Michael Dell simply gets it. He understands that businesses can no longer afford to rest on their laurels while the digital bazaar transforms the world around them. More importantly, however, Dell understands that in order to promote change he must lead by example. No executive has all the solutions to the many questions surrounding the shifting corporate landscape, but at least Dell isn’t afraid to look for the answers.
Using Dell as our model of forward-thinking leadership, I offer these seven traits of what it takes to be an affective social executive. Fidelman has expertly identified the traits of those executives unafraid or incapable of changing with the times, but now it’s time to seek out the antidote.
#1 The Malleable Mind
Think of the “Malleable Mind” as the counter to Fidelman’s “Short Sleeve Fat Tie Executive.” Whereas Fat Tie Execs expect to be sole originators of all ideas, cruelly dictating company agenda from the confines of their office, Malleable Minds value the input of their employees. They aren’t threatened by change—in fact they’re often excited by it, and actively encourage an environment of new ideas and approaches. Malleable Minds recognize that employee initiative and collaboration are essential cornerstones of the social business, and they encourage their workers to utilize social media and discuss new ideas that might improve day-to-day operations. Malleable Minds know that you can’t keep a good idea down for long, and see it as their job to absorb information and help put ideas into motion.
Identifiable Traits – Malleable Minds understand that they’re not the only ones with good ideas. They are unburdened by ego, actively seek feedback on their own initiatives and welcome the opinions of others. They understand that respect is earned not through an iron fist, but through and open mind. They may be the boss, but they do not take their positions for granted.
If social media consultants are doing their jobs, they should put themselves out of business. I speak as one of their kind. Before joining Fast Company last spring, I was the social media editor at the New York Daily News. So I’ll say it even bolder: At some point, Fast Company should fire me. (Just not too soon, please!)
Your company will never be truly social if you silo social activity within a consultant or a staff manager. To facilitate proliferation, your consultant should learn how your company works, then create a strategy to spread social throughout your organization. But in the meantime, here’s what you should be hearing from your consultant:
1 “What’s your goal?” Some social media gurus think the big prize is community. That’s a fine start, but for a business, it’s also a means to an end–which is whatever your company’s larger goals are, whether they be sales, brand awareness, or traffic. Your social strategy should not end with the creation of an online conversation.
2 “Here’s the ROI.” Consultants may tell you that social investments can’t be justified in a quantifiable way. Wrong. The data is out there. If they want you to spend $75,000 on a Foursquare badge, they should explain how that investment will help you reach your goals.
3 “I don’t care about follower counts.” Companies obsess over how many followers they have, and consultants play to that. But Facebook ads and “Like this page” contests often don’t boost consumer engagement. Rather, you should be courting influencers–trusted insiders with engaged followers (such as bloggers, niche celebrities, or active tweeters), who can help spread your message.
4 “Facebook and Twitter are only a start.” Consultants should know which platforms are best for your businesses. For example, if you are a fashion designer and your consultant isn’t talking about collage platform Polyvore, they’re doing something wrong.
At this point, a business without a mobile strategy is a business without a strategy at all.
Here are nine reasons why you need a mobile strategist:
- Business Moves at Mobile Speed
According to Cisco, by 2016, there will be 10 billion Internet-enabled devices globally and smartphone traffic will grow 50 times the size it is today. Mobility is no longer a nice to have — it’s a critical requirement of doing business and staying competitive. Enterprise mobile spending is higher than ever, and mobile projects now span every department and industry.
- BYOD is the New Reality
Apple has been a major force behind the BYOD movement and new findings show that globally, BYOD is catching on. Enterprises around the world are making the decision to support employee-selected devices. However, maintaining security, control and visibility into devices and data has become a primary concern for CIOs. According to Gartner, the BYOD movement is here to stay, but security and management of these devices will continue to be pressing concerns among enterprises.
- Multiple Mobile Initiatives Cause Major Fragmentation– Make it One Person’s Day Job
With enterprises currently managing multiple mobile projects and new ones being added at a rapid clip, mobile is too often put into silos at most organizations. This makes management and decision-making, as well as future proofing and budget management, incredibly complex and time-consuming for employees with other job functions.
