Ok, so you decide to implement an internal microblogging platform like Yammer or Socialcast, or even an internal Wiki platform like SocialText or Confluence.
You go crazy making your business case based on the idea that people will be so much more productive. You sweat the long nights and the hard work that it takes to get your new platform stood up within your organization so that everyone can begin to collaborate. Productivity gains are now at everyone’s fingertips.
So you begin recruiting your internal employees, getting them to join, asking them to get others to join, and placing reminders to join in the company newsletter – you whole organization is a buzz with the news. You are a hero.
But where is the productivity?
Jacob Nielsen coined a theory called the 1-9-90 theory that says out of every hundred people who join a community or network – 1% actively contribute – 9% contribute from time to time – and 90% are lurkers.
It’s almost like answering 1 out of every 100 emails!
The cycle of this theory has to be broken when it comes to internal collaboration sites. You can’t put out a request for help from an internal team and everyone misses the tweet or posting.
I think as Social Media marketers we have to get better at training. And setting the expectation that if you join you are expected to contribute. Maybe even go so far as making it a requirement in your yearly performance review. Not just a ‘check the box’ type of – did you contribute back to the community – but if you didn’t contribute tangibly back to the community – it may impact your bonus potential!
This is the type of approach it will take to really flip that theory on its head.
In the same vein:
About Paul Dunay
Paul Dunay is an award-winning marketer with more than 20 years’ success in generating demand and creating buzz for leading technology, consumer products, financial services and professional services organizations.
Paul is Global Managing Director of Services and Social Marketing for Avaya, a global leader in enterprise communications, and author of Facebook Marketing for Dummies (Wiley 2009). His unique approach to integrated marketing has led to recognition as a BtoB Magazine Top 25 B2B Marketer of the Year for 2009 and winner of the DemandGen Award for Utilizing Marketing Automation to Fuel Corporate Growth in 2008. He is also a five-time finalist in the Marketing Excellence Awards competition of the Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA) and a 2005 gold award winner.
Buzz Marketing for Technology, Paul’s blog, has been recognized as a Top 20 Marketing Blog for 2009 and 2008, a Top Blog to Watch for 2009 and 2008, and an Advertising Age Power 150 blog in the “Daily Ranking of Marketing Blogs.”
Paul has shared his marketing thought leadership as a featured speaker for the American Marketing Association, BtoB Magazine, CMO Club, MarketingProfs, Marketing Sherpa, Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), and ITSMA. His articles and research have appeared in Business Week, BtoB Magazine, Information Week, MarketingProfs and Marketing Sherpa.
Paul holds an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Computer Science from Ithaca College.
Gain insights into Paul’s approach to integrated and social media marketing at: http://www.buzzmarketingfortechnology.com.
Ok, so you decide to implement an internal microblogging platform like Yammer or Socialcast, or even an internal Wiki platform like SocialText or Confluence.
