BDPA Social Networking Strategy (Aug 2011)

BDPA Social Networking Strategy Proposal

Prepared for:BDPA National Board of Directors

PresenterNate Drysdale

Draft Version 1.2

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Table of Contents

• Social Networking Strategy Executive Summary

Vision Mission BDPA Brand

Strategy Theme Network Learn Growth

Strategic Recommendations Social Networking Tools Recommend Programs Recommend Tasks

Timeline for completion Next Steps Appendix

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Social Networking StrategyExecutive Summary

BDPA’s Social Networking Strategy was designed to support the overall organizational strategy.

One of the key objectives of the organizational strategy is to “Enhance BDPA’s effectiveness to attract, retain, reclaim, excite, and inform members…”

The Social Networking Strategy is designed to do this through the vision, mission, supporting themes, and programs to be implemented.

The strategic themes which emerged were to Network, Learn, and create Growth. Network to bring together existing members with

prospective one’s in a collaborative online community

Provide opportunities for members and prospects to learn about the BDPA brand, initiatives, and value on both a local and national level

Grow the existing membership base and reclaim lost memberships

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Vision/Mission

Vision•Social Networking within BDPA will be the premier outlet for technology professionals to network with others, learn about BDPA initiatives and activities, and become members of the organization.

Mission•Leveraging social networking, BDPA will provide an outlet through social media streams, networking applications and chapter involvement to reach technology students and professionals to achieve active engaging online communities, provide ongoing information to shareholders about BDPA activities, conferences and chapters and encourage new memberships or renewals into the BDPA organization.

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BDPA Brand

BDPA is the Premier Organization for African Americans in IT. There is a tremendous amount of brand loyalty to BDPA. BDPA will continue to outpace the competition by capturing mind share at a young age, providing exceptional programming and by consistently nurturing relationships.

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Strategy Themes

Strategic Theme Summary SN Resource

Network

The Social Networking Initiative will leverage the existing 10,000+ online community to connect them via social networking to BDPA and the chapter to foster collaboration and idea exchange with the standing subscribed membership

Primary Vehicles: Your Membership.com, Group sitesSecondary Vehicles: Facebook Groups/pages, LinkedIn Groups

Learn

The Social Networking Initiatives will allow the BDPA communities to learn of the BDPA Brand, value proposition, and opportunities available to participate in the conferences and chapters

Your Membership, Groupsites, chapter sites/meetings

Growth

The Social Networking Initiatives will foster interest in the BDPA Brand and consistently promote opportunities to become a member, register for the conferences and local chapter membership growth

LinkedIn Groups, YouTube, Chapter Sites, Facebook Groups/Pages

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Social Networking Tools

• Recommended tools for the strategy fulfillment Groupsites.com – platform is good and already in place.

A good source for chapter content Yourmembership.com – current membership platform

can be used for blogging and sharing content. Members can share with their Facebook and Twitter accounts things they are talking about

YouTube – Leverage videos of conferences and “What is in it for me” Testimonials to garner membership

Facebook – Very open media source to highlight on pages (liking) BDPA and control content to boost interests, use events to share conference information and local chapter events (wide and free broadcasting of activities)

LinkedIn – Medium to recruit and share interest in BDPA encourage all BDPA members to have professional profiles and participate in BDPA Groups and chapters

Yahoo and other sites should be consolidated or at a minimum linked to these main mediums

Recommended Programs

• Social Networking Awareness Program Program will be to create awareness of tools

On how to use and promote blogs or topics

Foster environment for being more active in social networking activities

• Social Networking Chapter Program Program to have chapter leaders engaged in

social networking for promotion of events, chapter initiatives and using it as a prospecting source for new members

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Recommended Programs Cont.

• Social Networking Conference Program Program to work with Conference planning

team to promote awareness of the conference, streamline registrations, and promote the BDPA Brand for the networking

• Social Networking “What is in it for Me” Membership/Branding Campaign via Social Networking Tools Program to create ongoing buzz about

BDPA, this will leverage social networking tools to target online community into becoming members of BDPA

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Recommended Tasks

• Networking Creation of a Social Networking/Media Team Establish a chapter leadership position for

communications which would promote events and activities on chapter site and be the National/Regions contact for items on that level

Review chapter external websites and provide social networking guidelines for consistency i.e. utilizing yourmembership.com

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Recommended Tasks

• Learning BDPA opportunities for learning and

collaboration will need to be broadcast for National programs and local programs

• Growth Ensure that links to membership opportunities

and pricing is included on all sites/mediums that the prospect may encounter which includes but is not limited to chapter sites, BDPA National Site and Facebook page and LinkedIn, Yourmembership.com, under info

Determine which features may only be accessed as a member versus prospect (yourmembership.com and possibly LinkedIn Groups)

Recommended Tasks

• Stats/Scorecard Reporting Create a meaningful trending/tracking

medium to rate content, involvement and new membership

Work with NEC on information that would be monitored/reported on e.g. membership counts, online activity, Facebook Page “likes”

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Timeline

Green – Good, on targetYellow – Slipping target

Red – Target missed

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Recommended Programs

Program Summary Timeline

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Next Steps

• TBD

Appendix

• To include supporting documents

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