Increasing Employee & Client Engagement

With Social Media still being relatively new to so many people, everyone is still trying to figure out the protocol & rules of engagement.   The same way the sociology of the handshake evolved.  How far to stand, the firmness of the grip etc.  As people were learning, it had to be very awkward because each person had a different set of information of what it should be like.  To simplify, just assume the difficulty was in the same culture because I can not even imagine all the cultural barriers and obstacles.

With the tools of the Internet…  it is very easy to track what is being said about us, our products, our company or whatever you track.  Never mind that it is human nature for us to want to be proactive, aware and alert of everything that is being said about us anyway.    We always want to feel like we are in control and make sure we are leading the conversation.

The challenge comes with how do you decide when to act and when to sit back…   Well, let me urge you to use the words of the bible… Be quick to listen and slow to speak.   Social Media is a fantastic listening tool.  When you hear something you do not necessarily want to hear.   Your first instinct will be to refute, but don’t… use restraint.

Before you hit send on that email or comment… let it sit there for a few hours.  Seek to understand first.  See if it can be handled offline outside the lights.  Show that you really care and are not doing it just to show responsiveness publicly.

If you do what is right, then you have done your job…  If you try to prove it by you doing something publicly, it may appear insincere.  This is not your chance to get a spotlight. The best PR will be if that person affected shares the goodwill or resolution.  If they do not, then they don’t.   Keep it on their plate.  If they do share, it will have 10 x the impact then if you did it.

Why??? Because it goes back to the authenticity and genuineness the situation offers.    Your actions will speak louder than your words.  Your intention no matter how pure may be misconstrued.  Remember you will not be judged on your intention because their perception is their reality. 

So before you decide to jump in and control the situation, stand back and look through the window.

I was at a Social Media Event last week and saw a new form of Social Media that I had never witnessed before.  It took Social Media to a whole new level.  Now, for most people it would be looked at as rogue and maybe frowned upon…

It is a backchannel program called BackNoise…   It is very much like twitter, but basically anonymously and a closed conversation.  According to BackNoise, Backchannel is the practice of using networked computers to maintain a real-time online conversation alongside live spoken remarks.  This platform allows you to talk about what you want, when you want, where you want, and how you want. 

As I mentioned it is a closed conversation… You have to know the Conversation Name to join in.  You cannot search for it on Google because it will not appear.  The fact that it is anonymous, gives it a genuineness never seen before.  You get to SAY & HEAR the thoughts that you THINK but would never say out loud and be tied to them.  I was shocked at the chatter.

There were a couple of good speakers… like Jeff Turner from Zeek Interactive and Bert Dumars the VP of Digital for Newell Rubbermaid, but the headliner was Chris Brogan, who needs no introduction.  He just released his new book Trust Agents and was their promoting etc.  I am only through two chapters but will share soon.

So back to my story, an interesting dynamic took place…  You may have watched during the Presidential campaign some of the news channels during the debates that had 20 undecided voters with a happy-o-meter.  If they liked what the candidate was saying they pushed the “like” button, and if they didn’t then they pushed the “dislike” button.  They compressed one of the buttons every second so you could see where they stood every second.  It would chart a graph like a pulse. 

Well during this event I was at, as a speech was going, the chatter would either be good or bad during every minute of the program.   It ebbed & flowed like the happy-o-meter.  Since it was anonymous, people were giving their truest feelings, the naked truth, no holds barred, and straight to the heart.   It was unreal.

Now, that takes the whole “if you can not say something nice than do not say anything at all” to a different perspective…  I was doing several lectures at GA Tech last week on Social Media & Web 2.0.  Personally, I am not sure I would REALLY want to know what they thought.  Why???  Because no one wants to suck and be talked about in a negative way…Right?  To my face I had a dozen or two come and talk to me after class and showed a lot of interest and care.  Truly, if I just reached a couple, it will be worth it, but hope everyone got SOME value or ideas.

Conversely, why everyone should want BackNoise…

1. Look At This As Positive… What if you could get the real down & dirty about you, your products or services that could make a real impact on where you are going and doing?  These could be the golden nuggets you need.  So do not take it personally, take it constructive no matter how in your face it is.

