Real World Social Media Insight from Corporate and Government Marketers

Nearly 900 business executives and government workers each spent 15 minutes with us online to share how they are engaged in social media. 

What communities do they participate in?  Do they contribute content or are they primarily observers?  Where are they when they access social networks...on the job, at home or in a mobile environment?  And, perhaps most important, what expectations do they have of their social participation?

A summary of the findings of the "Social Media in the Public Sector" research study -- conducted by Market Connections in partnership with Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) -- are available for download at this link.

The event we hosted with Market Connections a few weeks back to formally announce the survey results also featured an exceptional panel of corporate and government marketers who have ownership of their organization's social participation.  They hailed from Deloitte, Intelsat General, Polycom, General Services Administration (GSA) and the Department of Defense.   

The panel's charge:  provide insight into the survey results, as well as advice for other marketers who desire to integrate social media into their mix of external communications tactics.

The three brief videos below provide a real world perspective from our panelists that could potentially help you define a social path for your organization.

Social Media's Ownership by Corporate Marketing Neophytes

I have been on the event swing during past few weeks talking up the measurable return on investment that can be achieved through a strategic, sales-aligned approach to social media marketing.

For instance, last month Strategic Communications Group (Strategic) hosted an event in partnership with market research shop Market Connections to unveil the results of a comprehensive survey of social media adoption in the public sector.  I moderated a panel discussion that featured Strategic clients from Polycom, Intelsat and Deloitte.

Like many marketers, the nearly 200 event attendees are in the process of evaluating how to best incorporate social media into their mix of tactics in 2012.

An observation I made from the podium was the youthfulness of those tasked with ownership of social media.  Granted, this perspective is influenced by my membership in the middle-aged club.

Yet, it’s clear to me that a myriad of corporate sales and marketing executives have punted social media responsibility to junior members on the team.  They are qualified because they grew up with this Facebook and Twitter thing, so the thinking goes.

Is the management of social media by corporate newbies a problem?  For some, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

Consider this comment on a Netpreneur discussion board a few weeks back:

Prospects are forever talking about having the youngest person in the office manage campaigns or worse, hiring interns. Never ceases to amaze me that companies are willing to take an important function such as developing relationships and delegate it to Jr staff.

I tend to take a more optimistic view with the belief that management of social media will allow younger professionals to more quickly establish themselves as mission-critical to the success of their organization.  In turn, this will create a new generation of marketing leaders and fast-risers who wholly support an investment of time and budget in social.

Of course, to derive benefit from this opportunity, junior marketers must gain an understanding of three important things about their organization:

1.  The overall direction of the business and benchmarks for success in sales, teaming, recruitment and financing.

   

2.  The budgeting process, including how resources are allocated and who influences decision-making on budget.

3.  The path to build internal consensus for a program, and then continually reinforce its value and ROI during execution.   

I recognize that Strategic’s clients are faced with a challenging job when it comes to social media.  It’s new and my firm’s methodology and approach is novel.

They need to serve as champion to secure funding, provider of strategic direction, supporter of execution and internal cheerleader to help educate about ROI.

This is do-able for younger professionals.  They just need to be razor sharp.

The All Mighty Sound Bite

Last week I moderated a panel discussion featuring a set of accomplished corporate and government marketers.  Produced by market research firm Market Connections in partnership with Strategic Communications Group (Strategic), the topic was timely and telling:  social media adoption and use cases in the public sector.

My partner Chris Parente published an excellent write-up of the event here, as did Aol Government’s editor Wyatt Kash whose article can be found here.

The feedback I’ve received from attendees – including Strategic clients at Iron Bow Technologies, Blue Coat Systems, Pitney Bowes Government Solutions, Polycom and Intelsat General – has been mostly positive.  The exception has been a few shots at a rather rambling, nonsensical question blurted out by someone in the audience.

I’ve gotten a number of “what was up with that person” comments.  And deservedly so.  The inability to articulate a clear and concise message in an engaging manner is a shortcoming of many an executive.

It was with this experience in mind that I stepped into an event on Friday morning hosted by the Association for Corporate Growth,National Capital Chapter, as well a session today presented by the law firm Morrison Foerster and accountancy Ernst & Young.

Rather than transcribing my notes, I thought I’d share with you a few sound bites from each event that I thought hit the mark in terms of content and delivery.

“We are burdened by a distorted labor market.  There are a few number of highly qualified, technical talent who hold security clearances.  This creates high demand for those people that the customer ultimately pays for.”

Hillen's not stacking midgets.

“We are not in the ‘stacking midgets’ business when it comes to acquisitions.  We are looking for deals that position the company to win big jobs as a prime contractor.”

John Hillen

President and CEO

Sotera Defense Solutions

“If management uses the word ‘strategic’ in the press release announcing the acquisition, then short the stock.  It means they overpaid.”

Edward Caso, Jr.

Managing Director and Senior Analyst

Wells Fargo Securities

Caso dreads the word "strategic"

“The threat environment today is much more complex and multi-faceted.  The tools to combat these threats are diverse which creates market opportunities for integrators and technology companies.”

Greg Van Beuren

Managing Director & Partner

Bluestone Capital Partners

“We are in the business of prospecting for executives.  The best management teams will capitalize on market opportunities.”

Craig Bondy

Principal

GTCR

“The best dollar we spend at SAIC is the dollar we spend internally.  It delivers more value to the shareholder.”

Walter Havenstein

CEO

SAIC

SAIC's Havenstein