Page 5 - Business Communications

Social Media
Overview • Your blog could potentially lead to legal issues; make certain that if
• Most social media is viewed as a customer communication tool as your company has a legal department that it has signed off on your
opposed to a customer acquisition tool blog; perhaps your company has some standard language that it wishes
• When opening a social media account, one helpful way to look at this to have attached to your blog; make certain that you avoid libelous or
type of communication is as very different from your personal media slanderous posts in your blog
accounts; your clients are generally not interested in the minutiae of • Your voice in the blog should be as close as possible to the “real you”; if
your personal life, nor should the accounts be used as an opportunity you tend to be a lighthearted person, an overly stuffy blog will come off
to rant or complain as hollow and false; hard work and a good editor are critical to making
• It is best to figure out what you are an expert at and approach your a strong, readable blog
social media from that voice; perhaps you are in product management Facebook
and have successfully managed many complicated product processes; • Facebook is an excellent way to get word out to lots of prospective
you do not need to know everything about this subject to be considered clients, users, and employees throughout the country or world; with
an expert but just enough to launch your social media initiative and over 500 million users, Facebook is a powerful pulpit for your social
begin the online conversation with customers, colleagues, vendors, and media voice
other interested parties • Facebook is an excellent way to keep your brand and information in front
Developing a Social Media Strategy of regular customers and thought leaders in your field; are you opening a
• Use social media to create a buzz about a new product or service that new store or bringing a new product to market? Facebook will allow you
your company is about to offer; you engender an “insider” feeling to let interested parties know what is happening as it happens
among your followers as well as get some low-cost public relations and • Facebook is generally not seen as a great way to get new customers;
marketing efforts it is difficult to track how many people are looking at a given “status
• Remember that you should have a central message, style, and approach update” on Facebook and even more difficult to see what these people
that follow your corporate logo, mission statement, and goals; if you might do with that information
consider your company to be an upscale, luxury brand, make certain • Recognize that information can be transmitted very quickly via
that your various social media outlets have a designed and crisp look to Facebook; a silly error can make you or your company look ridiculous
them; if your company is cost-conscious, make sure that comes across within minutes; have control measures in place to avoid errors
in your social media campaign Twitter
• Do not be too “salesy” when talking to your audience; remember, your • Twitter is a great way to communicate ideas to a captive audience in
audience is not interested in an endless infomercial; they are looking for short bursts (140 characters or less per “tweet”)
useful thoughts, new ideas, and value propositions; yes, a coupon or big
sale is news to your audience, but a steady diet of this will cause them to • Talk about what you are paying attention to right now; if people are
stop engaging with you following you on Twitter, it is because they think you have something
• Be candid and honest with your audience as you communicate with interesting to say; for example, if you are a real estate agent and you
them; some companies understand that the semi-anonymous nature of read a headline in today’s Wall Street Journal on how interest rates are
online communication will allow for a more candid and direct ongoing likely to rise, add the link (so that your readers understand what you are
conversation with customers and employees; if your company made a reacting to) and state your spin on the topic; occasionally, you might be
mistake or did not handle something well, social media is a great way paying attention to a subtle point in the marketplace that others seem
to communicate that you “get it” and are making adjustments to be missing; it is permissible to talk about upcoming events, sales, or
• Give your loyal readers and audience a reward for their engagement; this promotions, but do so sparingly lest your audience start tuning you out
could be information, special-invite events, limited-time coupons, etc.; the • One of your goals when using Twitter should be that your tweets are
opportunity for creative ideas abounds with an engaged online audience interesting enough to be “retweeted” by your followers or persons
• Do not be overly defensive; occasionally, unfair things are said online— currently unknown to you; this is a good way to get new followers and
perhaps by a disgruntled ex-employee or an overly critical customer; transfer thoughts and information through the marketplace
addressing mistakes honestly allows you to put to rest unfair statements • Twitter is a great way to solicit and receive quick and candid opinions
as well as make certain you are not missing a valid issue from your followers; not sure if the new logo is the right color? Flash it
• Remember that all kinds of people are potentially viewing your social me- to your Twitter feed and receive real-time feedback; just make sure that
dia output (potential employees, industry experts, customers, clients, etc.) you are ready to hear what people really think
Your Corporate Blog LinkedIn
• Blogging is an excellent way to discuss your (or your company’s) feelings • LinkedIn is an excellent tool that is akin to an online Rolodex; LinkedIn
on a specific topic; blogging tends to be informal and has a personal tone allows you to track individuals even as they move from company
even when it is informative or persuasive about a specific topic to company
• You should decide whether your blog will have a “comments” section; • LinkedIn allows you to put an abbreviated form of your resume and
not only are comments a valuable way to get input and feedback from achievements online to be read by prospective employers, clients,
readers and prospective clients, but they also invite public criticism of or vendors
your ideas or company • LinkedIn allows you to be “introduced” to a contact
• Blogging should generally be done on some type of of one of your contacts; this “degree of separation” style
calendar system (e.g., every week or twice a month); can be very effective by allowing one of your friends
a corporate blog that is essentially abandoned by a or colleagues to recommend you to another potential
lack of updates is a very public way to show that all contact
is not right at your company; do not begin the process • LinkedIn allows you to publically laud and recommend
unless you or your company is committed to the time- business contacts as well as request the same from them;
consuming process of creating regular and new content they can comment on your style or business acumen for
for your readers others to read

Reports In general, short reports include:
• Reports are written, formal documents used to present information to A memo heading: Summarizes why the report is being sent, what is
interested parties included in the report, and what you hope the report will accomplish
• Examples of short reports: project status reports, recommendation reports; Body text: The language of the report should be clear and concise;
examples of long reports: feasibility reports to determine the viability headings, bulleted lists, and/or visuals should be used to help
of a particular project or plan, research reports to assess new trends in a organize and present information; begin with an introduction that
particular field or industry outlines the purpose of the report and its contents
• The length and complexity of reports will vary depending on their purpose Recommendations or conclusions: The report should end with a
and audience; however, they should follow a clear and well-planned clear call to action or a summary of how the findings within the
format report support a particular position or conclusion

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