How Does "Social Technology" Affect Business?

As I mentioned in my previous post and on Twitter, I'm doing a panel this Friday at NYU. I'm on what looks to be a terrific panel titled "The Digital Future: What Social Networking and Marketing Tools Mean for Businesses and Entrepreneurs."

I'm guessing that my take will be slightly different than my fellow panelists, I'm assuming they'll be talking about the consumer space being from big agencies, Meetup.com and MTV. My focus is, and latest interest is looking at how social networking and marketing tools mean inside the firewall. It's a different spin, and one ripe for a lot more exploration and attention.

I've spent some of my day today going over what I'm going to say regarding this topic and have come up with some key points. Let me know what you think.

1. Consumers and web technologies are quickly and powerfully spilling over into the enterprise
Stories in Business Week about Apple's invasion of the enterprise is just the latest, but think back for a moment the last time that you took a new job. I always have that scary moment when I think, "oh man, I hope they aren't blocking IM, Youtube or Facebook." Not because I want to fool around, but because those tools and sites are critical to keeping me connected to my network and to the information I need as a marketer to get my work done. The iPhone is just the latest consumer technology to come knocking on IT and the enterprise door, and this time, consumer adoption is all but forcing a reaction from IT departments. Businesses can no longer afford not to let these tools and technologies inside - if for nothing else, employee mutiny (and illicit workarounds and/or hacks).

2. Insatiable need to access data, self-service and to collaborate with each other
Business Intelligence, dashboards and metrics; can you imagine running a business without these? It wasn't so long ago that deploying these types of system were either too complex or too expensive. Not so any more and not because it's suddenly cheap to develop a BI solution. Employees and their managers have an unquenchable thirst for data these days and it's a trend that is most certainly accelerating.

Meanwhile, self-service is a hallmark of the "new web" and is something that is easy to take for granted. It was just 6 years ago when I had my first non-profit job and was told there was no way in the world that we'd allow donors to manage their own data on a web site. How quaint!

As for collaboration, I read today that Wetpaint is growing like mad and has something like 900,000 wikis. That's a lot of "wiki" going on in a world where I'm guessing not so many of your managers or executives have ever even heard that term.

3. Technology is driving innovation
How dare a marketing guy make such a statement! At least I put it at #3! Seriously though, this one is simple and easy to see. Advances in technology combined with ever more savvy users is driving innovation at astounding rates. This applies across the board in both the enterprise and consumer spaces and is just amazing. The coolest thing you saw 6 months ago is old hat by now.

4. Within the enterprise, social technology is forcing enterprise IT departments to deploy ever more flexible, scalable and complex systems that put people at the core, not systems
As I was thinking about this panel and talking with friends about this issue it struck me that "social networking" or the broader "social systems" within an enterprise isn't what has changed. Organizations have always had complex social systems but have never had tools and technologies that have laid them bare for all to see. This exposure is forcing IT and enterprises to think about these previously hidden hierarchies and relationships. What consumer applications like Myspace, Facebook and Twitter have done is to put people at the core and circle everything else around them. I remember a time not so long ago when IT systems were about data and processes and completely ignored users, profiles, collaboration and reputation.

That's what I have for now... thoughts?

Panel Time..."A Look to the Future"

I'm doing a panel this Friday in NYC - my first as an official Microsoft employee. It should be interesting. Learn more about the event here and the speakers here.

Following the great success of NYU Stern’s Florence 2007: Global Alumni Conference, we are pleased to present our first campus-based conference, New York 2008: Alumni Business Conference – A Look to the Future. Join fellow alumni and guests to hear from industry leaders and scholars on current market issues on financial risk, investing, entrepreneurship, marketing, digital media, and social networking. Dean Thomas F. Cooley and Aswath Damodaran, Professor of Finance, will provide keynote remarks, while Ed Altman, Max L. Heine Professor of Finance, and Mark Tercek, Adjunct Professor at NYU Stern and Director of Goldman Sachs' Environmental Markets Initiative, among others, offer their expertise in the breakout sessions.

Social Technographics

Groundswell
Originally uploaded by msirkin

I'm reading a great new book called "Groundswell" that is really helping me frame out what's next for the CIO Network I'm trying to build out. This chart clearly shows that if we lean on "creators," those that create unique content within the site we're going to have issues. Instead, we're focusing on how to drive spectators up the ladder, perhaps with polls, and other "frictionless" ways to rate content and participate on the site.

It's interesting to play with their profile tool and map out different ages and locations to see how different strategic approaches might work (or not work).

Rare Example of Great Marketing

Great marketing can seem so simple at times. Turning mistakes into big wins seems to me to be the easiest way to impress customers these days (not that you want to make mistakes in the first place).

I got Guitar Hero for the Wii a few months ago - and found out that the disc needed to be replaced because the original didn't have the proper sound capabilities. I filled out a web form and received a self-mailer that had shipping already paid. The note from Activision said a disc replacement would come in 4-6 weeks. Just before we went on vacation, I dropped the disc into the mail and hoped that it wouldn't disappear forever.

About 3 weeks later, I got an automated e-mail telling me that they had received the disc and were processing it. 2 days later, I got a note that it had shipped. Exactly 5 weeks from the day I dropped the disc in the mail, I had a replacement disc, as promised.

A week later, while I was away on a business trip my wife called and told me I had a box from "Red Octane." I had no idea what it was and asked her to open it. To my surprise, the box contained a sweet Guitar Hero faceplate. How cool. I'd never buy myself one of these, but always wanted one - it's like they knew!

