L E A D E R NETWORKS
How To Be A Thought Leader Online
Vanessa DiMauro
CEO, Leader Networks
Presented to
Institute of Management Consultants
2009
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Professional networking & social media
It’s all about connecting online
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Why Engage Online?
1. Members make good clients
• Gain 24X7 view into existing client issues and interests
• Showcase value of your practice to prospective clients
• Increase client loyalty and retention with the web of knowledge
2. Member participation helps practice area
• Bubble up new trends and issues
• Surfaces issues that need consulting help
• Allow you to test new ideas and approaches in a less formal way online
3. Online Participation with you = relationship building
1. Relationship are a gateway to purchase decisions
3Leader Networks © 2009
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Being A Brand Online
Online Leadership offers an opportunity for you to develop your
“Idea Portfolio” through active participation
with people and content over time
– Hybrid between published article and verbal presentation i.e. talk or consulting situation
– BUT: Big Difference - Exchanges are typically BETWEEN you and another person plus onlookers
– Most important thing to get right is how you interact with people online
© 2009 Leader Networks 4
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Listening: Reputation Management
• Discover your online identity
– Research yourself, your firm or company and your area of practice
– http://www.google.com/alerts
– Fix or edit any incorrect information about you or your firm.
• If you find yourself quoted, mentioned or commented about on a blog or article, use comments area to respond – right away
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Activity + Credibility = Visibility
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Collaborating: Creating an Effective Social Media Profile
• She is reachable and accessible
• Effective photo and contact information
• Expertise and area of practice is clear and well defined
• Credible authority established
• Bio is first person
• “She has spoken on 6 continents about the XYZ Management best practice.”
• Links to others = well connected
• Interests give personal feeling
• Activity and frequency of use establishes commitment
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The Network Effect
• Jim connects to 14 people upon joining a Network
• Those 14 people live in 12 different states and 1 different country
• And represent 7 different areas of expertise
• Jim now has the ability to connect with all 14 people’s connections
• Jim is now connected to about 400 people
• Just by connecting to 14 people
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Professional networking successmeans making connections
And using them well
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Effective Thought Leaders Help Other SEE
Support Knowledge Exchange
Encourage Others to Be Visible Online
Enable Access to Tools and Resources
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Facilitation Best Practice for Thought Leaders
• Framing a question effectively
– Blending inquiry with advocacy
• Being a facilitator not an expert knower
– Moving tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge
• Tone and timing
• Talking to yourself
• Outreach
• Teaching a person to fish
– Connecting others
– Handing over reigns
– Managing a highly involved subgroup
9Leader Networks © 2009
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Thought Leader Tactics for Engagement
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Main goal Key action
Discover members introduce self and email them short overview of groupGive members a go-to resource (you)
Educate members Be a resource to other online
Involve members Ask individuals for documents, opinions, posts and interviews to share with the community
Connect members Point people to valuable resources, discussions other people
Reward members Reinforce community-enhancing behaviors by thanking members, featuring members, sending “knowledge-gifts” or access to special events.
Leader Networks © 2009
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A Social Media Lifecycle
SEARCH
Find clients or
colleagues who are
members of the
network, identify
relationships and
connect with them
CONTRIBUTE
• Send a link to a story that would be
relevant or interesting to them
• Watch blogs and use the comment feature
• Answer questions in the discussion groups
• Feature others on your blog or reference
them favorably in the community
INVITE
Ask others to
participate in an
online discussion
topic with you
CONNECT
Engage with
others and be
a connector
© 2009 Leader Networks
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"Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality." -- Dalai Lama
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Promoting: Using Social Media to Prospect
Prepared
Connected
In step with others
Graceful
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Or ... How social media are just like being at a face-to-face event
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Mis-step #1: Business goals don’t match Social Media Program/Efforts
Intention and outcome need to be aligned
The WHO should dictate the HOW and the WHY
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Misstep #2: Building Mausoleums instead of Sherpa Tents
Evolutionary sprints are keyBuild, learn, evolve, build, learn, evolve, build
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Misstep #3: Excessive Exuberance
Monitor and Measure to Know and Grow.
The Right Metrics Matter!
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What You Need to Succeed: the Three P’s
• A Purpose for engaging– Know what you want to get out of online professional networking– Define the social media program goals and plans (increase awareness of
partners capabilities, share thought leadership)
• A Point of View– Use the virtual podium wisely – photo, info & ideas and update– Power to showcase knowledge
• let your attorneys show what they know • Transparency is key• If they would be allowed to attend an event without regulation, let them
online without controls
• Patience– Returns come over time - expect results after 3-6 months.– In person rules of engagement = online rules of engagement
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20 Minute Social Media Game Plan
For an effective Social Media savvy professional ...
• Spends 5 minutes a day scanning RSS feeds, blogs and emails
• 1 second to check reputation alert, topic or company key word alert
– 5 minutes to respond-- if need be -- to a blog post or social media entry
– Send email to author of great article – invites to connect if she responds
• Logs into professional network every few days for about 8-10 minutes
– Connects to 1-3 people every few visits
– Writes a personalized email to 1-2 connections
– Scans forums or blogs
• Comments briefly or posts a message
• Once or twice a month (at least) – writes or co-writes a blog entry
– Twitters new blog post
– Posts blog on network profile
– RSS sends blog entry automatically to all subscribers
– Responds to comments
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Presenter’s BIO
• Vanessa DiMauro is the CEO of Leader Networks. A pioneer in business-to-business community building, Vanessa has been creating successful online communities and networks for more than fifteen years. Vanessa is a popular speaker, researcher and author on the topics of online communities, social and professional networking, and Web 2.0 for business. With a research background, Vanessa takes the approach of a cultural anthropologist to help businesses effectively use social media to get closer to their customers, generate revenue, innovation and tangible ROI. She has founded and run leading online professional communities such as Cambridge Information Network (CIN) for Cambridge Technology Partners, Computerworld Executive Suite and CXO Systems' Peer Visibility Network. She consults with many organizations on Web 2.0 for business and has a blue chip client list which includes Cisco, Cognizant, EMC, LexisNexis, The Palladium Group and SAP.
• Vanessa DiMauro was recently named a 2009 Research Fellow for the Society of New Communications Research and also serves as an Executive- In-Residence at Babson College, for the Olin School of Management. Women in Technology International (WITI) named Vanessa DiMauro one of "Boston's Most Influential Women in Technology". She holds both a B.A. and an M.A. from Boston College.
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