May 18, 2011 by Jeff Hurt
Why we should use social media is only half of the battle.
Here’s how to address the why we shouldn’t do it.
Guess what, some already are. We just don’t know it. We are not listening for it.
Not hearing what our customers say about us in social media is a liability. Our competitors are listening to those people and using the information as competitive intelligence. By having a social media program in place, we can see negative and positive criticism as it happens. Then we can decide if we need to respond.
Our social media program seeks to minimize negative sentiments. We will measure our impact on complaints and report regularly on the progress.
Our HR policies already articulate that sharing of confidential information is prohibited. Our social media guidelines will reiterate this.
We will stress that the same guidelines that apply to all forms of communication–email, fax, telephone, in person, etc., apply to social media.
We are not responsible for something someone else says in social media. Each of our eCommunity users must accept and approve our terms of service that address this issue. If someone posts something inappropriate or confidential on our Facebook page or blog, we can remove it, if we decide that’s the best course of action. They can also remove their own posts.
Some may not use it. This won’t have any impact on them. Others are using it. The Pew Internet and American Life Project data shows that a majority of Americans are using social media on a daily basis.
For our customers using social media, our program will benefit them. Those that use social media expect to find us in the places where they are playing. It will make us more accessible. It will also showcase us to potential new customers.
Just as our customers communicate with us via email and phone, they also expect to communicate with us in social media. It’s the communication method for today. Our absence in these outlets speaks louder than our traditional communication methods.
Yes, it is a lot of work. We will have to invest in some staff time and software. Initial costs are minimal. We have developed some social media goals to justify these investments.
I’ve also identified how our social media program aligns with our overall objectives and goals. We want to start small and monitor our progress. If it doesn’t work, and I believe it will, we can cut the program and try something else.
What are some of the excuses for not using social media that you have heard? How have you got buy-in from both the top and bottom of your organization?
Filed Under: Social Media
My clients say “I don’t want people to know about my personal life (via facebook).” Don’t have a good way to overcome this objection, except FB blurs the lines between personal and professional lives. Thoughts?
Also, they say “I don’t have time to manage Social Media.” To that I encourage them to spend just 15 minutes a day, either creating a post, Retweeting a comment, or adding connections to their LinkedIn profile.
I just heard “We don’t want to use Social Media as a channel because we won’t be able to respond in the timely fashion (we’re too busy) that our customers expect.”
Your #5 was about the same response I made. I explained there are ways on most social media sites to have any contacts or notification emailed to you, and asked if they had the same concerns when going to email from only the phone.
Bottom line: If you want the business, you’ll find a way to make the time!
‘@De-De Great question, “How to overcome the objection that people don’t want others to see their personal lives in Facebook.” When I get that excuse, I explain that you can set specific levels of privacy within Facebook. You segment your friends into lists and then allow specific lists to see specific items. That way you can keep the family and personal stuff private. Then they usually respond with, that’s too much work. Ha!
Thanks for reading and commenting.
@Mike It’s amazing that some business people are so overwhelmed that they don’t want to communicate with their customers and potential customers. Isn’t it?!?!?!
I’m with you, if you want the business, you’ll find a way to make time to respond. And you’ll find a way to respond with the communication method the customer prefers!
Thanks for reading and commenting too.
Social media is the best way to be connected to across all your clients, relatives, friends and stay close. To know more about them and it can also be used to enhance your business
Elaborating on #4: If your customers use a search engine, they are using social media. Search engine optimization relies increasingly on presence within social platforms and in social conversations. Even a small social platform presence with relevant content can give people something to share with each other about your company, product, or brand. This will increase the likelihood you will show up in search results.
‘@Steve Great point that search engines are part of social media. Thanks for adding your insights and reading too.
[…] No more excuses: I loved this simple how-to guide on addressing excuses for not being on social media. Great stuff for those who are still trying to convince their org that it’s worth the staff time and effort. […]
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