fear“

28. Build Group Involvement
Building Engaging Conversations
• Ask for the group resolve
> Be open to their recommendations
28

29. AGENDA
Importance of facilitated discussion
Select a focused topic
Build engaging conversations
Weave the experience back in

30. Weave the Experience Back into Community
• Post the recorded event
• Weave the resolve back into the discussion thread
• Report on outcomes – what was the group’s
resolve, updates on progress
• Ask participants to share their feedback, publish the
results

31. Engage your Audience in the conversation
Keep the buzz going
31

32. What do you need to get started?
• All ingredients are available today
> Combining the two is strategic, all technology is available
• If you have a community and want to integrate
synchronous events
> Contact : AdvancedServicesSalesTeam@webex.com
• If you want a community
> Contact :
http://www.awarenessnetworks.com/company/contact.asp

33. Upcoming Sessions from Webex
• Jason Falls – June 24th
• Brian Solis – July 16th
• Adam Broitman – July 30th
• Meet-up at Enterprise 2.0 in Boston
June 23rd @ 6:30PM
Register at awarenessnetworks.com

34. Contact Information
• David Carter
CTO, Awareness
@dkrcarter
david.carter@awarenessnetworks.com
• Dana Bowler
Dana.Bowler@webex.com
@DaynStarr