The backroom where we meet every month holds about 50 people and is typically half-full; people are busy. On Wednesday it was packed. The audience was a mixture of BMA members - marketing types - and folks from the client-side. The panel was Corey Creed and Brandon Uttley, two social networking experts, and Lisa Hoffmann. Lisa’s job title is Social Media Specialist for Duke Energy.

The intersection of the corporate world and social media is largely unexplored territory. Since Lisa has “Social Media” in her job title, she is someone I really wanted to meet. Lisa is a pioneer and I wanted to hear her take on the intersection.

Lisa is not just applying what many of us consider the next big thing. Rather, through her everyday job and actions she is one of the few people defining it. So when Scott Hepburn rose to signal the start of discussion the entire room fell silent.

As if choreographed, every back straightened, 100 elbows came to rest on the tables and an equal number of hands folded together, as if praying for wisdom. Social media meat was about to be served and we were all hungry.

• In summary, here are my notes from the panel as well as what I already knew (no reason to make you read two blog entries):

• Social networking is not a superficial relationship.

• Your online relationships are quite similar to your offline relationships, or at least they should be.

• The value in social platforms comes from two-way beneficial relationships, be they person-to-person or company-to-customer and, if you’re a company, you need both.

• Empathy and listening skills are more important than selling and writing skills.

• Social networking is not broadcasting to an unthinking audience.

• Constant overt selling is considered spamming and no one likes getting spammed. Do you?

• Be careful but engage. You can’t stay silent at a party and expect to walk away with lots of new friends.

• Posts are not monologues written in legalese that strive to be the final word, engage the conversation and encourage others to talk.

• Don’t react to minor criticism and every perceived slight. Be mature.

• Big companies like Best Buy (Ford, Virgin Airlines, Dell, etc.) are successful because they use social networking to humanize their corporations through the individuals who work there, build the products, are genuinely part of the online community and have expanded their customer support while often reducing cost.

• Companies should have social networking policies but don’t think you can control every conversation.

• Don’t expect people to lie for you. If they do you’ll both be caught and publicly chastised if not thrown out of the tribe entirely.

• Sites like Twitter are easier to navigate than a phone tree.

• Emails are formal, often include the wrong audience, have too many cc’s and bury calls-to-action. Micro-blogs, such as Twitter, are more conversational and, as such, more productive.

• The C-Suite needs to be involved since social media is rich in customer feedback, competitive intelligence, public relations, product suggestions, pre-sales activities, after sales support, brand reputation and investor relations.

• The secure C-Level buy in aligned your social media activities and measurements with specific business goals.

• Internal and external stakeholders (customers, employees, and the press) like hearing from senior management.

• Start small with modest goals, measure results and expand slowly.

• Let those with a passion for social media (for being social and smart) represent your company.

• The IT Department should not be responsible for social networking. It’s not about computers; it’s about people and conversation.

• Relationships built today may pay dividends tomorrow. Relationships shunned today may have consequences tomorrow.

The panel was great. Lisa provided the insights into selling to the C-Level and recommended starting small and keeping responsibility out of the IT Department. Those are all good points.

I’m going to suggest a follow up. I’d like to hear more about specific tactics and tools, such as reporting.

All in all, I learned something. How about you?

Steve

Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0) | Permalink