Ask Premier Ed
Earlier this summer fusedlogic launched a social media website called “dearmrpremier.ca” in an attempt to enable an open and direct line of communications with Premier Ed Stelmach and his office. The thought is, Albertans could respectfully ask a question directly of Premier Stelmach and he could select one or more questions to respond to personally with the understanding that he couldn’t possibly answer every single one. The catch is that this would all be open to comment and vote by the public.
We started this prototype process by inviting college students to participate and in fact a few did. Because of ongoing discussions, we haven’t put any resources behind marketing the project, as we were waiting for a more opportune time to move forward. After the soft launch on Twitter we were notified in less than an hour that Premier Stelmach’s staff were actively searching for answers as to who was behind the site. After it was determined through our communications that our intent was not malicious we had asked if there may be an opportunity to discuss the future of the site and the potential of having Premier Stelmach’s direct participation. Those meetings have not as of yet happened.
In the meantime, so that Albertans have a better understanding of the differences in functionality and approach between dearpremier.ca and Ask Premier Ed we’ve prepared a brief comparison of models below.
| Dear Mr Premier | Ask Premier Ed | |
| Channels of Communication | Open post, can be shared on Facebook/Twitter | Twitter, YouTube, Online Form |
| Timeline | Launched March 15, 2009 | Launched November 25, 2009 |
| Openness | All posts are visible, moderation happens after | Moderation happens behind the scenes |
| Likelihood of a Response | Only upon a certain level of public involvement | For a chosen post, guaranteed |
| Discussion Around Ideas | Complete open citizen participation through comments or followup questions | No discussion functionality available |
| Importance Determined By | Public voting | The Premier’s office |
| Design | Simplicity | Integrated with other government resources |
Further Examples of Communication Models:
Open for Questions (Official WhiteHouse.gov page)
Prime Minister Harper’s Facebook Page
A social media chuckle
Are you frustrated because your organization is observing massive emerging and transformational trends and waiting until things progress so far down the road that there’s nothing left to separate you from the rest of the pack? These same folks are the brilliant minds who currently think the “button-fly” is now primed to revolutionize the clothing industry.
There are many different characters and organizations in this massive theatrical play we call the social web. Below is a fun, tongue-in-cheek look at some of these audience types.
Here’s a few main categories of how organizations break down where social media is concerned:
Totally oblivious – these living in the stone age, status-quo critters are asleep at the wheel and heading for the ditch. You mention “facebook” and they stare back at you as if you’ve just said something in original Klingon.
Frady cats – believers that the risk of leveraging social media is so high, it’ll be catastrophic and all perceived barriers are impossible to overcome. They’d rather just stick to the “prudent” traditional course of action. The order of the day is to remain void of any innovation or change in process until such time as all the competitive advantage is sucked dry out of the opportunity. All of which makes their unimaginative brain trust jump for joy, exclaiming that being last to the party means zero risk.
The cynic – they’ve heard it all before and they’ve seen it all before. There’s nothing, not a single thing new here to learn. Social media is old hat, you’re just selling to customers afterall. They believe the newspaper delivered every day is actually the perfect portable content delivery device.
Today’s expert – this group has taken in a presentation, workshop or attended a conference. They’ve loaded Ubertwitter on their blackberry and launched a blog. They now profess to explain the virtues of social media to anyone who’ll listen. They know just enough to be dangerous and produce little of value beyond pleasantries and idle digital chit chat. Real world experience delivering social media within their organization or anywhere else equals zero. That said, if someone was to say otherwise they wouldn’t stop them and that’s because they know enough buzz words that the “totally oblivious” see them as the social media second-coming.
Innovators – these guys push limits, they are looking for one thing – separation from the competitive pack and see the social web as one key way to achieve their goals. They recognize that true innovation is a collaborative effort and love the mass-collaboration possibilities within the real-time web. They’re not afraid to take action, commit budget and resouces. Making mistakes will happen and they celebrate failure as a chance to learn. These dynamic people move fast and expect everyone except their competitors to keep up. However, they’re smart enough to realize that competitors will eventually follow too which just fuels their fire even more.
Cautious learners – this group sees some potential within social media and are open to learning more about it. Unsure as to specifically how they may engage they intend to take their time to observe, study, listen and learn. This suits them just fine as things move slow in their culture. They are in no hurry regardless of the potential upside and frankly should they engage in social media it would be like an experience driver behind the wheel of a Model T racing a F1 Ferrari.
Quiet observer – organizations here are keeping themselves informed within the social web and participating only to the point of having a presence. They produce little if any content and hardly if ever respond publicly. There is no clear plan or strategy to emerge from this state and despite accumulating vast amounts of data they have no idea how that knowledge may be turned into a competitive advantage.
Digitally-engaged – this digital citizen uses multiple online technologies, not for the benefit of the organization, rather it’s all about them, their interests, opinions, ego and life. Should you interact with them you simply provide them with more validation and perceived credibility.
