Web 2.0 Implementation Study

What is the point of all this social networking effort? Here is one case study from when I was creating the audience for “What is Web 2.0…and why should you care?” June 9, 2009 in Tysons Corner, VA.

I am frequently involved in discussions with many of you of the best way to take advantage of Web 2.0 tools. This project offered some new ideas and examples.

Here is how I used Web 2.0 to promote my event to 15,616 people in less than three hours yesterday.

First, I wrote an announcement, printed 30 copies for handout. Gave out to 4 people at lunch. Good way to check for typos.

Pasted the announcement:

“What is Web 2.0…
And Why Should You Care?”
“How the Internet, Web 2.0 Tools, and Open Source Management are reshaping our economy.”
Presented by the
Capital Technology Management Hub
www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1922364
Cost: Each person pays for their drinks & meal.
To Reserve Your Place, Please Email Dov Gorman at gormand@cox.net
to my blog - 15 followers.

Made a broadcast announcement to the subscribers on my Ning site - 70 members

Saw the announcement carried on the Capital Technology Management Hub on LinkedIn - 41 members

Added a discussion to the Web Managers Roundtable - 512 members

Went to the Leadership Breakfast site. Saw a discussion asking what should the rules be for posting outside meeting announcements. Offered the “Poster’s Smell Test.” If you are not going, don’t post it.

Posted my presentation announcement as a discussion on the Leadership Breakfast - 25 members

Added the announcement to the Federal IT Group - 587 members

Added the announcement to the Federal Sales Professionals Group - 1,441 members

Added the announcement to the Community 2.0 Group - 1212 members

Was asked to join a new group, Software Sales Careers.

Added a new discussion to Software Sales careers - 219 members

Added a discussion to Johns Hopkins University Association of Information Technology professionals - 22 members.

Added a new blog post on GovLoop - 11,468 members

By my count, a total of 15,616 people saw my invitation.

What I learned:
If you paint stripes on a mule, it doesn’t become a zebra. One key is to start with the right offering.

Merlin Mann says “Innovation is picking up where the last person stopped.” Or where I stopped the last time. Each step of this first attempt was forced, itchy, brain racking, and seemed slow.

Analysts will want to ask how qualified the recipients were or maybe where they were located. This time it was enough that people who share my interests were alerted. We’ll see what we learn by who shows up at the event.

I have been inviting people to come to my events for over 20 years. No way have I ever notified 1,500 people before, let alone 1,500 people in three hours, let alone 15,000! And this capability has been around for years!

I would be very interested to learn the best thing you learn from this post. Let us know!