1. Workshop: Converting the Skeptics Overcoming Corporate Resistance to Social Media

2. Overview Some facts Some challenges to consider Symptoms, diagnosis, and … treatment New Ideas When People and New Ideas meet …

3. “Transition Shit” Happens… People dig in their heels Skepticism abounds Excuses: No-one has time to learn No bandwidth; too busy with regular stuff Can’t see the point Just another fad – this, too, shall pass No-one owns the project

4. To overcomeyour opponent, you must first understand him Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory, but tactics without strategy isthe noise before defeat This is war; make no mistake! Sun Tzu;The Art of War General Carl Von Clausewitz; Principles of War

5. Why do New Ideas fail? The number one reason: resistance to change According to LISA’s 2008 Global Business Practices Survey: “Staff resistance to change is a factor that complicates roughly half of all technology implementation projects and severely threatens about one in ten”

6. Common misperceptions: If we explain the business rationale, people will understand If we tell them what will change, people will adjust If we give them the toolspeople will use them

7. Management’s expectation? people will naturally fall in line (and do as they’re told)

8. The reality? behavior is more complexthan that everyone has different drivers

9. Preparing for the Transition 1. Develop a Strategy! 2. Secure C-level sponsorship 3. Develop a tactical plan 4. Bring inindependent experts (optional) 3. Talk with your people, not just at them

10. In comes “social media” Oh-oh… Is it just a fad? Is resistance to it a generational thing? Is it trivial, shallow, a waste of time and resources? Who are the skeptics in the company? And why are they skeptical?

11. Some compelling facts and stats “Victory in marketing doesn’t happen when you sell something, but when you cultivate advocates for your brand” (Steve Knox, CEO of Tremors, P&G’s Word of Mouth Unit) Evangelists spend 13% more than regular customers, and they refer business equal to 45% of the money they spend(source: Satmetrix) SM augments traditional Marketing, allowing you to reach new audiences

12. More facts and stats: Facebook users that “Like” a brand spend an average of $71.43 more than customers who have not “Liked” the brand * $71,43 = $1,006,732,134.24 = > $1 BILLION!! in potential additional revenue … just sayin’

13. Share your own stories Items for sale: 3 y-o SealyPerfect Sleeper King Size mattress setwith headboard and frame $400 2 y-o Giant 12-speed mountain bike $50 IKEA office furniture (desk & cabinets) $350 Results: Craigslist over 10 days: 1 ‘nibble’ for the desk – no sales Facebook: sold everything (same day) at asking price… Why? My FB peeps knew me personally; higher trust factor facilitated quick sale Craiglist.org versus Facebook.com

14. Do you have stories? In small groups (3 – 5): Each share at least ONE Social Media success story Discuss and identify the reasons for the successes Share with the other groups (5 mins max)

15. How to recognize fear-based resistance Obsessive need for control Irrational decision-making Increased silo-ism Don’t care attitude; apathy Micro-managing Jealously guard expertise Lack of sharing Politicized environment

16. Understanding Reluctance Change may be psychologically painful, but uncertainty about the end-state is more painful Fear of loss is a powerful motivator Loss of what?

17. Why? Most people … Do NOT like surprises (especially ones that have been thrust upon them without their input)

18. The Resisters: what they fear Marketing: loss of control over the brand Line managers: loss of control over their staff’s time and efforts Legal/Regulatory: loss of power; fear of litigation HR: loss of oversight; fear of litigation Anyone else you can think of? And their fears?

19. Knowledge is power – so share it What about the objections from: Line Management? Legal/Regulatory HR? Staff? Split into small groups (3 – 5) and identify 3 reasons ‘why not’, then: Develop a story for each, countering the objection

20. Learn to ask people for input: Talk about the problem, not the solution Focus on positive outcomes and benefits Tap into collective memories Provide forum for sharing experiences Involve users in defining new roles Use peer-mentoring

21. Partnering with stakeholders Bottom-up solutions enhance ownership Managing by results, not by process gets a lot more work finished

22. Make time for the ones ‘that get it’ Fact: most managers spend 80% of their time with the 20% that are poor performers Stop it! Face time one-on-one with the boss should be a reward; an earned privilege, and recognition for a job well-done

23. Start small Suggest a pilot, to last 6 months or so Do the easy things first – and measure before and after Educate people on how to communicate on social media What’s appropriate, what’s proprietary (and should not be shared), and provide a feed-back loop

24. Segue: who should be involved? Publish a blog Publish your own Web pages Upload video you created Upload audio/music you created Write articles or stories and post them ©2008 The Social Technographics Scale – Forrester Research / Josh Bernoff, co-author of Groundswell Creators Post ratings/reviews of products/services Comment on someone else’s blog Contribute to online forums Contribute to/edit articles in a wiki Critics Use RSS feeds Add “tags” to Web pages or photos “Vote” for Web sites online Collectors Maintain profile on a social networking site Visit social networking sites Joiners Read blogs Watch video from other users Listen to podcasts Read online forums Read customer ratings/reviews Spectators None of the above Inactives

25. Recruit champions and volunteers As we know: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink” Start your pilot with volunteers who already “get the point of Social Media” Let people know frequently how it’s going

26. A Twitter success story Avaya – global enterprise communications co. 20,000 employees world-wide Started small, with Strong customer focus Mostly listening, monitoring #Avaya, and responding to tweets and mentions Enlisted 7 volunteers (which grew to 50) Emphasis on sharing and engaging (customers)

27. What happened? See this? Something similar triggered a response from Avaya

28. Twitter earned its ‘kibbles and bits”! In June of 2010, someone tweeted (w/hashtag): “#shoretel or #avaya? Time for a new phone system very soon” Someone from Avaya responded within 15 minutes, and referred the poster to a local sales partner And…

29. Bingo! The sales partner followed up on the referral, as well, and the prospective buyer was delighted. Result: a $250,000 sale The next tweet from the new client: “selected #AVAYA as our new phone system. Excited by the technology and benefits”

30. Avaya Now: 5000 4036 13,484

31. Summary and wrap-up Demonstrate that SM is an opportunity, not a threat; make time to reassure the worriers Research the facts and collect success stories, and communicate them to the skeptics Start small, with volunteers, and measure! Reinforce the ‘cool factor’ with staff; make them want to be a part of it

32. The good news: Humans are actually very adaptive and, as always, evolve to suit new worlds

33. Lastly… Find the slide deck: On www.slideshare.net Tag: #Lavacon Find the presenter: echamer@hamer-associates.ca 604-317-2234 (Vancouver, BC) 617-440-3311 (Somerville, MA)