Return on Impact

About the Author

David Nour is the CEO of Nour Group, Inc. He is an internationally recognized speaker, known for his insights on business relationships and social strategies. His work has been featured in numerous prominent publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and FastCompany. David Nour's books include Relationship Economics, ConnectAbility, and The Entrepreneur's Guide to Raising Capital.

Main Idea

The main idea of "Return on Impact: Leadership Strategies for the Age of Connected Relationships" is that social media should not just be a tool for communication but should be integrated into an organization's strategic vision to drive growth and create sustainable differentiation. By using the IMPACT model—Immerse, Member, Participate, Accredit, Community, and Transform—organizations can leverage social media as a core engine for growth and engagement, ensuring that their presence online translates to real-world impact and value for customers and members.

Table of Contents

1. Welcome to the Age of Empowered Customers
2. There Are No Shortcuts!
3. A New Definition for 'Social'
4. Do You Still Matter?
5. Develop a Robust Social Strategy
6. Embrace World-Class Engagement
7. Trust: A Benefit That Is Bestowed
8. Evolve to a Social Organization
9. Build a Different Kind of Organization
10. 'iTunify' Your Capabilities
11. Attract and Develop Unparalleled Social Talent
12. Socially Enable Your Execution
13. Deploy Social Analytics to Listen Louder and Tell a Compelling Story
14. Fail Intentionally and Learn from It
15. Reinvent ROI

Welcome to the Age of Empowered Customers

Digital technology is making customers more empowered than ever. They demand seamless experiences across all channels and have the ability to influence others through social media. Organizations must recognize that the expectations of customers are high, and they must respond by providing consistent and engaging experiences.

"The intelligence and connections available to customers are forever changing the business of designing, creating, selling, and delivering information, products, and services." - David Nour

empowered customer behavior include:

• Reading and trusting online reviews more than traditional advertising.
• Instantly sharing personal experiences on social media platforms.
• Expecting real-time responses and interactions from brands.

There Are No Shortcuts!

Responding to the digital landscape requires a fundamental shift in how organizations think and act. Leadership must embrace social media not just as a marketing tool but as an integral part of the organization's value proposition and customer engagement strategy.

"Leadership strategy for the age of connected relationships isn't about putting up a Facebook fan page or the CEO tweeting three times a day! It's about the unequivocal need to think and act differently." - David Nour

Key actions include:

• Creating a committed and unified approach to social media across the organization.
• Engaging authentically with customers and members.
• Integrating social media insights into strategic decision-making processes.

A New Definition for 'Social'

Social media should be seen as a tool for creating real-time collaboration and engagement, both within and outside the organization. It's about being open, transparent, and responsive, and making customers and members the center of the organization's efforts.

"Social is more than social networking, such as LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube. As such, we need a new definition for social as a fundamental shift in mindset, toolset, and roadmap for an individual, team, and organization." - David Nour

Characteristics of a socially enabled organization include: