Pitching a Social Media Proposal

Pitching a one year social media proposal to a management team that is still in the learning stages of Web 2.0 requires you to walk a fine line between teaching and telling. I think the four most important factors in writing and pitching a successful proposal are as follows:

1) If your customer does not understand it, they will not buy it.
Time and time again I see technically skilled super stars scare potential clients away because they are too busy flexing their nerd muscles and pumping up their techEGO’s during a pitch. Start from a place of understanding and build as you go.

2) ROI, ROI, ROI
The classic consultant swoops in, listens to staff tell them what is needed, does it while taking credit, and disappears in to the night leaving behind a big fat report stating – “How Big and Great it Will be Someday!” -Don’t be a classic consultant.
If you are committing to a year, have the courage to give solid 12-month ROI projections and stick by them. You can under-promise and over deliver but set real, tangible objectives.

3) Save your opinions for your blog
When the questions start flying at you from the number crunchers – be ready to answer them with facts and examples. I think Jeremiah Owyang’s post “COO and CFO” does a good job of listing the questions you need to be ready to answer.

4) Split your proposal in two
The executive summary and summarized recommendations should be first. The executive summary needs to be understandable and digestible. The summarized recommendations should have solid ROI goals. The second part of your proposal should contain a world of detail. The second half is where your clients should be able to find detailed information about each topic that was covered in the executive summary. Also, try to answer the hard questions in advance. It shows you are prepared and know what you are doing.

(Example Table of Contents)

Summary
Executive Summary………………………………………..2 pages
Summarized Recommendations and Projected Budget…3 pages

Detailed Examples and Recommendations
Social Media, Groups,Widgets and Calendars……………8 pages
Blogging………………………………………………………5 pages
Measuring Success…………………………………………2 pages
Appendix…………………………………………………….10 pages

Spice Girls vs JustMeans

I finished a work week at JustMeans, plop down in font of the TV, and this below video from a group called, “The Spice Girls” came on. I was frozen. My mouth dropped open and I could not bring myself to change the channel. The thought that kept running through my mind during this video was,

“HOW STUPID ARE WE????”

I just spent two days talking to socially responsible companies and organizations about how they can better focus their messaging via social media to attract new supporters. I was having discussions about things like ‘fully recycled supply chains’, ‘moving at-risk youth from poverty to college’, ’empowering cross-sector institutions for sustainable family change’, etc, etc. That was when I saw this video (below) and realized that a bigger problem than just focusing a message is beating the competition. The world is filled with absolute crap that is just screaming to take the attention of the masses. I gave two minutes and forty five seconds of my life to the Spice Girls…ouch.

Take the Spice Girls Challenge:
1) While watching this video – think about all the things that are important to you, what you want to do to make this world a better place, and how you are going to do that.
2) Then realize that the Spice Girls and their, “tell me what you want what you really really want to be friends with my friend so your friends brothers’ friends neighbor sister…. can be my lover” video is getting 10 times more attention than what you are doing – again…ouch.

“Look at the competition”

Social Media is not a Billboard

I have been having conversations with different JustMeans clients about their social media profile pages. I keep telling people that the first thing people think about when creating their social media page is, “What information should I cut and paste from my website.” – HUGE MISTAKE
Social Media is not “A Website”. It should be created as more of an interactive call to action. Social Media is for engaging your stakeholders, not just for telling them information.

That said, I just noticed that Linda from Stand for Children update her company profile page and it looks great! Right away on their profile it asks you a question (engaging), tells to you join the network (call to action), and then shares with you the opportunities with the organization (selling). -AWESOME

Check it out Stand for Children – their profile will do well.

Website vs Platform – Is there a difference?

“Ha,ha, we are just not going to pay money for a website”

…that was the line I received yesterday. A potential customer told me that he discussed it with staff and they all agreed there is no way they are going to “pay money for a website.” This from an organization with a 5 million+ budget that spends plenty of money on job postings and PR. It also runs a couple conferences with pricey entrance fees where again, money must be getting spent to promote and grow these annual events.

My first couple of thoughts were, “Why is this guy talking to me like I don’t have a good product.” “Why do so many other businesses and nonprofits see the value in membership at JustMeans.” Then it hit me – this guy does not understand the difference between a website and a social media platform.