- A Mobile Strategist is an Objective Voice of Reason for the Increasingly Mobile Business
Maintaining the delicate balance between addressing user needs and IT capabilities can be difficult for any company. Let your mobile strategist be a hub between all department spokes to ensure that mobile initiatives truly reflect business need – and the technology is in place to support it as well.
- Mobile is No Longer a “One and Done”
It used to be that enterprises designed and implemented a mobile app and called it a day. Today, a single mobile app alone cannot fulfill all business objectives and needs. Mobile initiatives today require strategic planning, budgeting, research, prototyping and testing, as well as consistent updating. Mobile undertakings need to be iterative and agile, rather than tactical one-off projects with a beginning and an end. Jeffrey Hammond from Forrester Research has some great advice on how to readjust your thinking this way in his recent report Take Advantage of the Mobile Shift.
- Time is of the Essence
Time to market for mobile initiatives is a top pain point for enterprises, as delays in deployment can cost major dollars. Every day a competitor has an engaging app on the market and your company does not is a day of lost revenue. Speed to market isn’t the only important factor when it comes to be able to do mobile fast – companies also have a need for speed in rapidly iterating and refining mobile initiatives to stay current, incorporate feedback from users, and make adjustments based on data from analytics.
Teachers can affect our eternity. In fact, it’s hard to tell where the influence stops, even after all these years. Not every teacher has a profound affect, but most of us remember what it was like in P.E. My teacher was a short, spunky lady named Mrs. Bruno. I was a cheerleader in high school (I know, you’d never guess it) and Mrs. Bruno’s leadership took us to many championships. The best teachers teach from the heart and these lessons continue to resonate in my world today.
Here are 7 things I learned from my P.E. Teacher that influence my actions today with Social marketing. See how many resonate with you:
1. “Failure is not fatal. But failure to change might be.” Marketing in the Social era is scary. Many dealers don’t know what to post on Facebook, or blog, or where to even start. The best thing to do is begin and fail until you succeed. Hire a mentor to guide you. Whatever you do, don’t do nothing. You need to be where your customer is, and that place is Social Media.
2. “If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” I hear many companies shouting, “Buy our product and Social Media will be a snap.” Don’t believe it. Social marketing takes hard work, commitment, talent and a budget. There are many obstacles but none that can’t be overcome. Once you’re on the right path, you’ll find your sweet spot.
3. “Enthusiasm is everything.” Social marketing succeeds because we are social animals. Sharing great information with other humans is part of our culture. How big a part does enthusiasm play in your overall business operation? Empower your staff to help create content for your Social channels. An enthusiastic team is contagious. Your customers will catch it and spread the awesome.
4. “Teachers teach more by what they are than but what they say.” The same is true for your store’s brand. It’s not enough to advertise what great prices you have or what awesome service you deliver. Others have to be saying it too. Utilize Social Media to communicate what it is about your store that makes it unique – why people buy from you. Enlist customers and employees to tell your story.
5. “Never mind what others do. Do better than yourself, beat your own record from day to day, and you’re a success.” I see many businesses who put a lot of weight on how many Facebook fans others have and they judge themselves by that. What matters in Social is to have a highly-engaged audience who want to talk about you to their friends. Keep score on yourself. Set goals and measure your progress. That’s how you succeed in Social marketing.
Teachers can affect our eternity. In fact, it’s hard to tell where the influence stops, even after all these years. Not every teacher has a profound affect, but most of us remember what it was like in P.E. My teacher was a short, spunky lady named Mrs. Bruno. I was a cheerleader in high school (I know, you’d never guess it) and Mrs. Bruno’s leadership took us to many championships. The best teachers teach from the heart and these lessons continue to resonate in my world today.
Here are 7 things I learned from my P.E. Teacher that influence my actions today with Social marketing. See how many resonate with you:
1. “Failure is not fatal. But failure to change might be.” Marketing in the Social era is scary. Many dealers don’t know what to post on Facebook, or blog, or where to even start. The best thing to do is begin and fail until you succeed. Hire a mentor to guide you. Whatever you do, don’t do nothing. You need to be where your customer is, and that place is Social Media.
