Social Media Portfolio

Social media is a wonderful way to connect, reconnect and stay connected.  These platforms allow us amazing tools to critically assess, analyze and categorize our connections.  I embrace social media tools, platforms and advantages.  But, I'm a SM moderate.  I don't connect with everyone who knows someone I know.  Though I'm blessed to have many friends, associates and acquaintances, my lists will pale when compared to uber or open networkers.  That's by design.  I hope that my networks will self-sustain.  I want to stay connected with the folks with whom I've chosen to link or friend.   And I love to make other fruitful connections.

As with any asset, we need to review our SM portfolio and make necessary additions, changes and modifications.

Linking, Tweeting and Friending with the Pros

Three social media pros shared their advice for effectively using LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter at Sterling Bank's April Women's Business Initiative luncheon:

Denise Patrick, Vice President, Marketing and Creative Services, Pierpont Communications
Steve Latham, Founder and CEO, Spur Interactive
Christine Pechayco, New Media Editor, Sterling Bank

This group of experts was quick to categorize social media as additional cost effective marketing tools to supplement what we are already doing to grow our businesses. 

Facebook was presented as a communication tool ideally suited for personal and business to consumer relationships.  LinkedIn was categorized as a business development tool.  And Twitter was described as a tool to amplify messages.

Denise, Steve and Christine agreed that social media communication must be relevant, educational and informative.  The goal is to increase awareness and ultimately move to a status as a preferred partner or vendor.

They cautioned that these tools were designed for customized two-way communication and won't work well if we try to use them to distribute press releases or overtly push products or services.  The tools will work well to spark interest, establish a reputation as a resource, enhance relationships and broaden reach.  When used effectively social media levels the playing field for small and large companies.

Though each panelist acknowledged the time investment necessary, estimates for effectiveness varied from 15 minutes to an hour per day.  Tips to minimize the time investment and maximize the impact included developing a production schedule, sharing content developed by others and using free tools like those available at HootSuite.com.

The experts were in broad agreement about the power of social media and each has a special way that they mutually benefit their networks.  Denise uses the business cards she collects during the day to extend invitations to continue the relationships through LinkedIn.  Steve provides a Monday Marketing Tip each week.  Christine is a prolific re-tweeter. 

This terrific trio helped a room full of enthusiastic business women to "Link, Tweet and Friend Like a Pro".

Link, Tweet and Friend Like a Pro

Social media is a hot topic! Google returned 89.4 million hits for social media on the morning that I announced the program and 131 million hits today. We had a panel of social media experts who shared their tips on how to "Link, Tweet and Friend Like a Pro" at our recent Sterling Bank Women's Business Initiative Luncheon in San Antonio.

Our well-qualified panel included:

Katie Harvey, President and CEO of KGBTexas

Nan Palmero, Chief Inspiration Officer at SalesBy5

Christine Pechayco, New Media Editor at Sterling Bank

Donna Tuttle, Project Coordinator at San Antonio Business Journal

Their excellent advice included:

• Listen, inform and engage
• Use feedback to improve services
• Push headlines thru Twitter and Facebook
• Provide tips that journalists might use for stories
• Be aware of the legal implications for financial institutions and public companies
• Benefit from research and customer service opportunities
• Recruit Gen Y employees through Facebook
• Invite your audience to special events using social media platforms
• Treat social media as an additional communications tool
• Create instructional videos on You Tube
• Build communities
• Access experts and share expertise using LinkedIn discussions
• Get sucked in to the fun of these platforms
• Expand your mind, friends and business
• Social media adds communication channels
• Assess an organization's culture
• Stay active, particularly if you are using these platforms for your company
• Remember that it is extremely difficult to regain credibility if it is lost
• Maintain conversations
• Treat interactions as you would face-to-face conversations
• Do not bombard your audience
• Alerts will allow you to follow topics of interest
• Social media levels the playing field between large and small companies and it's free
• Offer journalists sneak peeks
• Tweet up in your areas of interest
• Be curious and step outside your box
• Transparency and honesty are essential
• Be helpful, courteous and do not disparage
• Avoid cereal/sandwich communications - most others don't care what you are eating
• Lose control of communications by engaging others
• Apologize if you offend
• Push your own message
• Inform
• Create guidelines and add them to the employee handbook
• Realize that you don't know what employees are saying in face-to-face conversations to alleviate SM fears

Social Media Pet Peeve

I've never asked for a recommendation on LinkedIn, but have happily recommended many deserving colleagues. Some, I have proactively recommended, and many, many others have unilaterally solicited recommendations. Some of those soliciting recommendations have reciprocated with lovely recommendations and sincere thanks for the acknowledgement. Many others have happily posted their recommendations without ever even acknowledging that I've responded to their request and posted nice things for the online world to see.

Our time is a precious commodity. The least that an "online recommendation solicitor" should do is thank the person who takes time to provide a recommendation. Better yet, though they can't pay it forward with this advocate, they can post a recommendation for their recommender and then post some "pay it forward" recommendations for other deserving colleagues.