2. How Could You Utilize This… What if your employees could share their true feelings anonymously and the company actually listened then changes & differences were made.  Think of ways you could really take advantage of this.

3. Search for The Truth, Do Not Hide Behind It…  Most people do not want to hear the truth.  You can see what you are doing wrong and actually make it better.  Because lets face it, 99% are nice to your face and before they turn around, they are saying under their breath, thinking or feeling the real truth anyway.  Might as well hear it, because you think you are doing great and are really losing.  Who does that help?

4. This is Opportunity, So Listen…  Like never before.  It may not be the fun or easy way, but it can make a true difference if you are strong enough to hear it.  With all this said, you can get the greatest feedback and information in the world, but if you choose to stick your head in the sand then you are missing the real juice.

It was great, actually Jeff Turner got up there and said he was changing the direction of his whole presentation based on this BackNoise because he saw & HEARD what had been said the past hour before he got up there.   How powerful is that.  He realized he was not in control.  He realized the audience was and he changed to fit.  That is pretty radical.

Chris Brogan did something even cooler…  When he was on stage he put the actual BackNoise on the Screen behind him as he spoke so it was SHOWING.  He took a different approach.  He embraced it.   He didn’t hide behind it and act like it was not going on.  That is what talking behind people’s backs and sharing gossip is…right?  So put it to the forefront.  As we always say, it is going on with or without you anyway. So listen and grow.  This ultratruistic feedback can be the best info you ever get to make your product or service better.

Better get used to it, this is the way Social Media is going.

Here is the 10 Absolutes of Social Media Strategy

1. Determine Your Audience… make it as narrow as you can – better to be a champion of a small niche than just another face in a big one.  If you have multiple audiences then segment out and give different messages to each.

2. Fish Where the Fish Are… now you know your target audience, determine where they are.  What forums, communities, platforms do they visit, get their info.  If you are hunting in the wrong place you will guarantee not to see who you are looking for.

3. Develop Topics That Will Give That Audience Massive Value… You know your audience, you know where they sleep, now talk about those topics that keep them awake at night.  Show them you know them, understand them, and more importantly can help them and solve their problems.

4. Engage Your Audience…  It is a communication tool, just like email.  Embrace it. It is a 2 way and multi-directional tool.  Talk to your audience, let them talk to you and more importantly ensure they can collaborate together.

5. Be Social… Make it about them.  Use the same rules you would in a normal situation.  Get to know them, ask them questions, and give them information that will help them.  People do not care about you; they care about themselves, so talk about their favorite subject.  Listen and learn as much as you can so you can provide solutions.

6. Make It FUN…  First it is fun.  It is just conversations with existing friends or making new ones.  Do not try to make it more than it is.

7. You Will Get Out What You Put Into It…  Like most good things in life.  If you put sustained effort into it, you will get results.

8. Be Yourself… Be human.  Be Real.  Create dialogue.  Do not talk like a logo or a brochure.  Talk and Write like you speak.  Re-Read #6

9. Listen…  Just like in real life, God gave us two ears and one mouth.  Listen as much as you talk.  You will get better data from Social Media then possibly anywhere.  People want to be heard.  They want you to know their likes and dislikes.  So hear what they have to say.  Make adjustments to your products or services based on the feedback.

10.  Put Quality First…  Quality relationships, quality content, quality time, quality strategy.   Be a real value in everyway.

If you are passionate and truly engaged, people will be drawn to you and it will not feel like work at all.  The list is not exhaustive, but please share any others you feel are Absolutes and share if you agree or disagree.

A friend of mine Stephanie A Lloyd & I were talking about Social Media ROI and what it means.  She shared an article with me by Tim Walker- Acid Bath ROI.  TIm makes a really valid point that he wished they would do “ROI on email, meetings and other time-sinks.”

That was a great line to me…  Even though I do feel a strategy is very important in everything we do.  There are many things that are done daily with little or no strategy using COMMUNICATION tools.  That is what Social Media is… a COMMUNICATION tool. See my article about 10 Things Social Media is Not. Social Media is a way to enhance relationships and engage your customers and prospects.

