Social Media: Time-Wasting Fad, or the Holy Grail of Internal and External Communication Tools?[Post event slides copy]

Philip Calvert

@PhilipCalvert@IFALifewww.philipcalvert.comwww.ifalife.com

About me

• 25 years in Financial Services• Further 9 consulting and

building communities online• Social Media• Surrey• Kickboxing and

Photography

[Source: unknown]

Why is Social Media important?

Why are firms resistant to using Social Media – internally and externally?

• Risk• Fear• Reputation and Brand• Time wasting• Compliance• Fear of loss of control• Internal comms jobs• Education gap

Imagine...

• If your company hadn’t adopted email• If you didn’t have a website• If your sales people hadn’t been given

mobile phones

Social Media explained

Forget “Social Media”.

Remember Image, Identity and Reputation Management.

• Google Places• YouTube• Blog• LinkedIn• Facebook• Twitter• Google +• Ecademy• Pinterest• Slideshare• EventBrite• Foursquare• Phone App

Image Management tools

Social Media explained

Forget “Social Media”.

Remember Image, Identity and Reputation Management.

LinkedIn is a key component of yourTrust Development Toolkit.

The problem with customers

• They have too many choices• You don’t stand out enough• They don’t have enough time• The Internet is seen as a shortcut• You don’t stand out enough online

Tell us something we don’t already know

Tell us something we don’t already know

Tell us something we don’t already know

Social Media – all about Marketing?

Social Media – all about Marketing?

• To listen• Improve knowledge• Share best practice• Thought leadership• Networking/Relationships• Search engines/traffic• Collaboration• Engage• Comment/share expertise• Add value/contribute to

discussions

Social Media – all about Marketing?

• To listen• Improve knowledge• Share best practice• Thought leadership• Networking/Relationships• Search engines/traffic• Collaboration• Engage• Comment/share expertise• Add value/contribute to

discussions

• Cement relationships• Brand loyalty and buzz• Customer service• Identify influencers• Promotion/Sales• Idea feedback• Build Community• Show a human face• Events• PR• Recruitment• Employee engagement

“Our greatest asset is our staff”

“Our greatest asset is our staff”

"The use of workers to humanize corporate entities has been atime-honored marketing tradition, of course.

But in an era of Web 2.0 transparency, their visibility takes on greater meaning, signalling the higher importance of customer

service in the marketing mix... staffers offer a kind of peer credibility as corporate advocates.“

Noreen O'Leary in AdWeek

But do we trust them enough to allow use of Social Media to

communicate with:

CustomersStakeholdersEach other?!

How do staff/employees/colleagues currently communicate?

• Email• Face to face• Telephone/SMS/BBM• Skype and Video• Coffee machine• Hallways• Lunchtime• Pub• Sports and Social• Official meetings/briefings

Social Media – internal benefits

• Better engagement = better performance

• Engages younger staff• Retains good performers• A new staff benefit/motivator• Evidence of open and trusting

management• Quick and easy communications• Fast and honest feedback• Ideas hub

• Competitions• Increase collaboration• Creates sense of Community• Weekend Warriors• Vacancies become more

engaging• Easy to identify Brand

ambassadors• Easy to identify good

communicators• Humanises management /

Reduces corporate speak

Social Media – internal benefits

• Better engagement = better performance

• Start small• Forget the tool (Twitter etc)• Ask what employees would find

useful• Expect very little engagement

at the start

• Don’t accept “No” for an answer from Management

• Train Management if they don’t understand it – What the tools are– What the tools do– Why Social is important

• “Communication is King”

Social Media – identifying Brand Ambassadors

• Good communicators• They ‘get’ the objective of the

Brand• Can articulate the objective• They evangelise the brand• Strong sense of Mission/Vision• Consistent in behaviours• Factually accurate in

communications• Can handle pressure• Can handle argumentative people• Relaxed and friendly – but get

things done

• They ‘get’ and use Social Media• They are open, random and

supportive online• They can articulate the dangers• They can tell stories• They are trustworthy• At ease with all levels of

Management – internally and externally

• They know competitors’ products• Keen to give feedback on own

performance• Fizzing with ideas and quick witted

Points to think about

• Social Media policy throughout• Guidelines for stepping outside

policy (and who)• Leap of faith for Management• How to reward ambassadors• How to measure performance• Management are watching and

listening closely• Does the company culture and

tone match the messages?• Ambassadors can become

‘celebrities’• Have a defensive strategy for when

someone is offended

• Everyone is an ambassador• You won’t get it perfect• Requires leadership and the

ability to trust staff• Special approach for Key

Accounts• Don’t introduce it without some

sort of plan• Don’t plan anything!• Don’t expect results overnight• This is not a replacement for

traditional staff communication channels

Differentiate or Die

Your Differentiation Plan

• In the industry• In your community• In your niche

Your most powerful differentiator is...

What are you doing to get noticed?

Exercises / Groups

www.philipcalvert.comphilip@philipcalvert.com

@PhilipCalvert

Conference Speaker on Social Media and LinkedIn StrategistConsultant on use of Social Media in Professional Services

and Regulated Industries