#CIPCO

Social media and

business 201
 What’s going on out there?
• 2 BILLION – very rough number of
Google searches daily (source)
• 2,695,205 - the number of articles
in English on Wikipedia
• 81 - number of languages
represented in the blogosphere
• More than 7.8 BILLION tweets
The communication cycle is changing.
 5 predicted trends for 2010
1. MORE mobile and apps
2. Larger niche social networks
3. Less Web site log in, more third-
party authentications (e.g. Facebook
and Twitter connect)
4. Google Wave will grow in popularity
5. Geo-locational games
42% of people admitted to using their
cell phones in the bathroom. (source)

I polled 200 people in my social

networks, 90% said they slept
with their cell phone.

WHY MOBILE?
POLL: I use the following social
networks
TO VOTE text a code to 99503 or tweet @poll
 How To Vote via Texting
EX
AM
PL
E

1. Standard texting rates only (worst cast US $0.20)

2. We have no access to your phone number
TIPS
3. Capitalization doesn’t matter, but spaces and spelling do
Let’s take a look at the results
 What just happened?
• I received data/feedback I could use
to customize this presentation
• Real-time results to a question
• Engaging activity for audience
• Proved a point (hopefully)
 Thousands of
potential tactics.
It’s easy to get
overwhelmed.
What’s your strategy?
<I’ll give you some ideas.>
 Direct to consumer
Reasons to engage

• Energy and safety tips

• Key organizational messages
• …
Education
Mobilization
 “Socialize” your Web site
• Feature your online
presence
• Embed video
(YouTube) and audio
(CinchCast)
• Offer a forum
• Live comments via
Twitter hashtag (#)
• RSS
• Share this
 Identify story and source opps
• HelpaReporterOut.com
– @Helpareporter
• Follow on Twitter, Facebook
– Media
– Legislators
– Consumers
• Pitch With Me (pitchwithme.com)
• Identify story trends
– Top trends on Twitter
– Google Trends
• Breaking News (@BreakingNews)
(breakingnews.com)
You’ll have to identify:
The right platforms
The right message
The right audience
The right way to engage

THESE ARE EXAMPLES

 If there’s not a place to
communicate, the audience
will create one.
 Times of Crisis
Reactive example: Haiti

• Facebook: Haiti
“EARTHQUAKE GROUP”
– Grew to 246K+ members
because of a centralized
need for communication
– People needed a place, so
they created one
– Share photos, info
– MONITORED by
organizations who need
the information
Member cooperative
communication
 Create a wiki
Why? If you need many people to contribute to a document or need a back up place for
information.

• Private access to members

• Contribute to FAQ sheets
• Central place for
communication which
changes quickly
• Cooperative database
• Store conference/meeting
minutes
• Documentation
• Legislative
updates/changes
Where can you create a wiki?

»http://pbworks.com
»http://wikispaces.com
»http://www.wiki.com
 A private social network
Why? If you want a social way to interact and email isn’t
cutting it.

• Ning, Google Groups, SharePoint

• Depends on what you need
• Offer privacy settings
• Some have offering similar to
Facebook, Twitter
 Case Study: Southern Union Company
Used SharePoint
• Major U.S. Gas Company Boosts, Refines Information Access,
Increasing Risk Avoidance
(Posted 2009-09-02)
• Southern Union, one of the largest diversified natural gas
companies in the United States, faced to use information to
support growth.
• Employees needed faster access to authorized information
and a better way to boost security around restricted data.
• Also needed to share information with business partners.
• They used Share Point to create an information platform that
unifies employees, increases the speed and accuracy of work
processes.
Where can you create a private
network?

»http://ning.com
»http://groups.google.com
»http://sharepoint.com
»http://igroops.com
»http://cisco.com/go/eosdemo
 
Public goal setting and sharing
Why? If you need to motive partners or employees or want
transparency and accountability

• Example: 43Things
• Online goal setting
community
• Increase accountability
among cooperatives
• By publicizing your company's
goals and ambitions, you may
gain a following of customers,
investors and promoters who
watch
 Hijack a conversation
Why? Because misinformation and rumors are spreading, no one else is doing
it, build online credibility

• Identify a need for

conversation
• Host it online
• Use a platform like
LiveFyre
• Moderated by staff or
employee
• Address real-time issues
• Live chat
• NOTE: This is a public
platform that integrates
with Twitter and
Facebook
Geo-location for • Google maps
cooperatives,
partners • Foursquare
There are many ways to
integrate this idea. • Yelp
Applications like Foursquare
and Gowalla have competition
• Gowalla
based checkins, rewards and
discounts for consumers and
other incentives.

IDEA: If people “check in” at

their home, an energy saving
message could pop us.
Monitor who is talking online
Why? Just do it.
 How?
• Brand overviews • Buzz tracking
– Google Alerts, Google Reader
– Serph (
– HowSocialable? (
http://howsocialable.com) http://serph.com)
– socialmention ( – Google Trends
http://socialmention.com)
• Web site
• Blog search
– Technorati ( – Compete (
http://technorati.com) http://compete.com)
– Google Blog Search
 Virtual meetings
• Virtual meeting
– Computer
– High speed Internet connection
– Great content
– Headset
– Video
• Members can all participate online OR link
together several groups in different locations
• Invite only
• Save $
Where can you create a virtual
meeting?

»http://yuuguu.com
»http://webex.com
»http://gotomeeting.com
»http://secondlife.com
 CIPCO Smartphone Apps
Why? Shows forward thinking, makes information easy to
access
• iPhone, Blackberry and/or
Droid
• Newsletter
• Urgent announcements
• RSS feed to information and
news
• Web site
• This is the Franklin Covey
“Great Career” app for the
iPhone.
What about
security?
 Social media/Online policy

• Blog Council – Disclosure Policy

• Greteman Group (Marketing Agency)
• IBM Social Computing Guidelines
• CISCO Internet Postings Policy
• HP Code of Conduct
• Intel – Social Media Guidelines
• Opera Employee Blogging Policies
• Sun Guidelines on Public Disclosure
• Harvard Law School – Terms & Policy
• BBC – Editorial Guidelines, personal use of Social Networking
• US Navy – Web 2.0 – Utilizing New Web Tools
• CivilService – Code for Online Participation
• (CIPR) Chartered Institute of Public Relations Social Media Guidelines
 Don’t put ANYTHING
online you wouldn’t
be comfortable with
the media or you
mom looking at.
These are a few
ideas to get you
started.
Sarah Evans, Sevans Strategy, sarah@sevansstrategy.com
, @PRsarahevans, 224-829-8820

THANK YOU