Need to look at what you are measuring…  Time spent?  Actual Cost?  How do you measure a conversation, the reaction to your content etc?  Are you tracking the path of the visitor to see where you are converting them?  A conversion is not always a sale.  It may be request for more info, subscribe to more info etc.

The question may not always be answered in dollars and cents directly…

I have said numerous times there is a cost of not participating… and it may not show up directly on the P&L.  One of the biggest costs of any company that does not show up on a P&L is lost sales and time spent on non converted prospects.

I suggest we look at replacing ROI with “business outcomes” when we are talking about Social Media…  Wikipedia says it is a change in business performance supported by and resulting from an event.  Business outcomes go beyond, defining more valuable business benefits to be gained from Social Media.  Better customer service, stronger relationships, high perceived content, and controlling & leading the conversation in your niche and field of expertise.

I believe and have seen Social Media be a facilitator of this principle…  It can help put you above the noise.  Perceived as an expert and thought leader in your industry and significantly cutting down on the sales cycle and enhancing your image in the prospects eye.  They may like you, know you and trust you before you ever talk or meet because they have been following you and have been privied to your thoughts, ideas & insights.

By them knowing you and trusting you it can increase your conversion rate… Social Media is a great place for them to be an advocate of your brand and share it with their networks, which is always great for increased visiblity.

My friends Todd Schnick & Stone Payton are writing a book called Circlenomics… asked me for my take on it and how I have used this in building my own network.  So with Motivational Friday I thought I would do just that.

I have tried to build my whole strategy based around this concept…  It makes me think of Charles Barkley determining who is going to be in his Mobile Phone 5 people in his network.  Duane Wade is always calling him trying to get in his “circle”.

The circle is your sphere of influence, your network, and your fans…  People you want to engage and they want to engage you back.  This last statement is the key to the equation. 

This is exactly what the Internet and Social Media have lined up…  It allows two-way dialogue and even better is the ease of sharing they can do with their own circle. The goal of business now is to leverage this ease of communication.

My ambassador of this movement… Seth Godin, wrote a book called Tribes.  He talks about finding a niche and leading it.  Because of the Internet, you are no longer confined by geography. 

So after reading this, I decided to build a micro community…  A micro community is basically a group of people with common interests, thoughts & ideas.  It is not Macro, because I am not trying to reach everyone on the planet. I am seeking like-minded people based around the niche of Marketing, PR, Branding, Social Media etc.  There is a very certain group of people that will be attracted to me.  It is not for everyone.  If you are looking for car reviews or tax advice, then I am not your man.

 The great news is small is the new big… which is good for me since I am just one person.  The world is becoming smaller because everything is going to be customized to your wants, needs and interests.  No matter how specific your interest is, you can find it on the Internet.  EBay’s popularity is built around this whole concept.  You can find things you want that you could never find anywhere else.

The centerpiece to my micro community currently is my blog; www.chadrothschild.com

It is my pulpit, my microphone.  I share my thoughts, ideas and insights.  People read it, comment on it, connect with me and connect with each other.  Everyone I meet that I like, I invite to my blog, my centerpiece or what I call it…my social media home.  I call it that because that is what you would do in a real eyeball-to-eyeball situation.  You have them over to watch the game etc.  Instead of giving chips, dip, drinks etc, I provide them value, content and a chance to share their insights. 

It is not about the quantity of people that come, it is about the quality… I love to share my thoughts, but I really love to hear people’s reactions and thoughts back.  My favorite is when it engages conversation between them and when they think it is valuable enough to share with their circle.  That is where the true power comes from.  You can communicate with your circle, your circle can communicate with you and now the forum allows the multidirectional communication within the circle.

I use this to enhance the rest of my Social Media strategy, like Twitter, LinkedIn and most important in person networking.

Remember the old adage… it is not what you know; it is who you know and more important who knows you.  So take the power of the Internet and put it to work for you.   Create Your Own Circle.  Lead & control the conversations in your niche and be seen as an expert and thought leader.  Now get out there and make it happen.

