In B2B land, this is pretty straightforward.  Executives frequently join groups that are trying to do something worthy while enjoying the relationship building opportunities and intellectual stimulation.

Oh – if you sped through the text after the word “ethics,” go back and re-read it.  The ethical stuff isn’t a disclaimer.  It’s the most important part of your campaign.

Great. Don’t you feel better now?  Here we go…

In the olden days — you know, 2006 — getting industry elites to gather and get something done was very hard, expensive, or both.  You had to create a formal group with rules, pay for gathering places, hope that two or three times a year wasn’t too much to ask of your volunteers to meet. Generally, it’s herding cats.  If you were a big company, you have the resources and cachet to pull it off occasionally.  But now, no matter what size the organization, the tools available to B2B social media pros make the process a breeze.  Consider: geographic barriers? Gone.  Scheduling barriers? Gone.  Cost barriers? Non-existent. And with wikis, people already have a good idea of how they work from Wikipedia.  Everyone’s pre-trained in the process that will be used.  Talk about low friction.

So first, you need a common goal.  Some never-fail options include:

1. Creating a new industry standard

2. Charting an industry’s future

3. Ethics

4. Educational standards for the field

5. Outreach to other sectors where cooperation would benefit everyone

6. Compiling the lost history of the industry

7. Intra-industry groups (think retired execs paired with interns)

Of course you have to run some litmus tests:  you must pick something that’s unique, represents a real need, and taps an existing vein of passionate participants.

Make the mission simple, technical and as narrow as possible.  As with yesterday’s method of spurring debates, the more fine-tuned the mission is, the more dedicated its participants and the easier it’ll be for people to find their work product through search.

Now go get a wiki.  Browse to wikia.com and you’ll find everything you need.

If you can, use ancient technologies like the telephone, or even — shocker — physical get togethers to kick things off.  Never underestimate the communal binding power of handshakes. Real-time chats and video chat also make people feel they’re in a room together.  It definitely doesn’t need to happen all the time, but once in a while will help build cohesiveness.

The rest of the process is classic community management.  Set clear milestones so people feel that they’re accomplishing something.  Recognize group members for their contributions.  And don’t be afraid to declare victory and disband when the goal is met.

Oh, and you DID make a relationship or two — or 10 — that led to sales, right?  And the de facto industry leadership standing that will lead you to tons of other relationships?  That’s in your right pocket now.  And the ability to charge a premium, shorten sales cycles and even expand into a new field at a lower cost?  Make sure you check that box as well.

Have you seen a wiki that follows the principals above?  Link to it in the comments and we can ask the group members about their own experiences and benefits reaped.