The Next Generation The Next Generation

Communications StrategyCommunications Strategy

25 February 201025 February 2010

Social media Traditional

Media Relations

Stakeholder engagement &

word of mouth marketing

More expensive strategies

Something old, something new, something ancientSomething old, something new, something ancient

New channels are nudging old platforms

People can create content

People can share content

People can comment on content

Most exciting of times

You live in exciting times You live in exciting times

Minimal cost

Easily

Instantly

Without your approval

The changing economics The changing economics

of influenceof influence

……And yetAnd yet

The big players want tighter control than ever

Issues are more complex

Bosses measure success in traditional terms

Audience expectations

Career expectations

Today’s communications are like herding cats Today’s communications are like herding cats

Approaches to communicationsApproaches to communications

Current channels Current channels + + New technologiesNew technologies

Are you maximising Are you maximising

traditional media opportunities?traditional media opportunities?

Traditional mediaTraditional media

PrintPrint

Medium of record

Publish regularly

Often drives the news cycles

Numerous opportunities

Most likely to doggedly follow a story

Are newspapers dying?

General news

Specialist sections

Columns

Letters to the Editor

Opinion-editorial

What’s on diaries

Photographs

Social pages

Editorial calendars

Print opportunitiesPrint opportunities

RadioRadio

Types of radioTypes of radio

24/7 = information hunger 24/7 = information hunger

ConvenienceConvenience

OBs, Black Thunders etcOBs, Black Thunders etc

News• every hour/half-hour• six to eight stories @ 30 to 40 seconds each

Morning/drive time shows • popular with commuters • more detail than a news bulletin

Talkback • mixing entertainment and information

Specialist programs • gardening, motoring, arts,

Community switchboard

Station website

Radio opportunitiesRadio opportunities

Syndicated RadioSyndicated Radio

Podcasting moves radioPodcasting moves radio

News

Weather

Current Affairs

Themed programs (lifestyle, kids, religion, sport etc)

Free to air TV

Pay TV

Community TV

TV opportunitiesTV opportunities

Managing media effortsManaging media efforts

New media New media

Dramatic increaseDramatic increase

Not just for kids Not just for kids

One to one conversations One to one conversations

DIY medium DIY medium

Low costLow cost

Citizen journalismCitizen journalism

“Almost 10 million Australians accessed social media websites in December

with just under 8 million of those being Facebook members”.

Communications continuumCommunications continuum

Cave paintingCave painting

Language

Writing

Printing press

Newspapers

Radio

TV

Image sharing sites Image sharing sites

Micro blogging sites Micro blogging sites

Social networking sitesSocial networking sites

Knowledge sharing sitesKnowledge sharing sites

BlogsBlogs

Mobile applicationsMobile applications

Implications for youImplications for you

You don’t have to like new media but….

•People do expect you to know about it

•Need to know how Australians use it

•Be aware of how others are using it

Reasons agencies may not use new media

8 Strategies for the boss8 Strategies for the boss

Gov2.0

Website Grader (solo and comparison)

Case studies of similar organisations

Statistics: the online habits of Australians

Articles/books

Start small: fail early

Google alerts/Tweetsearch

Get the boss into the nursery

Simple guidelines Simple guidelines

Helpful resourcesHelpful resources

http://bobcraw.posterous.com/http://bobcraw.posterous.com/

UK Government strategy for government departments UK Government strategy for government departments

Gov2.0 Best practicesGov2.0 Best practices

North Carolina Social Media for State Agencies tutorialNorth Carolina Social Media for State Agencies tutorial

How to sell social media in your organisationHow to sell social media in your organisation

Social media start-up modelSocial media start-up model

Stress long term, pilot, government directions

Buy-in from key staff

Select one and experiment with one channel

Monitor that channel

Contribute to others’ conversation

Move into active conversations

Key AudiencesKey Audiences

Stakeholder relationsStakeholder relations

Word of mouth marketingWord of mouth marketing

““The idea of word of mouth is very Zen. The idea of word of mouth is very Zen.

You put the idea out there, let go, and if You put the idea out there, let go, and if people like you and trust you, they'll people like you and trust you, they'll

spread the word”spread the word”

Variety MagazineVariety Magazine

21 July 200521 July 2005

What do you think of traditional marketing? What do you think of traditional marketing?

Advertising clutterAdvertising clutter

Media fragmentationMedia fragmentation

Consumers tuned outConsumers tuned out

Less effective but more expensiveLess effective but more expensive

Wariness of old channelsWariness of old channels

Wariness of new channelsWariness of new channels

So who do we trust? So who do we trust?

