We have all become acutely aware of the potential power of social media both in our business and personal lives. Our clients, prospects and other people who find us online don’t care much about our company structure. What they really want is some kind of response from someone who can help them. It usually doesn’t matter what department that person represents or someone’s official job title.
A recent article I read, talks about some critical skills that are needed to more effectively leverage the true power of social media. As business leaders, we should work toward having as many people in our organization armed with these skills. They include:
- Brand Immersion and Representation
- Success Metrics
- Listening
- Story Harvesting
- Engagement
Often times, there are a small number of people in our businesses that execute the majority of the online communications with clients and prospects. Having a finger on the pulse of how social media and the activities within it affects the company, each department and the industry you serve should be a universal responsibility. That said, each participant needs to be acutely aware and listening for matters related to their area of the business. As an example, what are people saying about sales, technology, etc. in your industry, product or services segment and so forth.
As the business leader, we must establish social media guidelines, but at the same time, give everyone freedom to articulate and represent the company in their own voice. Measurement of our social media initiatives is also imperative, but more importantly, these metrics must be shared with everyone in the company.
There are several other key skills discussed in this article, making it a worthwhile read. Please take a few moments to read the article.
Here’s wishing you much success for your business and social media plans in 2011.
