Facebook in the public sectorGetting senior management buy-in

Darren Caveney I 14 March 2012

Getting senior management buy-in

How often are you having to make the case for using social media?

Getting senior management buy-inReally, there are barriers?

Getting senior management buy-inSo, how do we turn that around and get buy-in?

Getting senior management buy-in

“what we need is a plan” Here’s one…

Getting senior management buy-in

Seven-point business case…

1. Talk in senior management language…- Don’t prattle on about social media- Talk about ‘delivering digital engagement’- Talk about innovation- Talk about customer experience- Talk about channel shift- Talk about VFM and ROI

Getting senior management buy-in

Seven-point business case

2. Be strategic, not tactical- Position social media as a strategic solution,

not just a tactical tool- It’s not about social media – it’s about

engaging customers- It’s a ‘marketing-led’ approach to business: It’s

what many customers want, expect, demand

Getting senior management buy-in

Seven-point business case

3. It’s about the metrics- The numbers are compelling and undeniable- If Facebook were a country… yeah, yeah, yeah- Need to make it local and relevant- 50% people now follow ‘brands’ on social media*- 36% users post brand related content*

*Source: thesocialskinny.com

Getting senior management buy-in

Seven-point business case

4. What’s the story…- Talk up the opportunity to tell your organisation’s story- Paint a picture, create a narrative- Be human, be open- And anyway, why rely on a newspaper to tell

your story?

Getting senior management buy-inSeven-point business case5. Reputational benefits- Positioning- Access- Conversation- Learning- Perception is that public sector is poor –

actually, there are some exemplars in social media

Getting senior management buy-in

Seven-point business case

6. The world has changed

- Do we really want to get left behind?- Press releases to newspapers which are going

out of business…- Where will your organisation be in 5-years

time if you don’t embrace and engage?

Getting senior management buy-inSeven-point business case

7. Don’t be afraid to remind them…

Getting senior management buy-inFacebook and social media isn’t just for geeks…

Getting senior management buy-in

Five ‘don’ts’ (to sell to your management team…)

Getting senior management buy-inFive ‘don’ts’1. Don’t spend months organising a social media group and

trying to get everyone into a room on the 12th of never…

Getting senior management buy-inFive ‘don’ts’2. Don’t spend months writing a complicated social media strategy

Getting senior management buy-in

Five ‘don’ts’3. Don’t forget your ‘helicopter view’ – strategic, not tactical

Getting senior management buy-inFive ‘don’ts’4. Don’t forget your staff…

Getting senior management buy-inFive ‘don’ts’5. Don’t do what you’ve always done before – innovate, evolve…

Getting senior management buy-in

Five ‘do’s’ (to sell to your management team…)

Getting senior management buy-inFive ‘do’s’1. Do share your objectives & outcomes

Getting senior management buy-in

Five ‘do’s’2. Do understand and manage expectations…

Getting senior management buy-inFive ‘do’s’3. Do keep selling the opportunity to engage with your residents, your customers and your staff…

Getting senior management buy-inFive ‘do’s’4. Do point out that it is no longer possible to ‘control the message’

Getting senior management buy-inFive ‘do’s’5. Do create a campaign that can galvanise and provide a kick-start…

Getting senior management buy-inThe best plans are the simple ones…

Agree what you want to be famous for… keep it simple, stick to it,work together, make it happen

Getting senior management buy-in

So, it’ll be easy now, yes?

Not necessarily. What else can we do to convince the powers that be…

Getting senior management buy-in

Five tactics that work (and are simple… )

1. The Bear Trap2. Try something small, keep it to yourself…3. Get yourself a friend, a supporter, an advocate, a

sponsor4. If you have to pitch your proposal – pitch it to

someone who can say ‘yes’5. BUT – you may only get one chance to pitch, so

get it right

Getting senior management buy-in

They still won’t listen…

So, get some help - invite someone external to talk to your senior management team

Getting senior management buy-in

And don’t forget one of the greatest selling points of all…

It’s flipping FREE… You are not asking for money

Getting senior management buy-in

And ask them straight:

- Do we trust our staff? - Do we want to empower them? - Aren’t they our greatest asset?

So let’s provide the tools to deliver.

Getting senior management buy-in

When things go wrong:

Getting senior management buy-in

When things go wrong…

Do make it absolutely clear that if thingsdo go ‘wrong’, they must not close it all down.

That would be a huge mistake, A risk.

Getting senior management buy-in

So, what next…

Senior managers like strategies…

Here’s an effective social media strategy: JFDI

How many big strategies do you already have and how effective have they all been?

Getting senior management buy-in

So, what next…

If you win that battle, they’ll make you write a detailed protocol…

Is that necessary?

Getting senior management buy-in

No – social media guidelines in 140 characters

Getting senior management buy-in

Let’s recap

- You may need a business case- You need a plan, a vision- Simple is often best…- You have some tactics to make it fly- You have help/support out there- Be brave – don’t be afraid to challenge

Getting senior management buy-in

thanks for being social

Questions? Panel session

www.comms2point0.co.ukTwitter: @comms2point0Twitter: @darrencaveney

Photo credits – US National Archive