An overview provided by Apogee Social Media Group

Social Media: The Great Equalizer –

The Great Disrupter

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Social media provides many windows into your company— through employees, groups, & conversations. At Apogee, we believe that social media is the single most impactful development of this era. It is the great equalizer and the great disrupter. Companies that embrace social media and teach their people to operate effectively in social media will have unlimited access to opportunities, customers and talent. The term social media refers to the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into an interactive dialogue. Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define social media as “a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allows the creation and exchange of user-generated content.” Social media is the largest and fastest evolution of the internet we have seen so far. Social media goes far beyond the technological platforms of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. It’s about the ability for users to create, use and filter content that aligns to their interests. To understand this new dynamic, consider the DVR.

A DVR allows you to record your favorite TV show, then watch it when, where and how you want. You have the power to watch your show at your own convenience, not only at 8pm on Thursday nights. You have the power to watch your show on your laptop as well as your TV. You have the power to filter unwanted messages (i.e., commercials). You control how you want to be engaged. Now consider the companies that advertise during your 8pm-Thursday-night show. They may show three commercials in a span of 60 minutes. In the past, if they wanted greater exposure, they might show six commercials in that same 60 minutes. But with a DVR, it doesn’t matter how many many commercial spots they buy—you aren’t watching any of them! Since you have control over what you tune in to, companies must change their approach so that you want to tune in. Businesses have to find another way for their messages to reach their customers.

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Your customers and employees are talking about your company and products right now—join the conversation!

Social media is complex. It isn’t particularly complex from a technical perspective; it’s complex from a human perspective. People inherently need to identify or connect—with other people, with companies, and even with products—but the old world “push” methods of connecting (e.g., TV ads) are getting filtered out. As we explore this human need to connect, we realize that for the first time in the modern era we have a reliable platform to facilitate the connection—the conversation—worldwide and at lightning speed over the internet: social media. Two major factors influence the decision to buy:

1. A company’s ability to create a meaningful connection with the buyer, and 2. What the buyer’s peers are saying.

Conversations are powerful influencers. If your company is not actively and authentically becoming part of these conversations, you are at a great disadvantage against your competition. Joining the conversation is not about plugging in and using social media as a conduit for the same old message and tactics. That will fail. It’s about creating content that inspires conversation. It’s about contributing to the collective knowledge of the group for the benefit of the group. If the conversation is dull, insufficient or self-serving, people will leave the conversation. Getting involved in the conversation is the way to make the connection to your customers and their peers. If successfully connected, your message and brand will flourish!

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Social media is a journey and, like all journeys, it helps to know your starting point, your desired destination, and your plan to get there. Five steps to get you on your way: 1. Start where you are. Understand that social

media has already provided many windows into your company by virtue of the fact that your employees already participate. Embrace this phenomenon and invest in your people. Make an honest assessment of your company’s current image on social media, then educate your employees about the correct way to represent themselves and the company. It will pay dividends. Plus, your employees are hungry for it.

2. Choose a destination. Find out where your customers are, and meet them there. If your business is Business-to-Consumer (B2C), Facebook may be the best platform. If you are Business-to-Business (B2B), LinkedIn may be the best place to engage. But be sure you know what you are trying to achieve and which platforms offer you the greatest opportunity to achieve it—and which platforms you can and are willing to support. Platforms that have short message lifecycles, like Twitter, require daily monitoring and frequent, prompt communication to keep the audience engaged. Even if your customers are there, if you don’t have the resources to participate fully, it may be a poor choice for you.

3. Build a roadmap. Start with reasonable expectations. Prioritize what you can actually get done, and honestly assess your available resources and constraints. Be realistic about what you can do yourself and what items are better handled by the pros. Achieving fewer, higher-impact successes is better than doing more things poorly. Set reasonable milestones; make sure you are successful before increasing the scope or number of social platforms.

4. Choose a navigator. Each employee can be a

powerful social media advocate for your company, but creating a strong social media presence and brand is not a part-time job. Assigning a focused resource to manage this channel will create a consistent “face” and voice to your company and will allow you to quickly build your brand.

5. Adjust to the environment. Social media is not a static environment. Savvy companies critically assess the impact of their efforts, look for the best ideas, evaluate changes in the marketplace, and make crucial adjustments to their strategy. Understand that new tools and platforms are emerging every day and will continue to evolve. Listen carefully to your customers to understand where they’re headed and what platforms they will use for their conversations. Sometimes a road is closed and you have to take a detour—but that’s all part of the adventure!

Embarking on your social media journey can feel daunting. By following the steps outlined above, you can be confident that your efforts will position your company to engage with new customers, new opportunities, and new talent.

Social Media is more than just a few folks at headquarters Tweeting and responding to Facebook posts. In order to realize the full benefit of this opportunity, teach and empower the entire organization to operate with skill and confidence over social media.

How do I get started?

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Social Media for the Sales Professional Do you use “social listening” to find out where the sales opportunities are? Do you know which competitors are talking to your clients? This dynamic instructor-led, one-day course is designed to address the unique requirements of the professional sales organization. Learn to use the power of LinkedIn to grow your sales.

Social Media for the HR Professional Companies compete for talent. Is your company finding and attracting the right candidates? This interactive instructor-led, one-day course is designed to address the unique requirements of the professional HR organization. Learn to use LinkedIn to tap into an almost unlimited talent pool—efficiently and effectively.

Social Media for the Business Professional Every one of your staff offers a window into your business. Are you offering the right view? This interactive instructor-led, one-day course is designed for all employees. It has been carefully constructed to give users the knowledge and confidence to skillfully operate in the world of social media (LinkedIn)—and present the company image you want.

LinkMeIn for Executives Executives have a choice of one-on-one LinkedIn coaching or turnkey profile development services. Learn how to enhance your personal brand, position yourself as an expert in your industry, or promote personal causes or charities. We’ll help you get up and running and develop a full personal social media strategy.

LinkMeIn for Jobseekers In this 2-part video learning series, individuals seeking new career opportunities learn to use LinkedIn to develop their unique online brand, attract recruiters and hiring managers, and find the right connections in target industries. Having strong relationships online is critical to getting ahead in this job market—we’ll show you how.

About Apogee Social Media Group We help companies accomplish their goals by prioritizing and simplifying the use of social media to build and strengthen their brand, find new opportunities, and connect to customers and talent. After a comprehensive assessment, we work with you to develop a social media strategy, in which we may recommend some of the coaching and training options listed below. Whether you’re a sales professional, human resource manager, recruiter, executive leader, or jobseeker, you’ll be able to apply what you learn immediately.

Apogee Social Media Group http://www.apogeesocialmediagroup.com 8105 Fayetteville Rd, Suite 121–143 Raleigh, NC 27603