BlogWell New York Social Media Case Study: The Dow Chemical Company, presented by Abby Klanecky

SocialMedia.orgVideo Case Studies

Abby Klanecky

Empowering Scientists as Storytellers

This video is from

BlogWellSan FranciscoJune 20, 2011

socialmedia.org/blogwell

SocialMedia.orgCase Studies

This presentation is from

BlogWellNew York

September 12, 2012socialmedia.org/blogwell

BlogWell NYC, September 12, 2012

@abby_klanecky

The Dow Chemical Company

Opportunity

Insight: What is the core of our company?

We are …

STEM: Competing with Google, Apple,

GE, Microsoft, Boeing

Goal: Re-frame our brand & attract best next-gen scientists

Strategy: Empower our scientists as storytellers

Building Their Voice: The training program

Get Everyone On the Same Page:

You have a personal brand. Don’t believe us?

Commitment: Power Law of Participation

Low Engagement High

Channel Focus: Research-based

What we do in our

jobs day-to-day Publishing Interacting

Speaking

Guest

Columns

Panels

Asking and

Answering

Questions

University

Lectures

Media

Quotes &

Interviews

Recruiting

Keynotes

Building

Relationships

Advocating

and

Educating Developing

White Papers

Presentation

Slide Decks

Content Focus: Build on Current Work

Support: The Dow Social Media System

The Core Digital Team manages the company’s

corporate-level social media

presence and provides

leadership, strategy, structure

and process globally.

Ambassadors are scientists and

other specialists who have raised

their hands to speak on behalf of

Dow and receive special training to

be the company’s authentic, expert

voice in social media.

Advocates are third-party

influencers engaged on specific

topics, i.e. alumni and key partners

like The Nature Conservancy,

American Chemistry Council

Community Managers facilitate social media

communications with current

and prospective customers

and stakeholders on specific

topics or areas of expertise.

An influential journalist who often covers

sustainability posts a tweet asking readers

about their opinions of a new Dow product. The

question is neutral in nature, the responses

from others vary.

Managed Risk: Scenario Training

A college senior studying chemistry posts on her blog about

how companies like Dow and BASF are using chemistry to

create more efficient tools for energy creation and distribution

however some of the information in the blog post (while

positive) is incorrect.

Uncovered True Barriers

Reality:

• Culture

• Structure

• Productivity

Perception:

• Legal barrier with

training and

empowerment?

• Riskier to do nothing

More than linking ‘social media’ to sales:

Growing our influence & our business.

Framework & Results

Empowering Storytellers: Strategy & Implementation Plan

Business Case: • Identified business drivers/needs

• Conducted competitive analysis

• Prioritized opportunities

Strategic Plan: • Defined unique position &

strategy to address

• Identified core assets & content

approach

• Developed resource plan (fixed &

variable investment: headcount,

budget)

Executive Buy-In: • Articulated business value of social

media to key business leaders

• Identified influential first movers

• Sought buy-in from key partners:

Legal, Communications, Marketing

Program Development &

Roll-out: • Developed training program

• Piloted program with 3 key groups

• Content & voice vs. tools & channels

Optimization & Support: • Modified training program

• Developed defined, yet

decentralized roles

• Formalized network and reporting

Results

Since April…

• ~100 trained

• 35 active

• 20 very active

• 5 achieving Dow &/or their own goals

• Waiting list for next sessions

Key Lessons: Overall

• Evolution vs. Revolution

• Changing culture requires mind-numbing repetition

• Minimize distractions & detractors

• Keep tools simple

• Build on existing goals and projects; don’t create a

new/new environment

Key Lessons: Training

• Depending on company culture, expect 10 – 50%

success rate of trained individuals

• Evaluate & evolve your materials after each training

• In person training produced faster results & better

ongoing collaboration

• Training groups of 5 – 10 worked best

– Learned from each other

– Had time for individual coaching

We Are Dow

How to contact me:

@abby_klanecky

http://www.linkedin.com/in/abigailklanecky

Learn more about past and upcoming BlogWells


This video is from

BlogWellSan FranciscoJune 20, 2011


SocialMedia.orgCase Studies

This presentation is from

BlogWellNew York

September 12, 2012socialmedia.org/blogwell

BlogWell New York Social Media Case Study: The Dow Chemical Company, presented by Abby Klanecky

Business

Transcript of BlogWell New York Social Media Case Study: The Dow Chemical Company, presented by Abby Klanecky