2. “If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” I hear many companies shouting, “Buy our product and Social Media will be a snap.” Don’t believe it. Social marketing takes hard work, commitment, talent and a budget. There are many obstacles but none that can’t be overcome. Once you’re on the right path, you’ll find your sweet spot.
3. “Enthusiasm is everything.” Social marketing succeeds because we are social animals. Sharing great information with other humans is part of our culture. How big a part does enthusiasm play in your overall business operation? Empower your staff to help create content for your Social channels. An enthusiastic team is contagious. Your customers will catch it and spread the awesome.
4. “Teachers teach more by what they are than but what they say.” The same is true for your store’s brand. It’s not enough to advertise what great prices you have or what awesome service you deliver. Others have to be saying it too. Utilize Social Media to communicate what it is about your store that makes it unique – why people buy from you. Enlist customers and employees to tell your story.
5. “Never mind what others do. Do better than yourself, beat your own record from day to day, and you’re a success.” I see many businesses who put a lot of weight on how many Facebook fans others have and they judge themselves by that. What matters in Social is to have a highly-engaged audience who want to talk about you to their friends. Keep score on yourself. Set goals and measure your progress. That’s how you succeed in Social marketing.
1. Assess
- Prioritize your business objectives by determining what it is you are trying to achieve: employee retention, boost collaboration, enhance executive visibility, increase speed to innovation or turn your employees into powerful brand ambassadors.
- Map your communication by analyzing your current information flow and determining how employees engage your intranet or social media tools.
- Determine what your ideal social media ecosystem would look like. What cultural differentiators are you hoping to foster?
2. Align for Design
- Assess your perceived issues and actual limitations by balancing potential risks against projected gains in productivity, collaboration and innovation.
- Develop solid company guidelines for social media use and use metrics to measure how well your engagement
tools are working.- Align and train your leadership and get senior management buy-in to create a social networking mindset across business functions.
3. Implement
- Identify the most effective tools for your needs—from wikis and microblogs to robust knowledge-sharing and innovation platforms.
- Work closely with your IT teams to ensure your efforts are compliant with all internal rules, standards and architectures.
4. Ensure Sustainability
- To harness the power of social media and ensure your networking investments are sustainable, it is essential that you implement replicable, enterprise-wide training so that you overcome capability gaps (e.g., generational, geographical) that are present within your company.
5. Measure and Adjust
- Let’s face it, judging social media ROI is difficult. But by establishing a benchmark and then conducting employee engagement focus groups and surveys, linkage analyses, social media diagnostics and business analytics, it is possible to see how you deliver against expectations.
- Keep what works, tweak what doesn’t. Troubleshoot your challenges and identify cost-effective ways to reactivate your underutilized social media channels.
Tourism Ireland is currently ranked the third largest national tourist board on Facebook, with approximately 700,000 fans across 20 markets in eight languages. In the absence of an accepted industry standard to assess the value of this beyond simply counting fan numbers, we developed the concept of Social Equivalent Advertising Value (SEAV).
Just as the PR sector has traditionally measured its impact by the cost of buying advertising to cover the equivalent column inches, so a similar approach can be applied to social media. The more a brand message is shared, the more “column inches” are gained and the value of this can be compared to the cost of equivalent online advertising.
We identified four levels of consumer engagement with brands in social media:
- Post Impressions: viewing a brand post.
- Page Impressions: viewing a brand owner’s social platform.
- Personal Actions: consuming brand content such as photos, videos or links.
- Public Actions: sharing brand content with their network.
We then categorized the actions that consumers can take across the major social platforms into each of these groupings, and attributed a financial value to the cost of delivering a comparable consumer engagement online. This allowed us to quantify the value of our social engagement in Facebook at the end of last year at an annualized level of €1.7 million.
“A PR Professional’s Guide to SEO” offers insight into ways PR professionals can successfully build their company’s reputation, create an online library of news and impact sales.
The free Vocus white paper covers:
• How media and consumers are looking for news and information about products and services
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Download the white paper at http://www.vocus.com/seoguidewp
Imagine creating your own personal home page – full of new feeds and applications you want and use – in literally less than 30 seconds. And all without a lick of technical skill. Or using a word processor or spreadsheet over the web, for free, with the same functionality as Microsoft Office. And then being able to share that word “document” via the web to collaborate with others, before publishing it to a shared site or blog. Sure beats emailing around a word document with the annotation feature turned on.
Next, imagine news and data literally streaming through your browser, updating in front of your eyes without the frustrating need for the webpage to refresh.
While AJAX is the term for a relatively new programming language (technically a combination of existing protocols), it’s implications can be enjoyed by everyone who uses a web browser. In short, AJAX enables webpages to change instantly without having the whole page refresh.
This sounds like a small nuance, but in reality, it’s enabling applications to be delivered literally as webpage in a way not possible before. Airline prices change instantly as you choose different routes, maps zoom in or out instantly. Changing text from bold to italic instantly. And that’s just the beginning.
The two areas in which AJAX is making most inroads today is for personal home pages or start pages, and as a web-based alternative to Microsoft Word. Both of these items have sent a chill through the folks in Redmond (see what Bill Gates & Ray Ozzie told MS employees) – as they threaten Microsoft’s grasp on basic Office apps, as well as outlook and the browser.
Why? Because today there are a small number of start up’s offering Word-like functionality, over the web, for free (revenue comes from advertising, not software license sales).
Check out http://www.writely.com/ and you’ll see what I mean.
I’m sure it’s not long before Google buys them, and takes a run at Microsoft. Or MS buys them and moves Word into a free-for-use model.
Then there’s the new phenomenon of personal start pages. There are probably more AJAX ‘start page’ products out there than RSS readers. And of course, all these AJAX start pages function as RSS readers.
I’ve been testing a few of them, including Google and Microsoft’s “live.com,” as well as a cool one called Netvibes.com. Others include:
Eskobo
Favoor
Goowy (Flash, not AJAX)
Pageflakes
Protopage
Zoozio
The differences appear minimal at this point (most of these have been in existence for only a few months), other than the integration with email.
Google seamlessly shows your gmail inbox, and Microsoft’s live.com shows your MSN mail box. They all have ability to load basic content like stock tickers, weather, news and alike. At this point, though, I’m torn between using an AJAX start page, and a stand-alone RSS reader.
While the start page is great for viewing my gmail inbox, stock list, and RSS headlines, I’m finding I like my RSS reader (I use Newsgator) better for RSS feeds, as there is more content scanable without clicking – and simply have my gmail email sent to my outlook client.
Have you used Twitter? Do you even know what Twitter is? If not, you may be missing out on some great ways to incorporate this communications tool into your business. Companies from Zappo’s to Home Depot to Comcast to Southwest Airlines are using it and quite well for a number of reasons.
Here is a blog report on just a couple of ways that your organization might benefit from having a paln to integrate Twitter into your communication / marketing plans.
Funny place to put this in a blog, but ran across an article called “Twitter, Flickr, Facebook Make Blogs Look So 2004” from Wired Magazine. Here is the article for you to check out.
What do you all think?
If you could do only three things for SEO, what would they be? This is a question encountered by many smaller businesses, and even somewhat larger companies, either due to not having enough people (time) and/or dollars available to invest in a big way.
If this is a scenario you’re facing, what follows are three minimal SEO tasks you must do.
Step 1: Check Your Indexing Status
The first step is to make sure that your site is getting found! The best way to do this is to check your indexing status in Google Webmaster Tools and see how many of your pages are indexed by Google. Once you’re logged in, click on “Health” and then “Index status” in the menu on the left.
I like to go a little further and click the “Advanced” button as well, which brings me to a screen like this:
The first thing to look at is the number of indexed pages, in this case, 887. How many did you expect? Obviously, if you think you have 1,000+ pages that you want Google to index and Google shows 10 indexed pages, you have a problem. In the case of this particular site, the problem looks to be the opposite of that – 887 pages indexed and 5,751 “Not Selected”?
This could be an indication of a lot of pages that are duplicates, near duplicates, pages with the noindex tag on them, or URLs that Google found that redirect to another page. Here is what Google says about this status:
Not Selected: URLs from your site that redirect to other pages or URLs whose contents are substantially similar to other pages.
To keep this simple, the bottom line here is to get a quick indication whether you have a problem. Too few pages being indexed? You have a problem. Too many, or too many that are “Not Selected”, that could be a problem too.
If you find you have a problem, what is the next step?
Unfortunately, that isn’t an easy one to take on by yourself, due to your time constraints. That means the next step is to get some help and to get your indexing problem diagnosed and fixed.
(Footnote to this diagnosis step: Some blog software packages, such as WordPress, create lots of category type pages, and these could explain why you have a lot of pages that were Not Selected, but you still need to determine how you want to address that, and expert advice on that topic is still something you should get).
(Footnote 2: Definitely check the indexing status in Google Webmaster Tools instead of using the “site:” query operator in a Google search, because the Webmaster Tools number is the “real number” and what you get from a site:query is not.)
Step 2: Focus Site on Target Keywords
The next step is to figure out whether you are effectively competing for keywords that users might enter into a search engine, which would indicate that they are a prospect for you.
If one of the products you offer is left-handed golf clubs as a product, for example, is there a page on your site focused on left-handed golf clubs? If this is one of your products, at a minimum, you need a page dedicated to left-handed golf clubs where the search phrase “left handed golf clubs” is featured in the title of the web page (this is the title tag in the head section of your web page source code), and in the content on the page.
Implement such pages for each major product/service you offer. Pay a lot of attention to your title tags, and they can help you understand how to focus your pages. I have two golden rules for title tags.
The Blog Council’s Disclosure Best Practices Toolkit is a draft series of checklists to help companies, their employees, and their agencies learn the appropriate and transparent ways to interact with blogs, bloggers, and the people who interact with them.
“We believe in the principles of transparency and openness, and this document is a way of making this real on the inside. Our goal is not to create or propose new industry standards or rules. These checklists are open source training tools designed to help educate the hundreds or thousands of employees in any large corporation the appropriate ways to interact with the social media community.”
Words and phrases including “blog,” “wiki” and even “chat room” make some business leaders nervous. They’re not sure what to make of these new social media. The technology seems mysterious and a bit scary to people who are still trying to find their way around the Internet or figuring out how their BlackBerry works.
If the wild world of online media makes you hyperventilate, relax. Take a deep breath. Despite the hype around Skype, behind the stress caused by RSS, it all comes down to a fundamental process as old as humanity: communication.
What really matters is how well you communicate with employees, customers, shareholders, the community and other important people. The methods you use, while important, are secondary to the quality of communication.
A recent illustration of this principle involves computer maker Dell. Unhappy customers took their complaints about Dell’s products and service to the “blogosphere” – that online place where everyone with a laptop and an Internet connection can share their opinions with the world. Despite the outcry over problems with Dell, which quickly reached hundreds of thousands of people thanks to blogs with names like “Dell Hell,” the company resisted joining the virtual discussion.
Apparently, however, the pressure became too much. A few months ago, Dell created “Direct2Dell,” a blog intended to improve communication with customers about issues ranging from the company’s battery recall to new products. The company’s critics considered the action too little, too late and charged Dell with paying lip service to open communication with customers. On the surface, bloggers said, Dell seemed to be improving communication, but in reality “Direct2Dell” represented more of the company line.
Last week, Dell posted a new “Online Communication Policy” and held a news conference to announce it. The policy, aimed at Dell employees, recognizes the value of online communication tools, lays out expectations of employees who use them and states the company’s commitment to “transparent, ethical and accurate” communication. Translation: no more company PR disguised as real, direct dialogue.
Time will tell if Dell’s policy makes a difference, but for now the bloggers are skeptical. “Dell Hell” creator Jeff Jarvis wrote, “Isn’t it always a company’s policy, in any interaction – by blog, telephone, or letter – to be open and honest?” He wondered if Dell’s 500-word policy might have been boiled down to three words: “Tell the truth.”
What can your company learn from all of this? It doesn’t matter if you choose to communicate through blogs, chat rooms, e-mail or good ol’ face-to-face interaction. What matters is that you communicate honestly and as completely as possible. The latest technology won’t save you if your stakeholders feel you’re not being truthful with them.
It’s the quality of communication that ultimately matters.
yson Foods is making a a real world impact through its social media participation.
Tyson offered to donate 100 pounds of food to a food bank in Austin, TX for every comment left on its Hunger Relief blog. They filled the truck in less than 6 hours and the post has more than 650 comments to date.
According to Ed Nicholson, Director of Community and Public Relations at Tyson Foods, Tyson measures its social media success “by the people with whom we’re building relationships and engaging in conversation. I personally believe social media attract a greater concentration of the people Seth Godin refers to as ‘sneezers,’ people who have the credibility, the networks and the capacity to spread stories far and wide. I want to see our company engaged with these people.”
Read the full article on Disruptology Blog.
While I found the text a tad hard on my old eyes, came across a great post on marketing and social media. A sample:
“Blogging is not just another channel for corporate marketing types to push their messages to markets, eyeballs, or audiences. Social media is based on the dynamic of a many-to-many dialogs between people.”
Not sure I share all the angst, but still gave me something to think about. I personally feel that blogs offer companies an opportunity to put a (real!) human face on what is otherwise a big blob of organization/procedure/press 1 to continue.
But the effort and blogger must be sincere and offer some value to the reader.
Broadband internet is now as vital as water and electricity for economic growth, according to the latest technology report from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Seeing broadband join what is more intuitively more essential, at least according to the Information Economy Report, marks a significant inflection point (as the consultants like to say).
Clearly this would add to the gulf between the “haves” and “have nots” and also underlines the importantance for advancing communications and services on the web. A good read on this (and the source of my first paragraph…
When I decided to write this post I actually Google’d: ‘how to start an Army’, and to be honest, was a little scared of some of the things I found.
In America, forming your own army or militia is a constitutional right (2nd amendment), and is also protected by Federal law. Treason, however, is illegal. As I researched this topic, I discovered one of the main characteristics of starting an Army/Militia is to get them vetted, trained, paid and readied for action.
Much like an assembly of troops, loyal followers ‘pledge allegiance’ to you, only they do it by retweeting, reposting, and sending you shoutouts. Having an army of loyalists helps grow your influence over the products, services and activities they chose. Having a strong Social Media optimization plan supersizes that influence, and even carries to the people that your influencees influence.
We all want loyalists, but here’s the harsh truth: Loyalty is difficult to achieve! Many people try to build it with clever marketing campaigns and promotions. The reality is one-hit-marketing-wonders or a free ipad or tablet will create short term relationships. Superficial efforts don’t dig deep enough into their minds to make a difference.
So how do you build your own Social Media Army?
1.) Define Your Cause
Take a minute and really define what you are building. You might have read a book or two, worked with strategists, consultants or managers that helped you define your Marketing goals. Your Social Media goals should mirror and compliment your marketing plan, but they are different. I have yet to meet a client that doesn’t say, I need to be on (whatever platform) and when I say, “why or what are your goals?” I can almost hear the “dear in the headlights look’. It has to be clear in your mind what you are doing, that is how the mystery of Social Media is squashed. In addition, determining goals for any form of marketing and promotions will help you manage your expectations of any medium.
The most prevalent goals I have heard:
-Increase brand awareness using multiple media platforms
-Reputation management
-Improve SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
-Increase relevant visitor traffic to a website
-Improve sales for a product or service (itunes, concert tickets, merch sales)
-Gain personal connections (*hint* this should be everyone’s goal!)Written Goals = Success. Determine key metrics BEFORE you get started. You will want to pick solid metrics to track: Web or Blog Traffic, iTunes sales, creating traditional media awareness , SEO Ranking, mentions or amount of targeted fans/followers in certain time are common.
2.) Know Your Audience
Who are you trying to reach. Pinpoint the characteristics of the perfect listener or fan as it relates to your format or music genre. Understand how your target audience uses Social Media (gender, age, geography, etc.)
-Listen and then listen more.
-Ask yourself the following questions when you are designing Social Media campaigns/conversations:
What’s the point? What type of conversation is this? What’s the purpose? What does your audience know about you right now? When and where is your audience using Social Media?
-Who are you to this audience?
