Training for Social Media Success

Training for Social Media Success: How Internal Education Can Make or Break a Social BusinessAugust 23, 2012#AGAcademyCharlene Li, Founder and Partner@charleneli

4 Companies don’t want this to happen March 6, 2012: “Dinner w/Board tonite. Used to be fun. Now one must be on guard every second.” March 7, 2012: “Board meeting. Good numbers=Happy Board.” March 10, 2012: “I am logging off Twitter now because co-workers are looking at me as Im laughing.”© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

8 Half of your employees use social media regularly – what can they say or not say? Joe works for Acme. Sally, a Facebook friend posts on Joe’s wall: “You know those widgets Acme makes? You work there -- would you recommend that I get some?” What does Joe do?© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

9 Social touches all aspects of the organization Sales PR/Comms Finance Marketing Research Training must address Social more than just marketing Media and communications IT Brands Digital HR Legal© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

19 Dell’s approach to social media training  Start with social media principles and strategy to make sure everyone is aligned on goals • What do you *have* to know in order to get engaged?  Focus is on how Dell uses social media to engage • Not what is Twitter and what it does • But the reason and logic for the way Dell uses Twitter© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

20 Social Media and Community University (aka SMaC U) Course levels: 101: Principles 201: Dell’s Strategy 301: Brand Guidelines 401: Platform Specific To date, 6,000 employees trained and certified to engage on behalf of Dell Photos provided by Dell. Dell Social Media and Community University.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

21 Components of Dell Training  Engagement, not “training” • Takes 8 hours to be certified  Delivered in-person • 2 full-time trainers • 15 superusers train in EMEA and APJ, and translate materials  Use Chatter to continue learning “on the job” Photos provided by Dell. Dell Social Media and Community University.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

23 Best Practices from Dell’s Social Media Training Program  Grounded in a strategy and vision for the role of social media at Dell.  Committed to ongoing learning, not one-time training.  Customized and specific to Dell’s circumstances.  Focused on maximizing opportunities as well as mitigating risks.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

24 Cisco’s approach to Social Media Training  Multi-track approach to meet specific needs • Social strategists, primary job is social • Subject matter experts, communication specialists, where social is only part of their job or not part of it at all • Executives • All employees  Multi-tiered to offer advanced social strategists deeper training  To date, 40 courses developed • With employees and contractors from all over the company and regions participating • Full-time trainer delivers several courses throughout the month and also develops the coursework • Producer takes on the burden of producing the course for trainer can focus on the content and instruction full-time© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

25 Focus on best practices  Courses last only 30-45 minutes, with Q&A • Delivered via Webex • Recorded for future playback  Recognition, reporting and posting of course accomplishments internally, includes “badging”  Example: Writing for Social Media Core Course 1. Learn the strategy behind the communication style 2. Elective course for more practical applications 3. Virtual groups further develop best practices 4. Supplement with hands-on labs 5. Community forum discussions, resources, and networking that’s available 24/7  At the end of the course, instructions on what to do next© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

26 Executive Training also is a key component  How they can support social media efforts • Understand the opportunities created by social media • Protect reputation of the company • Build their own reputations, social interactions, and networks  How to participate themselves • Directly if they are comfortable with social media - Writing for social media, how to build a following • Or working with the external communications team that supports that executive • Participate in the social media reverse mentoring program to get one-on-one training© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

27 Training for all Cisco employees  Focus: Provide a better understanding of social media principles, best practices, and application internally • Courses are focused in areas Cisco believes are important to developing and implementing social media efforts that support the company’s integrity and reputation. • Participants achieve a higher comfort level and understanding of ways to leverage social media, empowering them and supporting the company’s philosophy of supporting use of this channel. • Gaming incentives and growth opportunities are included through badges and certifications to motivate participants  Any Cisco employee or contractor engaging in social media must read and accept (e-signature) the company’s social media policy before participating • With this e-signature, Cisco can chart who has accepted it© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

29 Creating a Social Media Training Program  Determine business goals being supported by social media strategy and efforts.  Review social media policies and guidelines and their role in the education program.  Understand training needs for each role, especially around opportunities and risks.  Agree on measurement that will be used to assess the success of training.  Prioritize training needs.  Create training program based on those prioritized needs.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

30 Business goals and social media strategy give focus to training Be clear about business goals being supported. Understand how social media will support those specific goals.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

