Get Buy-In Before Crossing the Digital Divide

You are already to use social media in your next marketing venture. The problem is those around you are not supporting your efforts. How do you get buy-in?

At today's Public Sector Marketing Conference in Canberra, two speakers offered practical ideas to help you get others behind your online efforts.

Jason Davey of Bullseye, an Australian Aussie digital marketing firm, suggests to persuade the Boss you should:

• Detail the data. Successive research reports are showing Australians are increasingly going online for their information. A good start in letting your Boss know the facts and stats would be the latest report by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (read here).
• Educate and immerse the Boss in the social media application you want to use. There is nothing better than getting him or her to test drive the new tool.
• Pick out a similar organisation (or one the Boss admires) and show how they are successfully using social media.
• Mock up tweets, blog pages or sites to show how the final product will look. Seeing is believing so try a demonstration.
• Suggest running a pilot program. The words "pilot" or "trial" can go a long way in removing the corporate fear factor when trying something new. It's a good way to reassure the doubtful as you head into new territory.

My Twitter buddy Diana Mounter from the Local Government and Shires Association of NSW offers practical tips for getting the IT guys on board when you want to introduce social media into your marketing:

• Develop a relationship with the IT team and get to know their issues before proposing anything too radical.
• Regular informal discussion is a great way to make sure a new venture starts properly and then stays on track.
• Talk about your communications needs rather than the technology you want. Chances are your IT guy has other options that could meet your marketing needs better than the one you're suggesting.

The key take-out: build support within your organisation before crossing the digital divide.