We like to look good, but sometimes when people consciously decide to be fashionable, disaster strikes. I’ve been there. Those clothes in the depths of my wardrobe and my credit card bill won’t let me forget.
Technology moves through fashions too. Companies want to be modern and hate the idea of being left behind. Social media is seen as the new black in the corporate world. But actually, social media should really be seen as the new canary yellow - great colour, but it doesn’t go with everything.
We have frequent discussions with clients from every sector who feel they must adopt social tools but fear losing control over the message. I think we shouldn’t be discussing social software in the first place, we should be talking about who they are, their corporate culture, their market and who they want to be in the future – realistically.
Forget about labels and focus on business objectives. How can social software and user participation contribute to those objectives? Which tools and features are justified? What are the risks? Are they manageable? How are we going to measure success?
This presentation from Bond Art + Science is focused on media, but it’s tactical insights can be applied to other types of organisations willing to adopt and adapt social conversation to their business goals. One size does not fit all.
Very good point (and metaphore).
In the nineties everyone wanted to be a media outlet so they built DHTMLfied expensive portals. Ten years after, new buzz, same silly bets: now they want to be “social” media so they built ajaxified social network sites.
And the story goes on and on… business people that look at themselves as rational people show how childish and emotional they really are when they make decisions. (I guess lots of important decisions in the corporate world are taken following this pattern).