Facebook in the public sector Getting senior management buy-in Darren Caveney I Glasgow, 21 June 2012

Getting senior management buy-in How often are you having to make the case for using social media?

Getting senior management buy-in Really, there are barriers?

Getting senior management buy-in So, 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 communications

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 -It’s where many customers are/where their conversations take place -50% people now follow ‘brands’ on social media* -36% users post brand related content* *Source: thesocialskinny.com

Getting senior management buy-in 3. It’s about the metrics Need to make it local and relevant, evidence-based*  Shifting sands – check your local paper’s ABC figures, compare them to the performance of digital channels and platforms  Create an infographic of media/channel use in your area  Know your market – and use it to create robust business cases % of Scottish adults have broadband access (that’s around 2.9million residents) - In Greater Glasgow it stands at 50% (that’s 271,000 residents) - Over 90% of adults have a mobile phone, 21% of these are smartphones - Smartphone usage by 16 – 34 yr-olds is joint highest in UK - Scottish consumers use of data on mobile handsets has increased 40% in past 12 months - 1.5million Scottish residents use social networking sites - The average user spends 13.8 hours per week on the internet - 75% of Scottish businesses have broadband access *Source: Ofcom: Communications Market Report – Scotland (Aug 2011)

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-in Seven-point business case 5. Reputational benefits -Positioning -Access -Conversation -Listening and 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-in Seven-point business case 7. Don’t be afraid to remind them…

Getting senior management buy-in Facebook 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-in Five ‘don’ts’ 1.Don’t spend months organising a social media group and trying to get everyone into a room on the 12 th of never…

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

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

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

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

Getting senior management buy-in The 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 Trap 2.Try something small, keep it to yourself… 3.Get yourself a friend, a supporter, an advocate, a sponsor 4.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 things do 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