I get this question all the time…  How much time do you spend on Social Media a week. OR What is the magic number to spend on Social Media to be successful.   I do not have a magic paintbrush, magic beans that grows a magic beanstalk, a goose that lays golden eggs or a magic crystal ball.

First, I am biased because I love it… The issue I have is, I see the power from my own personal standpoint and I wish I could increase the time I can spend. So time is relative.

What if I was able to tell you that for every minute you spent…, you were able to connect with one new person in a positive manner, would you want to spend 60 minutes or 1440 minutes a day?

I am not sure I can answer that any more than…, if you want to be good at golf or any activity for that matter. As a former golf professional I know what type of time commitment it takes to be able to play golf well and why only a very small handful get to that level.

How can you determine how much time do you have to spend to be good?  The first thing you have to define is what your goals are. Everyone is going to have a different time requirement. Flip the question, How much time do you have to devote to growing, maintaining and insulating your business?

I always tell people to start with the end in mind and work backwards… If you tell me you want to reach 10,000 people a day and you only have 15 minutes a day, then I think it will be a challenge to meet that goal. Especially when you are just getting started. It is like anything, the more you do it, the better you get, the more efficient and effective you can be.

What I have found is the more you do it… The more meat you get on the bone. The more success you will start to see. It is like planting. You have to till the soil, you have to plant the seeds, then water and through time, you will start to see the sprouts.

If you have heard or read me before…, you know I am all about quality and not quantity which definitely helps reduce time commitment because you are able to focus your time & energy on the right audience which will more than likely be smaller. So throw your net over a group you can cover, engage and interact with.

The less time you have…, then reduce the number of platforms you are trying to use. This only makes sense to prioritize. Better to be a master of one than a master of none. Decide to have laser beam focus. Put on the blinders.

So if you are reading saying he really didn’t answer… It is because I can’t. Develop your goals, define your audience, list your resources, prioritize your platforms. Then you will back into a time commitment.

It is just like love, in the eyes of the beholder.   Like anything in life.  You will get what you put into it.

Other Related Articles
10 Things Social Media Is Not… http://bit.ly/uqcMq
Top 10 Social Media Myths  & How To Overcome Them - http://bit.ly/6d3Fa

After doing several Social Media Workshops, Panel discussions and everything in between.  I am writing this article for all of the conversations, discussions and pushback.  I hope this list adds some value.

Social Media is NOT…

1.  It is NOT the Holy Grail…  Yes it is everywhere.  Yes it is low cost.  Yes it is  effective.  Yes it is Powerful if used properly.  It still can only be one prong of your overall marketing approach.  Social Media is designed to strengthen and insulate relationships.  You still need some traditional marketing.  Obviously this is based on your market, your company, your goals etc.  It is meant to enhance and amplify your message.   Do not put all your eggs in any basket.  Balance, prioritize, have a strategy and goals.  Engage you audience.

2.  It is NOT Magic… You are not pulling a rabbit out of a hat.  It is not a way to pull the cover over your customer’s eyes.  So let me advise not going out and planting those beans in hopes of a magic beanstalk.

3.  It is NOT Fake…  I truly believe it can be either the most powerful tool or the biggest fake.  Always remember that you have to earn attention.  It is creating, maintaining and enhancing relationships.  So do not have someone write tweets for you.  Work hard at providing the right experience for the right audience in an authentic and genuine way.

4.  It is NOT One-Way…  I hear SO many people say that they do not think a social media tool doesn’t work or that social media overall is not an effective medium.  Then after discussion with them about how they are using it, we discover they use it as a broadcast medium.  They do not engage with the audience.  They create content and let it sit without using the real power of the medium.  CONVERSATION.  This creates connection.

5.  It is NOT Advertising…  It is not about you.  It is social exchange of ideas, thoughts, insights and best practices.  The great news for those who forget.  It is Social Media and it is in the title for you.  It is SOCIAL.  It is a chance to interact with your customers, prospects and suspects in an engaging way.
 
