ONLINE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

The “FLEE” Model

• Find your evangelists • Listen to them actively and

take them seriously• Engage them in one-to-one and

many-to-many conversations• Empower them to find each

other and achieve

Know where to find them

Understand Where the Watering Holes Are

Set Up the Infrastructure to Mine the Conversations

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Determine Who Are Your Evangelists/Vigilantes

Who are these people?

These are not the droids you’re looking for

Listen

Mine the Conversations

Understand the Common Threads of Conversation

Figure Out What They Want

Develop insights that help you ideate and take the next steps

Engage

Explore Their Universe

Participate In Their World

Learn the Language and Converse

Be Open to Talking and Learning

Empower

Help the Communities achieve something they might not be able to on their own

Develop programs that get them spreading the buzz to others

Give the community leaders a role in in your program

Start the Conversation

Online Citizenship & Ethics

Don’t Pitch, Participate• Community participation is a key measure of

credibility– Do you participate? Do your competitors?– Do you provide thoughtful comments or

posts?– Can you be considered an expert or an

informed source in your field?

Mind The World’s Longer Memory• Google, Blogpulse, and

Technorati index, archive, and preserve online history… and make it accessible!

• Treat your posts/comments as if you’ll find them in Lexis/Nexis ten years from now

You Knew The Rules Before• The following were all

bad things before social media came to be:– Libel, slander – Breach of confidentiality– Discussing partners or

colleagues in an unflattering manner

– Otherwise unprofessional or inappropriate behavior

Write Well

• Writing is the user-interface of the communications world

• Observe how other online community members write

• Remain professional, yet be sure to develop your own voice and style – leave the jargon behind

Be Authentic• Don’t misrepresent…– …who you are– …who you work

for/with– …what your personal/

professional interest is in communicating

Be Thoughtful• Add value to the discussion• Don’t just funnel raw

information or PR-generated materials

• What do you have to say?

Be Thoughtful

Facts you can get anywhere. Online community members demand and deserve context!

Facts you can get anywhere. Online community members demand and deserve context!

Press Release

Be Accurate• Support your views by citing and linking to credible sources• Demonstrate you know all sides of an issue while representing your

company’s interests• Take time to construct an argument

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Claim

Support

Warrant BackingRebuttal

This model forces you to construct such an argument.

This model forces you to construct such an argument.

Pay Attention• Inform yourself and

your opinions• Keep up with the blogs

and online news sources that drive your community of interest.

• Make thoughtful comments and postings where appropriate

• Be prepared to act quickly

Pay Attention

RSS allows you to follow multiple sources.Free tools allow you to track conversation trends.

Respect The Record

• Do not alter or delete posts or comments after they’ve gone online

• Exceptions– The item clearly violates a published policy on the

site– The item is slanderous, foul, vile, lewd, crude,

lascivious, • Update the post if circumstances require– Corrected facts– Updated information

Always indicate if a change has been made!

Respect The Record

Respect Privacy• Know the difference

between a private person, a public person, and a limited-purpose public person

• Well-tested media law forbids you from “bootstrapping”: making a private person a public one for the sake of discussion

Argument Is Fine, Quarrelling Isn’t

A discussion in which disagreement is expressed; a debate.

An angry dispute; an altercation.

ar-gu-ment

quar-rel

• You won’t agree with everyone in online communities

• Feel free to voice those disagreements, but don’t pick fights

Forget About “Control”• The world is moving from

“lecture” to “conversation”

• No one likes someone who tries to “control” a conversation

• You can still operate with your interests in mind

It’s Okay To Have A Personality Now

• You’ve spent your career writing press releases, well now’s your chance!

• Online citizens with a singular voice have won hearts and minds

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The Complete List

1. Don’t pitch, participate2. Mind the world’s longer memory3. You knew the rules before4. Write well5. Be authentic6. Be thoughtful7. Be accurate8. Pay attention9. Respect the record10. Respect privacy11. Argument is fine; quarreling is not12. Forget about “control”13. It’s okay to have a personality now

the H O N E S T Y

Honesty Of Relationship

• Don’t shill• Don’t go undercover• Comply with regulations

Honesty Of Opinion

• It’s all about mutual respect• Your opinion is your opinion;• Feel free to share it, but

please… • Let others form and express

their own

Honesty Of Identity

• Kids can play dress up andhave make believe friends;we can’t

• Please practice full disclosure