-Elevator pitch or 60 second commercials are obsolete how do you describe who you are or what you do in 140 characters or less?3.) Know Your Battle Field
Before you get started think about the tools last, not first – a solid Media optimization plan and Socialality will translate across any platform. Listen to the conversations people are having about you and your brand. This is where publicists, PR companies and market research come in really handy.
-Set the foundation that takes your cause/brand across all platforms
-Get fans/followers emotional about your brand. (make laugh, cry, angry)
-Connect with them by talking TO them not at them.
-YOU are NOT that important. It is very important in the beginning when you are new to follow people back and respond to them when they talk to you. Not communicating with fans/followers is a spoiled chance to take someone from being engaged to being invested in your brand. I work with a few celebrity/artist/radio station Twitter accounts and never get tired of hearing a fan we follow back spread the word and brag to their Followers that ‘so and so’ is following them. It is a really powerful, and often under used tool of Social Media by brands, but dang does it sure work!
-Create personality behind the story. Show them you are more than a logo or a photo. Help followers find common ground that lets them relate to you, ie your Morning Show host is a Dog person so connect to your Dog Lover followers on Social Media. It only takes a few posts and tweets to identify these people.
-Content is King! Make it matter to your identified target audience.
-ALWAYS make account open to public-It’s ‘Social Networking,’ Not ‘Anti-Social Networking’!
-I will say this one again speak WITH people not AT them, Social Media is a dialogue not a monologue!
-Forget ‘What am I doing?’ and ask your followers, ‘what are they doing?’
I have resolved to get back to posting to a couple of blogs that I have neglected lately.
Trying to understand how I got there.
Was I lazy? Sure, always a bit, but that is not it.
Did I run out of things to say? Unlikely.
I blame Twitter.
Now, I am no 7×24 mad tweeter, but I have had several people mention lately… “Are you on Twitter ALL the time???”
I am not, but I also NEVER had a similar question asked of me regarding blogs.
So, why? Here are some initial thoughts…
- Twitter is easy and quick. I love easy and quick
- Twitter is short. I find most of my insight can indeed be executed in 140 characters
- Twitter seems to connect me to others better – I have more regular tweet readers than blog readers
That being said, this was kinda nice. Got to use multiple sentences… spell check… even bullets!!
Worthwhile considering this in a business context. You want people with good thoughts in them to share them. They might be willing to do that, but will want the easiest path. It is probably not and either/or thing, but matching the right person to the right tool could help you succeed.
Kelly
(@kthul on Twitter)
Now’s a good moment to define social business . Here is my definition. It’s simple and I think liberating. Social business is about what my colleague Nick Vitalari refers to as instantaneous connectivity. I prefer the term instantaneous, ubiquitous communications.
Social business is the discipline of working out all the societal and business impacts of instantaneous, ubiquitous communications.
Now that we can communicate with anyone at any time from anywhere, and we can communicate and create knowledge from communications between a growing array of devices we are liberated to do business much, much faster, to seek the most appropriate people to do business with, and to explore new limits in human potential.
All that starts with instantaneous, ubiquitous communications. If you want to develop a social business strategy you start there, not with a software platform and a vendor implementation plan.
Speed of communications has long been recognised for its economic potency. From canal to train, train to road, road to air, telegraph to telephone. Communications drives novelty and innovation. Now it is instant, so easy and it embraces a fast evolving global economy with a shared culture of entrepreneurism.
There are many many implications of this connectivity – and it might be your organization only needs the lightest possible touch of technology to reap the benefits. Essentially what you see before you in your workforce is a group of people who can communicate to anywhere in the world, develop relationships with people you had not imagined matter to your business, create new opportunities, accelerate new ideas to market, distill many global actions into succinct knowledge, spot new technologies and opportunities, partner, and generally act in a more entrepreneurial way either on your behalf or theirs.
If you want to give them badges, go ahead, watch them under-perform. If you want to impose one more software platform on them, that too is your right. But my advice is to spend some strategic time with what social business really is – instantaneous, ubiquitous communications, for everyone, all on the same terms.
What it is clearly also leading to is a change in societal values, a re-set of what we can expect of each other for our respective contributions at work and home. This is not an empowered workforce or a break for freedom but it is dramatic. It requires a new social contract.
