Comments on: Laura Finton on Selling Social Media “Up” to Management http://www.med20.com/blog/2008/10/laura-finton-on-selling-social-media-%e2%80%9cup%e2%80%9d-to-management/ Exploring New and Social Media in Pharma and Healthcare Wed, 19 Oct 2011 19:14:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: shwen http://www.med20.com/blog/2008/10/laura-finton-on-selling-social-media-%e2%80%9cup%e2%80%9d-to-management/comment-page-1/#comment-447 shwen Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:30:43 +0000 http://www.med20.com/blog/2008/10/laura-finton-on-selling-social-media-%e2%80%9cup%e2%80%9d-to-management/#comment-447 Erik, buddy! Thanks for your comment... Yes, I am completely with you on the struggles with "up selling" social media ideas to upper management. We know it's possible, but it's hard work! I also agree with your tips for starting a social media initiative. I think it is also important (or at least easier) if the right person is assigned the task; preferably someone with visibility and access to upper management, in a strategic department, and with social media as a key objective and not just a BTW assignment. Erik, buddy!
Thanks for your comment… Yes, I am completely with you on the struggles with “up selling” social media ideas to upper management. We know it’s possible, but it’s hard work!

I also agree with your tips for starting a social media initiative. I think it is also important (or at least easier) if the right person is assigned the task; preferably someone with visibility and access to upper management, in a strategic department, and with social media as a key objective and not just a BTW assignment.

]]> By: Erik (DigiRedo) http://www.med20.com/blog/2008/10/laura-finton-on-selling-social-media-%e2%80%9cup%e2%80%9d-to-management/comment-page-1/#comment-438 Erik (DigiRedo) Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:52:25 +0000 http://www.med20.com/blog/2008/10/laura-finton-on-selling-social-media-%e2%80%9cup%e2%80%9d-to-management/#comment-438 Interesting article Shwen. As you know, we have been (and still are) struggling with the acceptance of our initiatives by higher management. Especially at headquarters, where political games are sometimes played tough, the (often emotional) reasons not to go for Social Media are overly present. I have recently switched to a local company where things seem different. Shorter communication lines, closer to the market. In this role I feel more confortable to start experimenting with Social Media. With proven success we will start spreading the 'best practices' also to other local companies. In this way it seems that headquarters is taken out of the loop, so we have to be careful and keep up the communication with them as well. However, this guerilla-approach might just be a tactic to convince some people higher in the food chain. My basic message would be: try with small stuff, may be internally, choose your successful initiatives (be sure they fit closely to the overall strategy) and communicate these to higher management. Sometimes this approach is known as 'Convince by Embarrasment' (sh*t, why didn't we come up with this...?). Interesting article Shwen. As you know, we have been (and still are) struggling with the acceptance of our initiatives by higher management. Especially at headquarters, where political games are sometimes played tough, the (often emotional) reasons not to go for Social Media are overly present.

I have recently switched to a local company where things seem different. Shorter communication lines, closer to the market. In this role I feel more confortable to start experimenting with Social Media. With proven success we will start spreading the ‘best practices’ also to other local companies. In this way it seems that headquarters is taken out of the loop, so we have to be careful and keep up the communication with them as well. However, this guerilla-approach might just be a tactic to convince some people higher in the food chain.

My basic message would be: try with small stuff, may be internally, choose your successful initiatives (be sure they fit closely to the overall strategy) and communicate these to higher management. Sometimes this approach is known as ‘Convince by Embarrasment’ (sh*t, why didn’t we come up with this…?).

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