Rogue evangelist – receiving little to no support they branch off on their own skirting the parameters of their job, hoping not to offend the decision-makers. Looking to generate some small social media win via their efforts in the hopes of one day getting the call to launch a well-funded campaign with increased responsibility.
The committed – this organization sees opportunity and they’ve decided to ensure they take advantage. The proper planning and implementation is their goal and they are ready to move. A common sense and progressive business style comes to the table with them from the very beginning.
The groupie – this person or organization hopes to draw attention to themselves by attaching their brand to an individual or audience type they feel will make them look the most savvy by association. Having no history in the industry and not interested in learning or really driving business results, their perfect day includes being attacked by the social media paparazzi.
Johnny come lately – Yesterday they sold something else, today they sell social media marketing. A few changes to the website list of services and they’re all set. Sticking with the technology and adding a profile here and a group there, these guys sell the rest of the enterprise or industry a bill of goods that they know what to do and how to do it.
Non-believer – Facebook is a fad, there’s no way to prove any of it works and this is simply a matter of media hype.
Genuine – Always striving to be a trusted source in their particular industry, continually learning and experimenting. This group recognizes that there is no such thing as an expert in social media yet, only people striving to keep up and make sense of it all. Not out for a quick buck this is where sound business building and top customer service meet a new level of human dialogue and potential for growth.
If you’d like to add another category please feel free to leave a comment and join the fun.
Alberta.ca vs. flu.gov
Let’s do a fast analysis of the Government of Alberta’s (GOA) online communications strategy. To understand this better I’ve been looking for a comparison and thus have been researching the approach of Obama’s US government.
US Department of Health and Human Services
The US Department of Health and Human Services is the department responsible for communicating information about the H1N1 flu virus. The department has recognized the need to communicate within the social web so they have their own dedicated social web team.
Beyond that, they’re listening and taking action as required.
Yesterday on twitter I mentioned that I appreciated the positioning of information and the URL of “flu.gov.” Today Andrew Wilson, a member of the HHS new media team responded and thanked me for spreading the word. Please keep in mind this all happened on a Halloween weekend.
Clearly it’s one thing to monitor online discussion and another to have a dedicated team of responders who are community building and socially managing relationships. President Obama has put his trust in his administration to communicate necessary information and those decision-makers are in turn putting their trust in front-line communicators with a “funded mandate” to communicate directly and in this case “internationally.” Pretty cool if you ask me and there is evidence of this model deployed throughout the US government. The HHS site is listed below.
http://www.newmedia.hhs.gov/about.html
Here’s a short list related to the US H1N1 online infrastructure:
http://www.facebook.com/H1N1flu
The facebook fan page listed above was updated on this past Friday with up-to-date flu vaccine supply status information. I would consider this a positive example of a government agency working and operating effectively within the real-time web. Could they do more? Sure but clearly there’s a willingness and a plan.
The GOA is by enlarge, sticking with a standard broadcast model to mass-communications.
Especially but not solely surrounding the delivery of H1N1 related information. There is definitely a segment of any jurisdiction’s population that responds to the approach of traditional media and mail out brochures.
Back in Alberta, yesterday we were provided a press conference by Alberta Health Services on Halloween. One hour prior to broadcast as per Simon Ostler of Global Edmonton TV on Twitter to inform us of the clinics being shut-down and a refocusing of resources towards high-risk patients. No other official approach online within the real-time web directly from the government could be found. (If you find something let me know here so we can get the word out.)
Evidence suggests that the premier’s office ensures that whenever possible Mr. Stelmach is not in a position to personally interact with the general public in any way online unless it’s a one-way broadcast approach. That is the prudent approach used to limit exposure, limit interaction and allow a team who’s experience clearly resides outside of the real-time web to remain in control.
Top of mind penetration
Yesterday I posed an informal challenge on Twitter:
Quick test – without using google can someone tell me the URL for GOA #h1n1 info in #AB off the top of your head? No cheating. #ableg
The result: Not one person was able to come up with the GOA’s website address for H1N1 information off the top of their head. The process of effectively and regularly informing Albertans via a multi-channel process probably isn’t getting through. I’m focusing in on the open dialogue and communication that should be happening in-between press conferences? In the most recent 5 posts there’s nothing H1N1 related on the “Your Alberta” blog for example.
The GOA might suggest that the basic information Albertans need is already provided by them and they would be right. Here it is: http://www.health.alberta.ca/
Something I like is that if you look around the site, it’s fairly easy to navigate and there is some great information there and some direct commentary by Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer.
I cannot directly attribute the facebook group listed below to the GOA, I believe it is an Alberta Health Services effort and I know Todd Herron from his work related to Alberta Wellnet so I believe this group to be credible. Despite that, Herron hasn’t updated the group since Oct 28th and we’ve had a fair amount change since then.
Ultimately what I’m finding and others may agree or disagree, is that there’s a fragmented approach, a continued lack of social strategy, that in itself is a basic flaw in the overall GOA communications strategy.
