7 Social Media Engagement Tips For Companies

7 Social Media Engagement Tips For Companies 7 Social Media Engagement Tips For Companies 7 Social Media Engagement Tips For Companies Libert Success in todays connected world is increasingly tied to more modern and transparent approaches to doing business such asopen sourcing, social sourcing, user-generated content to name a few.These strategies exemplify connectedness more than management. It is in every organizations best interest to build advocates, friends andfollowers who can help each other achieve their full potential and avoid the sentiments so well expressed in thisadvertisementfrom 1999. The following seven principles for success can help transform your organization into one that highly engages its customers, motivates its employees and partners, and creates dedicated, long-term investors. These best practices will enable your company to achieveitsfull potential: Rule 1: Develop Your Social Skills: Leaders in todays socially-networked world are expected to follow as much as they lead, while still providing structure and support.Example: Ducati, the world-famous Italian motorcycle maker, realized that by creating both on and offline communities of its enthusiasts they could spread the Ducati brand. They also let people create their own modifications and add-ons and display those modifications both in person and online.In so doing, they essentially let their community of owners, dealers and prospective buyers reshape the image of Ducati. Rule 2: Let Company Culture Lead Your Way: When building your social organization, remember that employer branding is very important, so let an open and honest culture be a guiding principle. Example:Tony Hseih, the founder of Zappos,created his firm based on a simple notion that achieving happiness is a universal principle and is applicable to both work and at home; with our friends and family members, as well as customers and employees.The result: he built two highly successful companies andsoldZappos to Amazon. Rule 3: Mind Your Online and Offline Manners: How you say something be it online or off is as important as what you say, and can help make the difference in gaining fans, friends and followers who are engaged and committed, whether they are employees, customers, investors or partners. In a world dominated by online communications, how you say something (your tone and sentiment) is as important to building relationships as what you say (content and context) especially if you want to build loyal relationships with employees and customers that mirror the values you cherish and nurture at home.Being a responsible social media leaderis imperative. Rule 4: Listen, Learn, and Adopt:Social intelligence enables your company to benefit from all that is happening around you, including the conversations of your constituents so you can adapt what you do and how you do it to better meet the needs of your customers, employees and market demands.Example:Webkinz and its founder, Samuel Ganz, who passed away in 2014, understoodthata great business is based on the feedback of customers and prospects and their ability to act on their recommendations. The moral of the story is every company needs to really listen, learn and adopt to the needs of others if they want to really create communities of constituents that support them to either buy their products and services or devote themselves to an organization. Rule 5: Include Others in Everything You Do:As an organization that is seeking to benefit from a broad range of communities that increasingly go beyond your employee base; relying on others in every part of your company is the only way to adapt what you do and how you do it to stay competitive. Example: As a brand, Mountain Dew understood thatin order to compete, you need to givepassionate customers a choice in creatingnew flavors and brand concepts. Rule 6: Rely on Others for Growth and Innovation:Friends, fans and followers are instrumental in achieving growth in todays connected world. This means you need to engage people on their terms if you want to build new products and services that matter.General Electric (GE) proved this really works with their Ecomagination initiatives, which generated thousands of proposals to create new and alternative energy efficient technologies. More recently, the company rebranded itself with innovative marketingthatsuccessfully positioned it to millennials as a124-year-old startup. Rule 7: Reward Others and You Will Be Rewarded Too:As organizations focus more and more on social connections, interactions and relationships, they want to be rewarded emotionally as well as financially. Successful businesses will have to meet both needs. A great example is Apple a company thatsmastered this technique. Theyve built and rewarded a community of independent developers that, according to Statista, has generated 2 million apps to date. Imagine one day your company, with friends and followers, fans and advocates who buyyour products and helpshape your next technology. If successful, you willshare in the rewards of generating a win-win for everyone. Author Bio Barry Libert is a digital board member, strategic advisor, angel investor and author. His portfolio of investments includes companies (past and present) that manage more than corporate social networks (customer and employee) for 150 leading brands, with 350,000 experts, and 40M members. He has also advised companies such as Microsoft, GE Healthcare, SunLife, Deloitte, ESPN and the US Army on how to improve their business models by using todays digital technologies and networks. His most recent book is The Network Imperative: How to Survive and Grow in the Age of Digital Business Models.