Trust imperative Trust imperative

Academic/expert 64%

Industry expert 52%

NGO rep 45%

Person like me 44%

CEO 40%

Govt official 35%

Employee 32%

Stakeholder management = word of mouth Stakeholder management = word of mouth

40 000 years40 000 years

Intimate … our natural desire to share information and feelings Intimate … our natural desire to share information and feelings

Credible … people believe other peopleCredible … people believe other people

Free … Free … costs nothing costs nothing

Speed … can be remarkably quick Speed … can be remarkably quick

…but often overlooked by big organisationsbut often overlooked by big organisations

Working through stakeholdersWorking through stakeholders

Network BNetwork A

key influencer key influencer

Who are stakeholders? Who are stakeholders?

Key influencersKey influencers

AdvocatesAdvocates

ChampionsChampions

SneezersSneezers

AlphasAlphas

Opinion leadersOpinion leaders

ShapersShapers

Early adoptersEarly adopters

HubsHubs

PersonalityPersonality

ExperienceExperience

SkillsSkills

LongevityLongevity

Rank, title, position Rank, title, position

Pre-conditions for engaging stakeholders Pre-conditions for engaging stakeholders

You must be credibleYou must be credible

You must a worthwhile something You must a worthwhile something

Your touch points must reflect your valueYour touch points must reflect your value

You give people opportunities to talk You give people opportunities to talk

You are willing to sustain a conversationYou are willing to sustain a conversation

The touch points of a product The touch points of a product

Types of engagementTypes of engagement

Organic

Accelerated

• Passing information through selected networks

• Speaking to groups

• Using digital communications

Find key influencers

Self identifySelf identify

Key professions/organisationsKey professions/organisations

Prominent individualsProminent individuals

ObservationObservation

What can key influencers do?What can key influencers do?

They give you:

language

credibility

communications

Recruiting modelRecruiting model

Face to face

Stories

Pass-on tools

Continuous contact

Face to face works bestFace to face works best

Explain who you are … why you are worth listening toExplain who you are … why you are worth listening to

Tell storiesTell stories

Ask for specific helpAsk for specific help

Provide pass-on toolsProvide pass-on tools

Thank you’s and rewardsThank you’s and rewards

Keep continuous contactKeep continuous contact

Pass on toolsPass on tools

business cards

content for social media

leaflets, fliers, brochures, bulletins etc

ready to go text for newsletters, websites

video, audio, images

samples, coupons, discounts

Power of storiesPower of stories

PersonalPersonal

SimpleSimple

IllustrativeIllustrative

Frequency of communicationsFrequency of communications

Opportunity Opportunity Opportunity

Engagement opportunities: events Engagement opportunities: events

launcheslaunches

award ceremonies award ceremonies

trade showstrade shows

site and open dayssite and open days

conferences, seminars, meetings and workshopsconferences, seminars, meetings and workshops

commemorative occasionscommemorative occasions

festivals, fairs, carnivals, shows, balls, cake stalls festivals, fairs, carnivals, shows, balls, cake stalls

sporting eventssporting events

cultural performances, concerts, exhibitionscultural performances, concerts, exhibitions

media eventsmedia events

on-line events on-line events

Engagement opportunities: speakingEngagement opportunities: speaking

Face to face with supporters, key influencers and othersFace to face with supporters, key influencers and others

Travel different networksTravel different networks

Positions you as an expertPositions you as an expert

Multiplies your conversations from one to manyMultiplies your conversations from one to many

Advantages of on-line communicationsAdvantages of on-line communications

Can be quickly produced and distributed Can be quickly produced and distributed

PermanentPermanent

Can reach many peopleCan reach many people

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

On-line commitmentOn-line commitment

People can comment People can comment

Scary for someScary for some

Engagement opportunities: digitalEngagement opportunities: digital

Tracking word of mouth Tracking word of mouth

How many key influencers do you have ?

What are key influencers doing for you?

How are people finding out about you?

What referrals are you getting?

How many people visit your video, blog, Facebook etc?

Staff/Volunteer/Board feedback

SummarySummary

Identify, recruit and maintain relationships with key Identify, recruit and maintain relationships with key influencers influencers

Provide simple messages and pass on tools to Provide simple messages and pass on tools to encourage conversations encourage conversations

Use many channels to keep the conversation going Use many channels to keep the conversation going

Track your conversations and see what works Track your conversations and see what works

Ensure your issue is sound Ensure your issue is sound

Identify who you need to reach Identify who you need to reach

Changing Audiences = Changing Expectations Changing Audiences = Changing Expectations

Future?Traditional?

know your values/brandknow your values/brand

communications audit communications audit

who we want to reachwho we want to reach

clear messaging clear messaging

delivery systems delivery systems

time and moneytime and money

be accountablebe accountable

Principles remain the same Principles remain the same

Implications for Communicators Implications for Communicators

Must have multiple skills set

Strategies must consider fragmented audiences

Our strategies must blend old, new and ancient approaches