6.  It is NOT Something to Do Without a Plan…  Take the time and effort to set some goals, a benchmark.  Have an idea where your audience is and what you are going to share with them.  Start with a destination and then a map of how you will get there.  If you do not, then any road will get you there and that road may be through un-travelable roads or roads with heavy roadblocks.

7.  It is NOT Corporate…  Again, this is human and personal.  Do not talk about you, your products or your company.  Do not talk like a corporation in your annual report.  Do not talk with your logo.  Speak in a voice.  Be real.  Be from this planet.  Have fun and relax.

8.  It is NOT a Replacement For Eyeball to Eyeball… It is a way to enhance person to person networking.  It strengthens relationships.  It is a great way to share or talk about events.

9.  It is NOT a FREE… So even though the platforms require a very low cost. It requires a lot of human capital to run a successful social media campaign.  There is a big cost; it just doesn’t come in the way of subscription or dues. There is also a bigger cost of avoiding and putting on the backburner.

10.  It is NOT Without Work & Effort… You cannot just put up a profile and then go away.  It requires interaction and engagement. The effort can not be when you want.  It has to be frequent, consistent and sustained. 

Even though this list is not exhaustive, it is something to think about.
  
Other Related Article(s)
I wrote another article last week you might also enjoy about 10 Myths of Social Media - http://bit.ly/uqcMq
What Is The Right Amount of Time to Spend On Social Media - http://bit.ly/y0M59

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Here is the 10 biggest myths and things I hear on a daily basis.  So I also give my thoughts on how to overcome the obstacles.

1.  I Am Not a Technology Person … This excuse does not work anymore.  First, it is very user friendly, but there is so much free training.  You do not have to be a CIO to use Social Media.  This is an investment because this is not going away.

2.  Just sign up and think you are “on social media”…  Being on Social Media is a 2 way dialogue at a minimum.  It is about conversations and creating relationships.  Like any relationship it requires sustained effort.

3.  Doesn’t Require a Plan or Strategy…  Almost every person I speak to says they are on Social Media, but have plan or direction in which they are trying to increase their value on it.  If you do not have a map and any goals, then it will be impossible to judge if you are on the right platforms.  If you could do certain things better.  Everything in life worth doing deserves the time to plan a strategy.

4.  I Do Not Have Time…  If you want to maintain, increase and insulate your business, you better MAKE time.  This is here to stay. It is too important to keep on the back burner because I promise if you are not conversing with your clients, your competition is enjoying that engagement.

5.  I Do Not Have Anything Interesting to Say…  I hear this one.  Everyone has something of value to bring to the table.  Think about the topics that keep your clients up at night.  If you personally do not have any solutions or thoughts, then go online and find articles and topics of interest and share those.  The converse I hear daily is why do I care what food someone is eating. First, those people do not get social media.  There needs to be value.  BUT, do not dismiss a tweet as simple as what food someone is eating either.  If it is a prospect, that might be a conversation starter.   “That is great that you love Chinese food, I do too, I know the best Chinese restaurant in the city, how does your calendar look next Wed for me to take you…”

6.  It is about you, your products & company…  This is the fastest way to get shut out of Social Media.  It is the number one mistake I see.  Nobody cares about you.  I cringe when I see it because I know how much I get turned off.  If you just talk about you, then you will be even more invisible than that TV commercial that everyone just DVR’s by all the time.

7.  You will not have control… You do not and never had control anyway.  The conversation is going on with or without you.  We had this same conversation with email.  Your best bet is to engage and get involved.

8.  I am just one person and cannot compete with big companies…  As Seth Godin said, “Small is the New Big” – and with the internet you can have just as big as reach.  Your goal is to have remarkable products and raving fans that talk about you and it will spread horizontally.

9.   Why would I want to hear about bad things people are saying about me…  This may be the dumbest one.  This is the greatest opportunity you have.  This is your chance to turn sour grapes into wine.  Use this as an advantage and a chance to engage with customers.

10. This is a fad and doesn’t work…  The question we should not be asking ourselves any longer is does the medium work, because it is the medium.  Rather the question should be how to better utilize it and customize solutions that will work.

Hope these help.  If I missed any, then please add to the comments and we can discuss.

Building your network is one of the most important assets you can have…
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