John Haydon had a post a while ago about the National Wildlife Federation’s involvement in social media that gets at the main way organizations are adopting new tools. One or two people experiment, they see some results, and others join them over time. Danielle Brigida said:
Mostly it was my coworker Kristin Johnson and I, spending a few hours a week playing around with different social media sites and testing out NWF’s messages on them. There hasn’t been a conscious decision to do this stuff–a few of us just started doing it and the organization is seeing the benefits and is jumping on board one program at a time.
This is the normal pattern. So why do people often regret it?
What would you have done differently with social media if you knew what you know now?
Probably worked more with our program staff initially.
You always want to do this. You want to involve all the subject matter experts right away, and it never quite happens. So how do you plan to build that involvement over time?
First, determine your early professional adopters.
This isn’t about early adopters anymore: personal social media accounts are extremely common. But not everyone is comfortable using these tools for work, leaving a professional electron trail that could be used by their organization long after they leave and that will remain part of their record as they continue their career elsewhere. Find the people who want to become thought leaders, who are willing to experiment with something new even in a context with higher stakes. You probably already know who in your organization this is.
Second, create an orientation and add new participants.
When you have results, more people will want to join in. They’ll be less willing to experiment, so be sure they know the results of your early experiments and how to get a return from the time they spend on social media. Teach them how to create content, but also how to promote it and how to build their audience. To keep everyone in sync with your organizational communications strategy, hold an orientation and occasional meetings where they can talk to each other.
Third, corral your late-adopters.
Not everyone will volunteer. Some organizations might require participation, but that isn’t a good thing to spring on people – especially in social media, where success depends on making these tools part of your routine. Instead, think about how to include people in a way that fits their style, perhaps by interviewing them yourself and talking about what you learned. A colleague might also dislike one tool but adopt another later on, so don’t stop asking them to get involved!
