​Change Management: Managing the strategic change driven by social channels

Increasingly the team here at Zoodikers is advising clients at board level about the strategic business changes being driven by social networking and digital technology.

A few years back, we saw many businesses panicked into jumping on the social media bandwagon, and subsequently taking a really tactical approach. Some naively handed the project over to Graduate Interns who they believed intuitively ‘got it.’

Many simply posted unplanned messages, in a one-way direction, typically blasting out bland sales messages. They then wondered why they saw little, if any, return on investment.

In certain circles, social networking has really evolved over the past year or so. Its impact has moved beyond just the PR and marketing team, to the domain of today’s salesperson, HR Director and Customer Service Manager, to name just a few. A good example is Nationwide with its 24/7 Twitter based customer service offering, #AskNationwide.

This integrated approach requires true business change, which is uncomfortable for many businesses, some of which are more used to operating in silos, where departments sometimes compete with one another rather than collaborate.

We’ve found that our 6-step process helps our clients to approach change in a planned and strategic fashion:

1. Plan and segment your audiences, deciding what your business objectives are e.g. increased sales, and how those audiences can be influenced e.g. at conferences, via a LinkedIn group etc.

2. Devise a marketing plan with a clear, compelling content strategy

3. Build your profile and differentiate, taking into consideration traditional and digital platforms

4. Nurture sales leads, considering the marketing funnel and its approach in pushing prospects closer to purchase

5. Build a social business, where clear policies are in place and trust and collaboration feature high on the agenda

6. Measure, evaluate and plan again. Consider metrics and tools such as Hootsuite, but ultimately the achievement of your business goals.

It’s a complex world in which we now live. The lines between business and personal activity have blurred, making it uncomfortable for many executives. But what is certain is further change. So for those still burying their heads in the sand, perhaps now is the time to seek help; this could range from a half day training course on how to exploit social channels for business development, to hiring an agency to support your plans to achieve a flotation is 18 months time.

Either way, we’re here to help.