Management is making sure things run smoothly.  Leading, on the other hand, is lifting up your head, looking around, and doing something about what you see.  Many companies are run by managers, versus leaders.  Which is great if nothing changes.

But we’re in a time of great change, with the rate of change growing ever faster.  Leaders are what’s needed now, no matter what size company or type of industry you’re in.   Mobile, cloud, outsourcing/insourcing, self-serve, social media, disintermediation, user generated content…unless you run a hot dog stand, there’s practically no industry left unscarred by the vast of amount of change in the last 15 years. Even if you do run a hot dog stand, you’ll need to keep up with trends in localvore habits, mobile food truck regulations, the use of social media to drive new customers, supply chain traceability, changes in health concerns…

Lead and they will follow.  But just manage, and you will quickly be swept aside by the waves of change.

 

- Lynn Parker

 

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I stumbled across the top 20 Facebook fan pages article on Inc. and saw “Steve Spangler Science” as the top ranked Facebook page.  I had to investigate. Who is Steve Spangler and why is he so popular?  If you go to Steve Spangler’s Facebook page you are first welcomed with a video. The video shows his science experiments in the community and guest appearances on TV shows, but basically the clip does a great job at saying why you should become fan and explaining what’s in it for you. Steve Spangler has a strategy. He draws people in with a simple video, is clear about the benefits of being his Facebook fan, and regularly monitors and contributes on the page once you’re in. The article mentions that Spangler has even hired a full time employee to do “nothing but listen” to who said what on which social media sites.

Steve Spangler and many other companies have nailed down their Facebook strategy in a way that is relevant to their fans and seeing real results.  SmartPak is tracking referrals from Facebook to their website and is seeing increased revenue as a result of their Facebook page.  Many other pages listed in the article have strategies of their own focusing on customer engagement, brand recognition, product contests, games, etc., with most all of the pages somehow creating an experience where fans can engage and interact with the company.

So I ask, how do your fans experience and interact with you on your Facebook page? And how does your social media presence deliver on your brand promise?

- Evelyn Jones

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How did a small family liquor store in New Jersey turn into a $60 million online wine business?

By doing exactly what they were doing before: giving that personal attention mom-and-pop shops are known for—except online.

When storeowner Gary Vaynerchuk created winelibrary.com and Wine Library TV, and began using Facebook and Twitter, he understood that he would have to do more than just have a social media presence.  He decided to provide real value to customers by building truly meaningful connections which he says, “is hard to do if you’re pushing too hard.” Especially because (as he puts it) his customers’ BS radars are good and getting better.

So how did he find the balance?

Check out his interview with NPR to find out.

-Bianca Abate

 

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That’s right! You can double dip. You can kill two birds with one stone. You can engage your employees to engage your customers in one fell swoop…using social media.

First of all, why? Well, because social media is all about authentic dialogue between people (not amorphous, talking logos). And, your people are your voice. They provide the human shape and character that is relatable, dynamic and engaging for customers. Corporate messaging on Twitter or Facebook is a one way push that rarely gets anyone’s attention. It’s like throwing a tennis ball at a wall to yourself–you get one-dimensional feedback: your own.

Secondly, how? By leveraging the talent, skills and amazingness of your employees. They have a lot to give beyond their basic job description and if you take the time to uncover those gems you will be doing two things: 1) recognizing and appreciating their value (something people need to thrive), and 2) empowering them to BE your brand (something YOUR BRAND needs to thrive). See how that works?

An example: TGI Fridays out of the UK realized their employees are the key to delivering the experience they want their customers to have. So, they highlight their rock star talents with videos on YouTube that do two things: 1) showcase the skills of their employees (which makes them feel important and valued), and 2) demonstrate the type of fun and entertaining experience one can expect when they go there. Bada bing, bada boom–two hits in one.

Take a look.

If you are in HR, corporate communications or a marketing manager who is trying to figure out how to engage employees in delivering on your brand promise, I’ll be talking more about this subject at The Conference Board Social Media Strategies for HR in New York next week. Follow the seminars on Twitter #tcbSM4HR. Oh, and I’ll post the presentation on Slideshare after the seminar too!