Call me impressed. That's one solid way to bring a smile to a customers face and build a brand. As a bonus, my 8 year old flipped out and did her best rockin guitar hero impression after she saw the new guitar.

The lessons for marketers:

• Admit your mistakes publicly and move to make them right
  
• Under promise and over deliver
• Suprise and delight
  

Twitter Is Killing My Will to Blog

I'm so used to posting short snippets on twitter here and here, that I just can't find the strength to write a blog post with any substance.

I'm knee deep in building out my new project and getting acclimated to Microsoft. What an amazing company. It's great to be up to my ears in community building again. Much better than what I was doing before, that's for sure.

There seems to be a fire hose of marketing blogs, Facebook analysis and stuff lately flowing at me - I'm about to declare RSS bankruptcy!

Seriously though, doesn't any of this Web 2.0 stuff feel like a retread, just a little? The hype-o-meter is seriously pegged as high as it can go right now. Wasn't it just a year or so ago when virtual worlds was all the hype? Go on - comment away about how this is sooooo different. I dare ya.

Headed to Seattle next week for another week in Redmond, and after that I'm back in CT for a bit until heading to Boston, then Ft. Lauderdale for some CIO conferences and such.

Driving Engagement

I've got loads of experience building social networks and community spaces for donors and general consumers - but my new project, building an invitation only, closed community for CIOs is proving a tad more difficult - though it is still very early in the game.

I was catching up on some different articles and found this one on Chief Marketer called "The Six 'C's of Social Influence". It's a decent article, but not completely on point for my own needs.

Then 2nd "C" is customization - which has me thinking and reconsidering how much or how little to allow community members to create their profile. Right now, it's super limited - basic photo and bio only. I'm considering however, opening it up a lot more just to see what folks start to do. Worst case, nothing happens... best case, I start to learn something.

This has already been a super interesting ride, and I've only just started a few months ago.

Microsoft and Second Life

I've spent a lot of time in my first few months at Microsoft trying to find folks focused on innovative marketing strategies and tactics. MS is loaded up with amazingly smart people. I'm wrapping up a conference call with some folks who are "poised to make history for Microsoft by holding the first ever full-fledged Launch event in Second Life."



They have a volunteer network of folks working on an island and are about to do some very slick things... take a look. Here's their SLURL as wel.

Wow, I Love Being a Coach

I'm excited beyond reason because it's softball season again... and once again, I'm coaching! I want to coach kids full time someday. I love it that much. I think sometimes I was actually born to be a camp counselor.

In any case, I usually send out an e-mail to parents with some guidelines every season to help orient parents to my coaching vibe and style. This is part of the email I just sent.

Also, it's worth mentioning that the girls will get a chance to play most positions this year except for 1B and Pitcher. We have to be careful about who plays 1B to avoid injuries. As for pitching, if your girl wants to pitch and hasn't before, please talk to one of us. First time pitchers are going to have to earn their way onto the mound by practicing at home and before games. If they want to pitch, they are going to have to earn it!

While we do keep score in this league, please do remember that it is mostly instructional and not competitive. Yes, we'll try to win, but that's not the focus. My personal goal each year is to help the girls get to understand the game and to want to come back and play next season.

Finally, please do not address the umpires for making bad calls during the season. If you feel that there was a bad call, come talk to one of the coaches quietly. The umps do a terrific job and the best they can - again, it's not a competitive league, so there should be no reason for harassing them at any point.

Please do enjoy seeing your girls grow as ball players, it should be a fun year!

Opening day is this Saturday, sweet!

I Had an "AH-HA" Moment

By now, you should have probably figured out that I'm reading Eckhart Tolle's "New Earth" and following the online class with Oprah. Yea, yea, I know.

I've posted a few times on Tolle - here and here.

In any case, I actually had an "ah-ha" moment that has been hard to explain, even to myself. While on vacation last week the galaxy seemed to click into place for me. We were all sitting around the dinner table talking, looking out over the ocean and suddenly I was awash in the most wonderful, amazing feeling. I felt like my entire body started to float up over the table and I was looking down on my family and myself. I felt totally connected to them at that moment and even managed to catch myself aware of the feelings as it was happening.

Can't explain it much further than that. It was a special feeling and totally unexpected. The world is a wonderous place and quite hard to explain at times.

2007 Best Posts

Reposted with my own permission from the now defunct npMarkekting blog...

In no particular order, here are my favorite posts from 2007 - a year in which I again didn't blog enough (or by some accounts, blogged way way too much). It was a tough year and I learned a lot about marketing, myself and the world. I also played a lot of golf (but no where near enough by my count). Ok, here goes...

Favorite Post #1 - Great Marketing in the Oddest of Places A post about the good work that the MTA does with their newsletters and keeping their customers informed, and laughing.

Favorite Post #2 - How the New Web Transforms Your Organziation "Marketers do not have the right to interrupt you."

Favorite Post #3 - Authenticity It appears that it is working for Obama in a big way, eh

Favorite Post #4 - Best Development Resources I still get 7 or so hours of sleep, really.

Favorite Post #5 - Yikes, it's not working! I love failing, because it means I'm making progress.

Favorite Post #6 - Causes vs. Organizations I still think I'm right... yea, definately.

Favorite Post #7 - Leave the Ivory Tower, Now! And wow, the Africa trip really proved my point on this one.

Favorite Post #8 - “Edge”tion – Another Look at Causes vs. Orgs Lots of discussion, comments and goodness from this post... horrible title though.