Me and My Matrices

I've got a bit of a thing for the Boston Matrix.  I'm developing quite a collection.

1. The Cause Matrix

This one shows showing how you can segment the causes that a brand might champion in order to create advocacy and engagement:

Big Bangs

These are the causes with the highest reach and resonance, enjoying a high level of interest among a large and dedicated community of advocates (or, conversely, detractors). This is the space where brands can have most influence – but is likely to be the most crowded and competitive

Ghost Towns

These are the causes with little reach and resonance – at least, at the moment. However, this also means that it’s unlikely other brands own this territory and there are no strongly held perceptions to change or problems to solve. Opportunities to own and develop if well promoted.

Storms in a teacup

These are the causes with little wider reach but highly engaged, agenda-driven coalitions. These are the communities to target in order to reach their stakeholders. But the watch out here is that brands may not be welcome, opinions may be fixed and emotions run high.

Hot Air Balloons

These are the noisy but often more fleeting and superficial causes, where lots of people make one-off interactions but aren't really committed or take collective action.  There are opportunities to capitalise on the visibility but it will be difficult to build deeper engagement. 

 

2.The Storytelling Matrix

This one shows how you might segment the consumer base on the basis of their storytelling propensity and potential.

Utopians

Idealistic and emotional, these people have a strong point of view but often lack time or resources to actively engage. If it’s quick and easy, they’ll recruit their extensive social networks to the cause. If it slows them down or shows them up, they won’t bother.

Champions

Active, engaged and influential, these are the people who take pleasure and pride in giving their full support to the causes they care about and in wearing the badges of belonging that come with it.

Armchair Activists

Conservative, secure and cosy in their comfort zone, these are the people who are happy to learn more about or endorse the causes they believe in –but don’t actively engage.

Marginals

Disengaged and disenfranchised, these are the people who rarely have a strong point of view or propensity to act. They have little to gain by engaging with causes that don’t directly impact their quality of life.

3. The employee matrix

Finally, here's one showing how a company can segment its employee base as part of its talent recruitment, retention and reward strategy (or, come to that) its internal comms strategy.  

Rising Stars

These are high value employees with a combination of useful skills and experience and a high level of productivity and motivation. Their salary cost is relatively moderate but staff turnover is high as they progress onwards and upwards on a swift trajectory. There can also be political issues as they maximise their visibility and influence within the organisation.

Problem Children

These tend to be the youngest and/or newest employees, with little past experience and negligible productive contribution to the organisation but they are highly motivated and goal oriented. They will be low cost in salary terms but require a high degree of professional development and pastoral support and mentoring.They are also unlikely to remain with the organisation for more than a few years.

Cash Cows

These are people whose careers have plateaued but who still add a great deal of value to the organisation through their skills and experience – particularly if they receive development and training to keep them current.Motivation can however be an issue, as can politic as they protect their status and position.They can also be expensive as they require packages commensurate with their experience and status.

Dinosaurs

These are people whose skills and experiences are obsolete, have no interest in (or opportunity for) development and training and who are slipping down the career ladder. Motivation and productivity are key issues –as are costs – because these employees still command high salaries particularly if they have been with the organisation for a long time.

4. The Citizenship Matrix

Here's the last one of this current collection, showing how the population is segmented by their propensity to do 'good' in terms of engaging with social causes, supporting charities and their local communities.  Basically, it's a market map of the Big Society.

Approval Seekers

Aged 15 – 35 (but particularly 15-24) across all social groups. Willing to learn, ambitious, energetic and experimental, care about how they look to other people and want to be the centre of attention, a keen sense of adventure, early adopters.  Claim to be willing to volunteer and have strong views on ethical and environmental issues.  Can lack social confidence and are more risk-averse than they seem.  

Agents of Change

All ages (but particularly 45- 55). Predominantly AB social group. Members of community and children’s organisations, often taking active role.  Socially and environmentally committed, take part in fundraising and donate to charity, ethics and provenance are key buying criteria, optimistic and creative. 

Walled Gardeners

Mostly aged 65 plus. ABC1 social groups.   Members of church and community organisations but don’t take active role, although do give to charity and contribute to fundraising initiatives.  Believe in duty and tradition, don’t want responsibility, spend a lot of time at home, with regular rituals and routines. Feel put upon by intrusion and irritated by change, but keep up appearances and don’t show their feelings. 

Social Sceptics

Mostly aged 35 plus, C2DE social groups. Spend a lot of time at home. Life is a struggle, computers confuse them, have money worries, very sceptical about ethical and environmental issues but otherwise don’t have strong views about anything, disenfranchised and disempowered.