Deborah Schultz

Test vs Scale - herein lies the rub

While working with P&G to develop the Social Media Lab, I am constantly wrestling with the  BIG and SMALL issues relating to how the Social Web impacts business, marketing, start-up business models and our lives as individuals. When there is a  new set of dynamics that fundamentally shifts how you communicate and do business - how do you ensure that the smaller tests you are doing have BIG learnings that can be reapplied.

So it was interesting to trip onto this thoughtful post from Francois Goussieaux on the nature of how big companies are approaching Social Media. 

There are very few social media marketing programs that scale to the point where they can truly be useful to multi-billion dollar companies. But why is that?

Part of the problem, as I have described before, is self-inflicted. Many CMO’s know they need to dabble in the space, but that is all they do - run small pilot programs that don’t make a difference. The problem with this approach is that the dynamics of small scale social media programs are very different from large scale social media campaigns. So what may work in large programs will not work in pilot programs and the lessons learned from pilot programs may not be applicable to large scale implementations.

This argument sits squarely in the Social Media Lab's backyard.  Knowing that big companies do indeed have trouble making big changes all at once - the goal of the Lab is to help with baby steps - so the big programs can truly shine.

I also personally believe that there is no such thing as a social media campaign.  Social Media is forcing a fundamental switch in the power center of business and how information, markets and products are created and brought to market.  Whether you are a P&G brand or a start-up - the social web impacts how you connect with customers.  This is not only about social ads or viral videos.  And I sure as heck hope we can come up with better business models for Web2.0 companies than some newer form of banner ad.

That said, how do you run before you can walk?

As I wrestle with the issues of  innovation,  scalability, customer advocacy and new business models here is a sample of some of the questions currently rattling around in my brain:

• What is the best method for generating true innovation and new business models?
• What is the best way to test & learn smartly and efficiently?
• How do you best build bridges of learning across very different cultural groups - i.e. brands and startups?
• How do you best eliminate the fear of failure to encourage bold creative initiatives?
• When does connecting with the consumer cross the line to icky behavioral targeting vs helpful discovery?
• When are you enabling passionate fans vs exploiting them?
• How do you ensure that neither big business or small start-up leaves the customer in the dust in a rush to the shiny new thing?
• Do test programs help in developing innovative approaches to business or are they simply dabbling? [this applies to start-ups and big business]
• As Social Media is all about relationships and connections - can it even scale authentically to support a billion dollar business [see peter's post for more]?
  

I've got lots of questions and some hypothesis grounded in "ya gotta start somewhere", but I am also impatient, so what do you think?   How would you generate a big shift? 

Pause for self-promotion

I have been chastised by friends, colleagues and confidants for not posting about recent talks past and future, so without further adieu here is some info on an upcoming talk.  Of course, with my reader's time in mind - it is only fair to also include some additional food for thought.....

I will be speaking at The Cluetrain at 10 with Doc Searls, Thor Muller and others on May 29th in Palo Alto at an event hosted by The Conversation Group, SAP, and Forrester. 

Should be an interesting day focused on both ""you've come a long way baby" and how far we still need to go.

Little did I know when I signed the Cluetrain Manifesto ten [ gulp ] years ago that I would end up being one of its' loudest mouthpieces. 

I took a look at what I posted to the site in prep for this post and I have to say I love my quote from back then and my philosophy still holds.  Good to see I am consistent.

Deborah Schultz, Manager, EC|Solutions, AnswerThink Consulting Group - "Amen! I refer to this as the Dr. Seuss metaphor - 'Revenge of the Whos.'  Gone are the days when all the little Whos in Who-ville have to shout to be heard.  The Web empowers all the Whos...er humans!

It is great to see that ten years later  we now have many new tools and technologies that have moved the Relationship Economy forward.  It is fantabulous that many have jumped aboard - but I also think many have reduced the concepts to mere "new marketing" drivel. At the risk of sounding like a broken record - this is  BIG change stuff not just "chatting with your customers".  It is also frustrating to see how much farther we still need to go.  Today, I feel less like ranting and more about discussing the good stuff, so here are a few good examples: 

• Edgeconomy - the cool, interesting stuff is indeed happening at the edges - are you paying attention?

• Project VRM   - Energy around the power of the individual
  

• Acknowledgement of the importance of both design, craft and [dare I say]  humanity in the post industrial age - ya know the not so concrete stuff around DNA, Whoofie, Culture - call it what you will!

• And for further reading see Brian's nice list

Seriously, we can do MORE

Update 5/5: - Umair has a nice discussion going on over here that started right after I spoted this - it must be in the air! I promise to do a follow-on post as my post seems to have struck a nerve, basedo n all the comments below - yeah!]

Confession: For the past few months I have been growing increasingly bored and frustrated with the shortsightedness of many on the power and impact of social software for business and connectedness between people and ideas.  Yes, I am oft too earnest and impatient on this stuff - but I mean - why settle?

The last few weeks have really driven that feeling home. Time to reflect on long airplane trips, meeting with folks doing BIG stuff around the world, taking a pause from the echo chamber and some inspiring conversations with some really smart folks, have emboldened me to finally write some of this down. Many overheard conversations at Web2Expo yesterday further added to my feeling of malaise.  I am dropping this rant quickly but promise to focus more in these topics in the coming weeks and months:

• The social web and web2.0  - c'mon, this is so much more than throwing sheep and twittering that we are stuck in airports.  As I have ranted on this before, in various ways, if you *only* look at these tools as a bigger megaphone for communication you are not looking hard enough! Think real innovation, business and cultural transformation!

• Back in September, I was sitting with a friend at a conference  and he said it best: "never before have so many done so little with so much" [I will provide attribution once/if I get approval from him]

• The power of tech to bring people together is REAL and VITAL [my trip to Israel reminded me of this]

• This is only the beginning of some really cool stuff - the beginning. Per Clay's point yesterday: "the size of our collective cognitive surplus is so large that just 1% participation can bring about HUGE change. 

• How do we encourage and nurture greater participation and develop an "architecture of participation" [nice turn of phrase clay - more on this to come] that benefits business, cultural and political innovation.

• O'reilly yesterday finally discussed using this stuff to solve big problems - as the pied piper for many developers - I thank you for leading them to a higher cause -  hope they hear you.

Now, I am not saying we have all the answers or even know how any of this will pan out.  Existing infrastructures [technical, financial, organizational and cultural] mean certain changes will be slow while others will circumvent the roadblocks that stand in their way. 

What I do know is that if you do not ask the right questions up front and reach for the sky - well - you just ain't gonna get very far.

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This post is a nod to Greg and my work designing and launching the Info Center - the project that is still my touchstone for the power and promise of integrating the physical with the digital at the intersection of technology, people and business -  "saving lives, baby, saving lives"]

[Addendum: As I was writing this I noticed Umair's post.  Lately, we are channeling each other on this stuff - I nod to his eloquence and ability to lay out the issues].