My recommendation
The GOA should have a dedicated and top-notch social web enabled communications team distributing this important information in real-time via multiple channels supporting all key stakeholders through their efforts.
Here’s the problem, governments operate with all sorts of political agendas. Certain folks are threatened and want to justify and protect their jobs. This is often done by controlling the message internally and keeping activity within the limits of their skill-sets. This is rampant throughout all levels of government bureaucracies. IT departments want control, consistency and get territorial over their particular area. Many get bogged down in auditing processes that act as barriers to progress. Public relations wants to direct and control messaging via their department and the social web represents a chaotic eco-system. Ministers want control over the message and activities of their portfolio which can directly conflict with government effectiveness and its ability to deliver services to you and I.
A shift in thinking is required
This quick and dirty comparison is really talking about the difference between the US government’s online strategy involving a recognized need to manage the online relationship with the general public in a social web context. That compared to the GOA’s less socially inspired approach which has a near zero commitment in this area when compared to what is possible across the entire government. The US has a sustainable social web relationship management strategy for communicating in the real-time web. The GOA is content to continue to leverage the traditional public relations model with a couple of isolated efforts on behalf of brave insiders.
Frankly, it’s not much of a stretch to think that this blog post might not sit well with Mr. Stelmach, Ron Glen, Tom Olsen and the rest of his team within the premier’s office. Despite that fact I want to be very clear, my team and I are here to help this province and our fellow Albertans by leveraging our skills in this area. Some will attempt to twist these words as adversarial or negative – that’s not my intent. Rather the point is to simply communicate information that could be of help.
Participation in social media, Twitter, Facebook is tough!
- Image by HubSpot via Flickr
Twitter, Facebook and other social media are already impacting your organization.
Social media is about the social dynamics and the amplification of human behaviors, rather than the technology used. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other platforms have cultural variations but ultimately “human nature is human nature.” Pay close attention and strive to understand such statements as, “human-web, citizen-web, crowd-sourcing,” which demonstrate that people are at the centre of it all.
With this fact in mind, it’s a safe bet that many of your employees are already engaged in various social web activities. Your organization may block access to these technologies at work and yet privately, employees are talking about how they “hate work, can’t wait to leave work” via a mobile device, “love their work but hate their boss” or worse. On the flip-side there are also folks who love their job, company and customers. Probably most importantly, your customers are also out there talking about your brand, at least you should hope they are. Either way, having your organization sitting on the sidelines with its “head in the sand” is the last option that should be exercised.
Only the brave shall pass.
In this “frady cat, uneducated” scenario I’ve seen play out more times than I care to count, decision-makers are typically the barriers to moving forward successfully. Often, managers think social media is a waste of time and honestly, there is some truth to that point-of-view. That’s correct, I just said that social media can be a waste of time. If time is purely spent on self-gratification and entertainment with little to no engagement in meaningful discussions or learning about issues, trends within your industry, that’s time wasted. Tagging photos on Facebook and offering “dude you were so wasted last night,” doesn’t constitute the kind of relationship building most managers appreciate. Having said all of this, scheduling endless meetings over coffee, or having long phone conversations without a point can also waste time, however, that activity can be made to appear productive. In the end, the sales numbers don’t lie and everyone pays the piper eventually.
The social web can be a tough transition for managers, there’s a sense of control loss. Especially for those who are not about listening to customers. I’m not an advocate for shutting all access down. A clear policy and accountability behind the use of these powerful tools and platforms should be designed and implemented. Imagine an organization of 5000 people or more all engaging positively in building brand loyalty…I suggest providing direction, education and creative solutions as a healthier alternative. By the way, this is the same flat-organization success that induces cold sweats among the “coast and collect a pay-check” managers in your midst, you can see them coming a mile away. We lose business opportunities when matched up against these folks. The social web represents a shift in business model and cultural philosophy that many want to avoid at all costs.
Your customers demand increased access
Organizational leaders should realize that many customers have learned to voice and amplify their opinions, especially when things go wrong.
This evolution means re-examining how your organization addresses customer relations. Savvy orgs will claim that (theoretically,) every employee is now responsible for the customer experience, (as it should be.) If this is true, that philosophy needs to translate online, managers following an effective social media strategy should learn how to cultivate internal evangelists and teach them to take the lead in terms of community management.
Prepare for the psychological and cultural impact
Participation within social media will definitely impact the psyche of your organization. Participation takes commitment and the bravery to push through these changes and we’ve found that this is the toughest thing for organizations to do. When was the last time you invited clients to sit down and offer their advice on how you could be better? When was the last time this event took place publicly for all to see?
If unprepared for this environment, social media can expose short-comings, insecurities, ineffective processes and dated marketing strategies.
Frankly you should probably ask yourself if your organization actually does anything of interest? “If your organizational tree fell in the forest would anybody care?” Are you irrelevant? If so, your company has larger issues at hand, like looking for a new leader. The social web can be tough and if you commit to it properly, it can also be extremely profitable and one of your most powerful tools. The question is, are you up to the task?
