(Issue 22: September, 2009) by Mary Cullen
This month, Instructional Solutions celebrates 11 years in business. This anniversary issue examines the major business writing trend this past year: the integration of social media into business communication.
Is social media a valuable part of business writing or a lot of hype?
The short answer: it's both. Be sure to match social media to your business objectives, not dive in randomly.
What impact does social media have on all business writers?
- We must recognize some of our work is public.
- Reputation management is an important consideration.
- Care is needed. This does not mean we should retreat from engaged, networked information sharing and marketing, or present a falsely sanitized persona. Just the opposite: It means we need to be part of the conversation by becoming aware of what is being discussed:
- About our company or project or us on the Internet.
- Which issues are discussed internally on company intranets.
- Individuals need to ensure online professional documents are accurate and current.
FOR COMPANIES:
Even if your company doesn't want to participate in social media, conversations will occur with or without you. It's better to participate.
I recently began using a new vendor who supports a portion of our client communication. Our pilot with them went perfectly. Customer support was excellent. Then, I googled "company's name and evaluations," and nearly did not hire them.
One blog listed multiple complaints about the company, with many comments expressing frustration with customer support. I called this company and asked about the complaints. It turns out they were posted after a series of problems that have long since been corrected. Instead of ignoring the complaints and encouraging the discussion to grow, this company could have clarified this by simply commenting on this blog.
Best strategy:
- Stay informed about discussions occurring about your company or project on the Internet. Respond appropriately.
- TIP: an easy way to search discussions and mentions on the Internet is to set up a free google alert for your company name, product, project, or even your own name. (You can also set up alerts to stay informed about your competitors.)
FOR INDIVIDUALS:
There is currently a ridiculous level of hype about social media. Here are our recommendations about where to participate, to keep your business communication current. Do I need to use?...
LinkedIn - Yes. Every business person should list themselves on LinkedIn. It's your online resume and marketing tool. Recruiters and some collaborating companies consider it odd if you aren't there. A client told me they check LinkedIn regularly to assess potential vendors. Make sure your credentials, and those of your project team, are public and current. (Tips for using LinkedIn Most Effectively)
Facebook - Maybe. For some companies, Facebook is now the virtual water cooler and you may be cut out of the buzz if you do not participate on a personal account. Be sure your personal comments are not inappropriate for work if you are connected to colleagues. Companies can create Facebook pages.
Twitter - Maybe. It's good for making professional connections, learning new trends in your industry, broadcasting company news, and research. (Tips to get started on Twitter.) (Twitter Pros and Cons.)
Like it or not, this year proved social media is not going away. And, I'm actually very encouraged about the improvements this offers to social discourse.
The question now is: how do I best write and engage, to promote my work and my company and my reputation?
- Match your social media use to your business goals. Don't buy the hype that every company and every business person is missing the boat if you do not dive in fully. Participate where it best advances your communication goals.
- You know how to do this! The business writing course you took with Instructional Solutions taught you the major considerations all strong business writers follow when writing. Use the 6-step process. Writing in social media is exactly the same process, with a wider audience.
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Social media is here to stay. No longer is the support for this coming only from techies, teens, and social media consultants. Forbes, Financial Times, Business Week and the NY Times even concur that in 2009, the mainstreamification of social media in business became official.
The answer is here.
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Increasingly, Facebook is no longer a mere work distraction, but a legitimate means to share work information, stay connected to colleagues and receive timely updates. (And, yes, one can goof off, too.)
Media Post Publications recently reported interesting demographics that explains the increased use of Facebook in the workforce:
- Ages 26-44 now account for 41% of the Facebook audience.
- Women over 55 remain the fastest-growing demographic in the last three months, hitting 1.5 million.
We have entered a wild west world of social media communication, where everything we share in these networks - including missteps - can go viral quickly, causing irreparable career damage.
A recent tweet (the term for a message in the hugely popular micro-blogging platform
Twitter) by one would-be Cisco employee proves the ease of placing a permanent black mark on your resume via the Internet. Here is the tweet "theconnor" shared with the world:
"Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work."
It wasn't long before Tim Levad, a "channel partner advocate" for Cisco Alert, shared this open response:
"Who is the hiring manager. I'm sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the web."
"theconnor" almost immediately set her Twitter account to private and deleted all information, but her employment offer was rescinded - within two hours.
Consider the now infamous "Facebook fired" incident of an intern at Anglo Irish Bank's North American branch. He e-mailed his boss regarding a "family emergency" keeping him out the office around October 31. As his co-workers quickly learned from his Facebook page -
featuring an incriminating fairy costume
- the "emergency" was a Halloween party.
His boss responded by pasting the fairy photo into an email, which was cc'd to the entire company, and subsequently reported widely on the Internet. The intern was fired shortly afterward.
I wish both "theconnor" and the intern all the best, and feel badly their missteps harmed them disproportionally. Who hasn't, at some point in their career, done something dumb or made a silly throw-away comment we regret? I know I have. But, posting thoughtless or unprofessional information in social networks can echo long and far.
Great value, but be careful:-
Just as you have always been careful before clicking "send" with email, be very careful clicking "share" in social networks.
- If you don't want your boss or your mother or a hiring manager to see your info, now and years from now, don't share it.
Perhaps surprising to you,
this utter transparency gives me enormous hope for improvement in communication and social discourse.
Certainly, the only way to "control" these networks is to consistently engage in them with openness, clarity and responsiveness.
If you are not yet using any social networks, it's wise career growth to at least familiarize yourself with them, to keep your communication skills current. Here are links to help you get started on the most valuable networks for business professionals:
You can connect with Instructional Solutions in social media here:
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Instructional Solutions is offering a free gift to all clients this month. Visit our website for more info!
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