Social Media Planning: The Laugh Test
Sep 8th, 2009 by David Svet
Getting old stinks. But, experience is valuable. In my case, I’ve been around long enough to see quite a few new technologies turn the business world on its ear. The value for me is I can now see repetitive patterns — history repeating itself. With the introduction of each new breakthrough comes an adoption cycle that seems to have the same phases. At the moment, social media is the shiny new technology executives are grappling with adoption issues. What I’ve learned is the questions haven’t really changed over the years. I hear many of the same questions and assumptions about social media as I heard about desktop publishing, multi-media, email, and the Internet.
All of those technological revolutions evolved to become commonplace. Some are so common they no longer go by their original name; it’s just how we do something now. Desktop publishing completely changed how everything printed is produced, from book reports to annual reports. When it was first introduced there were enormous arguments about the calamity that would happen if the tools of designers, typographers, and printers were to fall into the hands of the common office worker. At one time it was extraordinary, but now it is expected of grade school children and we no longer call it desktop publishing. At one point email was a rarity and it was often argued that only 3 or 4 people in any organization would need email accounts. Absurd.
Most of the arguments that I hear center around a need for control and resistance to change. The new technology must be controlled. Someone must be appointed to be in charge of ______. We need a Vice President of ______ Services. We need a ______ department. We should draft a ________ policy. Insert the technology of your choice in the blank. None of them were needed. A lot of time and money was wasted trying to control something that should have been, and ended up being widely distributed.
So, now when I go to meetings about social media and get embroiled in the arguments surrounding its adoption, I have a simple test. Insert the word email into the argument in place of the term social media. If everyone laughs, we move on to the next argument.
dave - this piece is a great reminder for MarCom folks to champion and be visible leaders in the adoption of emerging technologies that impact business…in so doing, we must understand the foreseeable challenges and resistant mindsets that may hinder the momentum of change…this ‘laugh test’ is a good example of the creative approach one can take to address and overcome such challenges. good stuff! autom
Wonderful!
HG
So true, so true.
So bottom line, it is about helping people manage change and adapting to new tools or strategies.
Thanks for the laugh test. I laughed out loud!
Autom, Hildy, and Jeff,
My gosh, a hat trick! I’m glad you enjoyed the laugh test. It’s nice to know that I am not alone. Exasperating as it can be, change comes hard. I’m so happy you are willing to laugh with me!
David
BRAVO!!! Simplicity at its core. I laughed, shared with others in the office and laughed some more! Indeed, good stuff.
Keep up the great work.
Thanks Tim! Glad to have made you happy. I think it’s a good idea to lighten up some of the conversations surrounding the adoption of new technologies.
I have to agree with you. I did an informational interview with Aiffoil PR today and I was talking to the Director of Accounts and he said, he has seen the technology before most of us have. Since he is in the tech pr sector they are in the cutting edge of discovering the technologies which can be used in the communication role.
I do know a person who refuses to adapt and she is learning she has too. Everyone has an email address now, they have voice mail and the mobile web is almost a must in business now.
Funny how things change but the communication is still happening but we are just trying to understand how to do it properly on the web. There was a time when we were all anonymous but that changed when the new social networks did not want you that way. Funny how things change but you have to learn how to adapt. That is just life.
The same is true for having to have a “social media policy.” If a company already has a “internet policy” in their employee handbook/manual, isn’t social media dont via “the internet.” ?!!!?
Now I do believe that using social media does warrant having a plan for executing (as simple or complex as it must be). I don’t think it’s just a easy as substituting the word “social media” for “email” in your communications plan. A social media plan will help identify your objectives, goals, who will do it, what you want to do, where you want to be, etc.
Not having a plan would be like just flinging ad hoc emails… So who’s writing this plan? Probably someone who is in charge or works closely with your internet marketing.
I agree, you don’t need a VP of Social Media, you just need to identify an owner and dedicate time to it. As a good friend of mine said, “the fastest way to kill a marketing program is to not dedicate time or funds to it.”
Thanks, Chris. Yes, social media is done via the Internet and a company’s Internet policy ought to cover it. If it doesn’t, then it should be covered by the company’s code of conduct.
As for planning, again, I think you’re absolutely right! Any marketing without a plan is senseless. That’s one of the reasons that we have the Social Media Planning Guide on the top right of each page in this blog as a free download. Planning is important!
Your buddy sounds very wise! I like that, “the fastest way to kill a marketing program is to not dedicate time or funds to it.” I wish everyone felt that way!