I recently received a great question from a twitter friend, Chelsea Duchene @GoFigureChelsea Who asked “how do you switch from opportunity seeking to strategic thinking”? I am paraphrasing slightly, see the conversation above.

What a great question. Over the last decade I have been privileged to design and develop strategies for Small and Medium Businesses, Government Departments, NGO’s, and Social Entrepreneurs. I have noticed that those organisations and projects that invest in and commit to sound strategy are more productive and more pleasant to be involved with.

Being a Strategic Thinker

Being a Strategic Thinker is about having a framework you can repeatedly apply to shift you and your business towards a predetermined goal or target. This framework then becomes a filter through which you make decisions about any new tactics or opportunities and actions are you going to take.

As human beings we are rather irrational illogical creatures. We can tend to become overwhelmed by the pletora of opportunities available to us and mountain of information raining on us.Having a documented strategy that you had committed to, manages the distraction of shiny new objects, and it mitigates against becoming a rampant opportunity chasers.

When you break it down a digital strategy or any strategy for that matter has five key components.

Five Key Components Of Digital Strategy

The first component is assessment or an inventory of the current situation. A big picture view of the environment in which the strategy is operating. This would typically involve some research or fact-finding, however it can be as simple as taking a page and jotting down all the assets or strengths that you currently have or can draw on and a profile of all of the stakeholders that are affected by or involved in the strategy .

The second element is goals or targets, documenting what it is that you want from the strategy.

The third component is an action plan with some activities or actions that you will take in order to reach your goals or targets

The fourth element is some kind of measurement. Metrics that you will use to determine if your strategy is on target or if you need to alter your actions to reach the goals or targets you’ve set out in your strategy.

The fifth and final element is planned reflection or review. The key word is planned. It’s vital to evaluate if your actions and tactics are leading you towards or away from your targets and how are they performing based on the resources you’re using.

Tip of the hat to @eventatpowwows and Rich Schefren for getting the conversation started.

I’d love to know your thoughts? How do you keep in a strategic frame of mind?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

Dave Carroll is a Canadian musician with a wicked sense of humor and apparently “hell hath no fury as a Dave scorned”!

Dave was sitting on a Untied Airlines flight waiting for takeoff, when he spotted a UA baggage handler … throwing his guitar case. Result, a broken guitar and a failure by the Customer Relations department to resolve the matter to Dave’s satisfaction, Check. Dave’s move, Dave made the Youtube video above the experience, Check.

With the video closing on 5 Million views, Chris Ayres, LA corespondent for the Times Online, estimates that the resulting fallout has cost United $180 M or 10% of their market cap. It’s not that United Airlines don’t know how to do customer service really well, Ravesh (see the link) gives them, the thumbs up. However I think it would be fair to say, that this incident has turned out not as they would have liked.

Moral of this Social Media Story.

Social Media has changed the communication landscape. Media is now created by everyone, People are “The Media”. This can work for your business (i.e. lot’s of positive recommendations like Rakesh’s cheery post above)  and against your business (i.e. a video like Dave’s). The best insurance for your business is to develop a Social Media Strategy for your brand or business and use your Social Media presence to build a relationship with your clients and customers. Oh yer… and work hard to solve problems that your clients might be experiencing, lest you cross a customer like Dave.

It’s the Attention Age, do you have it?

Update: United have offered to compensate, Dave says “no, it’s not about the money” and invites United to donate to a charity of their choice.

Does this seem amazing to you Dave an individual is now telling a multi-national Airline what to do. Welcome to the Attention Age, Dave has a lot of people’s attention (currency) and is now in a powerful position, his song is selling very strongly in iTunes (cash, old fashioned currency), and appearances on major networks, newspapers, and plenty of buzz online (more currency), Checkmate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay7hFIYQFnw

Your Move

If you don’t already have a Social Media strategy in place for your business, then it might be a good time to start. Byron New Media are creating a 5 video series on Developing a Social Media Strategy for your Brand or Business it might be a good time now to sign up for the FREE videos and the accompanying overview or you might like to contact us about engaging us as consultant to develop or implement a strategy  for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueB2PPyHaNs

Social Media can be a very direct medium, it’s quite intimate. Social Media Marketing is subtle, it can become direct but it starts more obtuse.  As someone wanting to market in the personal space of Social Media it is far more engaging to have a good time and allow other sot do the same.

The video above is brilliant touch in subtly, and watching it I found myself have a pretty good time. It will no doubt position BB&A (the company that posted it on Youtube) as being capable and great to work with. At no stage do they attempt to broadcast their brilliance but instead show themselves getting the job done.  I had a feeling when I met Mark and Gideon (founders of BB&A) on Twitter about a month ago, that here was a company and a couple of guys who really get Social Media and who will do well leveraging it to benefit their business. Tip of the hat lads! Social Media subtle like well … Elvis???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spiJe8ungmU

Now you can go to Social Media Kit- Developing a Social Media Strategy for Your Business or Brand and register to receive all 5 videos and a free Social Media Strategy template.

Leave us a comment below, let us know how the video helped you or what we left out and what you would like to know more about.

Four Pillars of a Social Media Strategy

First Social Media Strategy Pillar – Listen

Understand the conversation in your niche or market before creating any significant content. Understand context and hear the pain of your target audience.

Second Social Media Strategy Pillar – Engage

Uncover your ideal clients/customers/partners in their natural Social Media settings and make contact in a way that enables a meaningful relationship.

Third Social Media Strategy Pillar – Connect

Create or adopt Social Media spaces where your new tribe can connect with your, your content and one another.

Fourth Social Media Strategy Pillar – Share

Having recognised and adopted the first three pillar. Share meaningful content in the right setting and context, that empathizes with the pain being felt by your tribe and demonstrate your leadership.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai9Eg9arZQU

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