A Website

The term website implies to a static collection of pages. Click on this button and read this. Go to this page and read this. I think non-interactive websites are becoming a thing of the past.

A Platform

The term platform is a dynamic framework where applications are run. JustMeans is a platform because we run applications (all of the elements of a profile are becoming applications with dhtml) and we will allow 3rd party applications to be installed. Features like gmaps are also considered applications.

The possibilities on a platform vs a website are not even comparable. If someone is not familiar with social media platforms, it might just look like a glorified website. But when you mix the power of flexible applications with the “7 degrees of separation” factor of social networking, then you have something that is far superior to – “just a website”.

Social Media Spending Up when Economy is Down?

I thought this was an interesting chart from Foresters regarding marketing spend during a down economy.

I have to wonder though… it is a strategic decision by companies or is it just because it is less expensive and sexy?

One reason I think social media spending is going up (no matter what) is because companies are just now realizing exactly how far behind the times they are in regards leveraging these new channels of media.

Anyone else have thoughts on why?

Quit First, Ask Questions Later

When I was in my early 20’s I turned a corner in my professional career. I was working for a non-profit organization as an Aquatics Director (aka glorified lifeguard), managing (baby-sitting) around 50 part-time staff, and monitoring (making miracles happen..) a $150,000 budget. A job I thought could make a difference in the world, wasn’t making much of a dent at all. What about the greater good? Must help the community! Must give and give!

After working 14 days in a row, I remember thinking how much I hated my job. Not only was I underpaid and overworked, but I also realized this non-profit organization did a horrible job at treating their employees well. Ahhh….I was tricked by a non-profit organization! I remember looking at myself in the reflection of the pool and thinking, “How did I get here?”

I hated my job and no longer believed in the organization. I was only earning money. I decided it was time to give my notice and it was one of the best things I ever did. From that day forward, I would only take part-time work that would allow me to study so I could quickly complete my college degree in International Management. After I finished my degree, I started a small retail business which proved to be a powerful, foundational learning experience. I then founded Global Deaf Connection, an organization to support Deaf people in developing countries. I later travelled the world through a consulting fellowship with Bertelsmann, moved to the UK where I started a business development consultancy, and now I am living my dream as COO of JustMeans. JustMeans is a social media platform that rallies both companies and individuals around social responsibility. I help socially responsible companies promote their good work and encourage individuals to work for a company that is creating positive change in the world. I love my job so much that I actually have to force myself to take time off. Such a great feeling.

My advice:
If you hate your job and do not believe in the company your work for, don’t sit around waiting for something to change. Become proactive: put in your notice, dive into a full-time search, and as a result, you may end up working for an organization you believe in. Monday mornings can become a whole new reality.

LinkedIn and Facebook vs JustMeans

Is it wrong for the Chief Operating Officer of JustMeans to admit he uses LinkedIn and Facebook?
No – because each of these platforms fulfil their own purpose.

Facebook

I have to admit, when I am sending out my funny holiday pictures, I jump right on to my Facebook account and blast away. I find Facebook to be a good place to keep up with my friends and family. I receive their news feeds, get invited to parties, and keep up-dated on everyone’s most recent pictures. I even like playing around with the childish things you can do like “throwing a snow-ball” at your friend’s profile or sending a graphic of a birthday cake or a soda-pop to a buddy. Facebook does have its place in my heart as a more “social” form of email.

LinkedIn

I dove in to LinkedIn a little while back and was amazed at all the old connections I made. It is a great place to connect with business professionals from previous jobs. In just two days I was able to connect with 86 people that I have known or worked with in the past. When it is time to re-connect with your professional contacts from the past, LinkedIn is worthy place to start.

JustMeans

Unlike LinkedIn or Facebook, JustMeans has a focus around companies and individuals interested in social responsibility. JustMeans is much more of a niche market for two main reasons:

1) JustMeans is focused around both company and individual profiles. On Facebook you can link your profile to another individual profile to become “friends” – on JustMeans an individual can link to a company profile and become a “stakeholder”. This is a good way for individuals and companies which are interested in social responsibility to interact on a professional platform.
2) On JustMeans, individuals are introduced to new users interested in the same areas of social responsibility. This puts much more of a focus on people developing new connections instead of just connecting with social or professional contacts that they already know.

Max Gladwell’s blog,‘Social Media and Green Living’, does a good job in explaining the above two points about JustMeans.