–Jen Travis

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Social networking has just about hit its peak. What I mean by that is, we have reached a point of maximum density for social networks such that new ones popping up are bound to fail. The winners have emerged–Facebook for personal, LinkedIn for business, and Twitter for marketing–and now the focus is turning to how to make every online experience social (wherever you are on the web). It’s placeless social networking or the social web.

Companies need to be thinking about how they engage with users beyond the traditional website to establish and build an ongoing social relationship wherever a user happens to be. The days of brochure-ware have been over for awhile. It’s time to think about what it means to be social–then, build a company-wide strategy that extends beyond having a website, a Facebook page and a LinkedIn profile to how you strategically use human resources, marketing, sales and the web to build social relationships.

–Jen Travis

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While I was really there to see how the morning’s keynote speaker Al Gore was going to sell global warming to 11,000 HR leaders, I found a statement made by the Society of Human Resources Management board chair Robb Van Cleave to be really quite interesting. He said during his speech at their national convention on June 28th, “With the proliferation of social media your employees are becoming brand ambassadors and you, you HR leaders are becoming brand managers.”

I found this particularly interesting because during the early morning workshop I conducted, that had concluded not 15 minutes prior to Mr. Van Cleave’s speech, I covered the social nature of modern brands and the opportunity to enlist employees in the service of this new reality to build one’s brand and to increase employee engagement. I suppose it’s possible that Mr. Van Cleave plucked the quote from my presentation, but what’s more likely, given the lively conversation during my session, is that there seems to be a trend.

Social media is forcing a conversation between communications, HR and leadership about the role of employees in the definition and cultivation of their brand promise. In some organizations, this presents the opportunity to differentiate and to create stronger connections with employees and customers alike. And in others, it’s creating stricter policies around the use of online media and the dissemination of company information in the hope that social media is a passing fad.

If successful brands today are those that function as a community, where fans engage, share and personalize, how can you deliver on this expectation without promoting the use of social media?

Regardless of where you’ve come down on this issue, I’d love to hear about how you got there and what you learned about your organization in the process.

–Briana

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Social media yahta-yahta-yahta. I think the last time that the business world was overtaken so completely by one innovation was when computers started appearing on desktops a couple of decades ago. Social media is just as revolutionary and takes just as much planning to make it work for you. But it’s critical because it’s where brand communities are built. And it’s overwhelming.

Most of us don’t have the resources to pull off intricately orchestrated marketing campaigns like Coca-Cola’s Expedition 206 or for a full-time engager like Lee Aase, Mayo Clinic Social Media Manager .

I say, so what! You can do some Internet research on your own to see what’s going on in your market space and what (if anything) is being said about you. You can start a Facebook page and build it up over time. You can join the throngs on Twitter and tweet when there’s something relevant to say. Start with a goal, create a plan and then stick to it. Be realistic about how much resource you can devote—even if it’s only 2 hours a week.

Why now? Because the world isn’t going to come rushing to your door the minute you get engaged. Just like any new friendship, it’s built in phases. First you meet, then you go out for coffee. If there’s chemistry and they find you interesting enough, your new friend might invite you to meet some of their friends…and so it goes. Brand community-building is the same. One-by-one steps that deepen the relationship.

If you don’t get out there now, your competitors will be out there tempting your customers to have coffee with THEM. You’ll have to dive in at some point—so why wait?

Your friend, Beth Woolley

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In the onslaught of social media throughout 2009, one brand stands out more than others because of the social revolution it continues to propel–Facebook. From giving people a place to share their lives or connect with long lost friends and family to giving brands new ways to connect one on one with their customers, Facebook has continued to evolve with the many ways users are using it.

It has embodied the spirit of social media in constant transformation and innovation based on listening. While some can argue its usability or the efficacy of its design, Facebook has listened to these arguments and continues to improve the experience–upgrading its interface ongoingly, adding new features monthly, and making its data more usable for marketers and casual users alike.

And, with its steady growth of users (over 350 million as of this month) and stable retention rates, it has beat out Twitter and MySpace for audience share. My prediction: in the shake out to come in 2010, we will see a very clear distinction between Facebook and Twitter. Facebook will continue to evolve and deepen its relationships with all of its users, as well as become an invaluable data source for brand managers and marketers, while Twitter will solidify its position with companies and thought leaders by providing a valuable public relations and communications channel.

Anybody want to wager?

–Jen Travis

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