On Tuesday, September 13th and Thursday, September 15th, High Profile hosted an interactive Roundtable discussion on ‘Maximizing Your Social Media Strategies’. Our Roundtable Lunch events have been very informative, and this discussion was no different!
Here is a Summary of Key Insights:
A new tool… Social Media is a tool, not an end unto itself. It introduces new possibilities for communication. Each company is unique, so each company will be effective utilizing Social Media differently. In our group of luncheon attendees, most companies were using LinkedIn, and some had started branching out to use Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare.
The nature of Social Media tools changes the way things are done, but not what’s right and wrong. The same do’s and don’ts for general business etiquette apply for Social Media etiquette. The world of online networking is new to most of us, but there is little difference in connecting with people online and offline. Common sense rules apply.
Many businesses are starting to use Social Media as a tool in part of their hiring practices. Whether they are searching information on LinkedIn, engaging candidates through Twitter or connecting on Facebook, the goal is to be consistent in the same approach with all candidates. Anything that is posted by a potential employee in a public domain can be viewed.
Social Media Company Policy … Social Media case law is still evolving. Assume nothing. A company policy should illustrate standards of conduct, not dictate specific behavior. Don’t get bogged down in detailed do’s and don’ts since most information will become outdated quickly. A well-designed company policy should be reflective of the company’s culture. To determine what type of company policy you need for your company, you first need to determine what the company culture is and how you want to communicate that through Social Media. You want to encourage positive feedback from your employees online. If you can create a group of dedicated ambassadors for your company, it’s a huge opportunity to spread and promote your company brand online.
Driving Engagement & Dialogue With Others… There are several questions to ask before you get started: Who is it that we want to interact with? Where are these people or groups online? How do they interact in those places? How can we be a part of it?
By observing and communicating with affinity groups (online groups that have a shared concern, common activity, role or skill), or by establishing yourself as a thought leader (sharing useful industry information), you can enter the conversation and establish relationships. Always make sure you enter the conversation in a way that benefits them. With effective conversation online, you can create engagement and loyalty.
Many of us are hesitant about change when it comes to Social Media initiatives. Michael Pratt shared a quote by General Eric Shinseki, Retired Chief of Staff, US Army, that addresses this:
“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less!”
High Profile Staffing Roundtable Discussions
Many thanks to the contributors who helped make the “Maximizing Your Social Media Strategies” roundtable discussion a success.
High Profile Staffing is the leading staffing agency in Dallas, helping administrative, accounting/finance and human resource professionals. For more information, visit our website at https://www.highprofilestaffing.com/.