When you hear the term, social media marketing, do you shudder, imagining your reputation ruined with disgruntled customers posting unfavorable reviews of your company on their Facebook page? Or your entire staff busily tweeting when they should be working? Or – horrors — even exposing your carefully guarded recipe for secret sauce online for all the world to see and copy?
If this is your reaction, you are not alone. Companies both large and small have many concerns about opening themselves up via social media. And this is exactly what is addressed in Chapter 3 of Thumbonomics: The Essential Business Roadmap for Social Media and Mobile Marketing.
Here are some of the main issues concerning social media engagement that are giving your execs sleepless nights:
1. Social media involvement might negatively affect employees’ productivity.
2. Staff members might share something inappropriate online.
3. Unhappy customers might post something nasty online, ruining our reputation.
4. Are there legal ramifications? Is my firm liable for anything any employee puts out there? Are we liable for false claims?
How can you address these fears, and get your execs and leadership team on board with social media? The fact is, people are talking about your business online, whether you are aware of it or not. Becoming aware of what’s already going on and taking a pro-active approach – engaging with your audience – is the best way to manage your brand’s reputation and mitigate any negative feedback which might already be out there. If you don’t engage in social media, you’re missing out on an opportunity to protect your brand and its reputation.
Equally important, every day you don’t set up social media out of fear is another day you’re letting your competitors get one step ahead of you. In this day and age, you simply cannot afford that! Your job as an executive or manager is to dispel the fear factor in every area, and lead the way. Chapter 3 gives you everything you need to do just that.
This chapter also includes an invaluable Findability Makeover: Dealing with Findability Disaster. Learn how to turn a negative situation to your advantage with step by step instructions to follow if anyone posts negative reviews of your company on Yelp, Google Local or RipoffReport.com.
I firmly believe that social media marketing is a vital method to keep your company relevant and growing through these difficult economic times. Use Thumbonomics as a comprehensive and easy-to-follow guide to social media success – or call us here at Findability Group. Our team of social media experts will be delighted to plan and implement your entire campaign for you.