31 Policy and guidelines reviews  Ensure that two key social media policies are in place and robust: 1. General use of social media. 2. Use of social media for company purposes.  Key areas to review: • Does it cover what employees can/should do in personal social media with regards to your company? • Are there clear examples of what to do in additional to what not to do? • Is there a shortened version that can be quickly reviewed? • Is there a process for managers to follow in case there are issues? • Are guidelines and process in place for people to follow • Is governance clear on how to make decisions and resolve issues?© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

33 Example Learning Objectives and Measurement Element Executives Communications/M Employees arketing Goal Support and lead a Develop new skills Mitigate risk and social business to engage prepare for possible successfully in social engagement media Near-term Do executives have Are social media Are there fewer metrics a better initiatives having an incidences and understanding and impact on the problems related to of how social media business? social media? supports business objectives? Long-term Are executives pro- Is the business Are employees metrics actively leading the transforming to be engaging on behalf company in more social in all of the company and becoming a social departments? having an impact on business? key business goals?© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

34 Measurement: Beyond participant satisfaction Type of Examples of Immediate Post- Examples of 90-Day Follow Up Question Training Survey Questions Survey Questions Job I will be able to apply the skills and I have been able to apply the skills and Impact knowledge on the job. If yes, provide knowledge on the job. If not, describe examples of how you will apply. why not. This training will improve my job This training has improved my job performance performance (give examples) Business This training will have a significant This training has had a significant Results impact on: (select all that apply) impact on: (select all that apply and give • increasing customer satisfaction, examples) • increasing quality, • increasing customer satisfaction, • increasing productivity, • increasing quality, • increasing revenue, • increasing productivity, • decreasing cost of sales, • increasing revenue, • increasing customer satisfaction, • decreasing cost of sales, • decreasing cycle time, • increasing customer satisfaction, • decreasing risk • decreasing cycle time, • decreasing risk© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

35 Additional Training Program Best Practices  Center the training on principles, strategies, and frameworks so that it stand the test of time.  Start with simple guidelines and evolve them.  Focus on continuous learning, not training.  Train your executives first. You’ll need their support to roll-out the rest of the training.  Be clear about the goal and impact of training – if you can’t measure it, you won’t get the support needed.  Get help from your partners. • Tool vendors like Lithium and HootSuite. • Agencies and consulting firms.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

37 What companies seek in training  Customized to the company’s situation • No company approaches social media in the same way, with the same goals  Consistent with the social media strategy and social media policies/guidelines  Integrated into the learning management system • Knows who took which courses, helps with internal “certifications”  Regularly updated  Knowledgeable trainers© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

38 Altimeter’s approach to Social Media Training  Focus on business goals and how social media supports the relationships needed to accomplish those goals  Based on frameworks that will stand the test of time and changing technologies  Modeled on best practices uncovered from research and client engagements  Customized to meet the needs of the client • By role • Governance and risk mitigation needs (social media policy) • Assertiveness in social media© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

39 Common strategic framework underlies the training • Learn: what we can learn from customers and community Dialog • Dialog: the nature of our interactions with them Advocate • Advocate: how we build Learn advocacy among customers Support and community • Support: how we support them Innovate via social channels • Innovate: using customer and community to drive innovation© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

40 Altimeter Academy Offerings Program Outcomes Training Program Social media training program for the organization Development that lays out learning objectives, curriculum highlights, and resources/people needed for execution. Social Media Policies Audit of existing social media policies with Review recommendations on how to improve. Executive Training Enable Executives to be proactive leaders of the social business, instead of reactive. Social Strategist Training Enable Strategists to create social strategies and initiatives that support business goals. Marketing/Communications Execute high-quality social media initiatives. Training All Employee Training Under development. Virtual e-Learning on social media policy compliance customized to the org.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

41 Summary  Confident, socially-engaged executives and employees are central to your success.  Acquiring those skills requires a robust learning program centered on a coherent social strategy, principles, and policies.  Focus the program on creating judgment to handle new forms of engagement, rather than on platform-specific guidelines.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy

THANK YOU Charlene Li charlene@altimetergroup.com charleneli.com Twitter: charleneli Disclaimer: Although the information and data used in this report have been produced and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the completeness, accuracy, adequacy or use of the information. The authors and contributors of the information and data shall have no liability for errors or omissions contained herein or for interpretations thereof. Reference herein to any specific product or vendor by trade name, trademark or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the authors or contributors and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. The opinions expressed herein are subject to change without notice.© 2012 Altimeter Group #AGAcademy