Everyone who has a smartphone is a media house. The employees, customers, analysts and all other stakeholders are on social media. It is time to bring the C-Suite to the party as well. Everyone who has a smartphone is a media house. Employees are talking about the brand, the workplace, company policies and everything that was thought to be discussed in hushed tones by a few. Salaries are routinely made known on social media. The line between what is private and what is public has blurred. So, … [Read more...]
Communication has Changed
Leaders used to communicate through press releases crafted by the PR agencies. Today only direct communication can raise the profile of the corporate brand and communicate its mission and values. Leaders used to communicate through press releases that had been crafted by their PR agencies. The leaders just had to lip-sync when they were on camera. Even those films were carefully edited to remove any creases and fumbles. An overtly edited and scripted film does not generate awe. It is viewed … [Read more...]
The Concept of Leadership has Changed
Leaders are no longer remote figures seen only in the news. They are real people who people can reach out to. The key skill of a modern leader is the ability to have conversations in real time. Today's leaders are like anyone else but they lead cooler lives. They are thinking of new ideas. They also make mistakes. That is a relief, because that is what makes them real. People enjoy seeing leaders who can engage a variety of stakeholders and have the ability to be challenged. That shows people … [Read more...]
Social Media Basics
Social media is a term used to describe a set of online tools that are used for interaction, discussion and community, allowing people to build personal and business relationships and share information. Popular Social Media Tools: Blogs (posting articles) Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ (networking) Twitter (networking) YouTube, Flickr (photos & video) Social media is about engagement, community, connecting with personalities and building relationships. It is not just a … [Read more...]
Engaging With Your Audience
It's no longer enough to have a nice website, social-media profile, and consistent visual brand presence. The new rules of branding your business online have a lot less to do with presentation, and a lot more to do with interaction. Monitoring social media has become the basic tool for companies to provide quality customer service. Having a Facebook page or a Twitter account is great, but you must participate in the conversation by making regular posts and replying to direct messages from … [Read more...]