Social Media From The C-Suite – Purpose, Process & Profits

Ain't Nobody Got Time For That

I had the pleasure to sit down to breakfast the other day with a friend who is an executive coach. We started talking about social media successes and he expressed to me that quite a few of his C-Level (CEO, CFO, CMO, CIO, CTO, etc) clients understand that social networking and social media are the latest and greatest thing in business, but most don't get why and what it means to them and their businesses. So they send an edict down the line to start using it, and it gets delegated to sales or marketing teams. Some even make the mistake of just hiring a 20 something right out of college because they “Get Technology” and expect them to create content  that connects with their 40-60+ year old clients or buyers.

You hear the buzz, read the articles, maybe even attend the webinars or seminars, but are you seeing measurable results with your business Social Media efforts? If not, you are probably being fed some inaccurate concepts and information. There are tons of tools and concepts that tell you to just post content and people will come knocking down your door with new sales, but that is often far from the truth. Media is just that, ads, posts, graphics, video, webinars, and more – a deliverable.  What is often missing is the “Social” and “Networking” parts. If you want to catch a fish, worms and fake flies work just fine in most instances. If you want to catch a persons attention, it takes emotion and a relational connection that creates the best results.

Real-ationships

Social Media is all about relationships, and information that connects people.  Businesses do not do business with other businesses…  People do business with people.  Relationships are the currency of business. You (no matter what your position in a company) are part of that equation. C-Level people spend so much time insulating themselves from the minutia of business, that the concept of building, growing and maintaining relationships sounds like a lot of, or too much work. When in fact, the right relationship with other C-Level power partners, buyers, and vendors, can create business opportunities that all your competition can only dream of.  Yes it's takes work, but that does not mean you have to spend 4-5 hours a day on LinkedIn. If you have the proper pieces and plans in place, it can take only minutes a day to obtain measurable and profitable results.

What follows is the three components necessary to create compelling social media that can transform you and your business:

1. Purpose – You would never think of delegating or outsourcing your relationships with family or friends. The purpose of using social media has nothing to do with advertising or marketing – it’s about relationships. Once you grasp this concept, you will see how invaluable tools like LinkedIn can be to you and your business.
2. Process – Every business has it’s own DNA.  You can’t just install a cookie-cutter process and assume that it will show results for your business.  It’s not just a sales or marketing process, but involves everyone from the receptionist to the Board of Directors. Once you understand how segments of your business like engineering, HR, and you fit into the mix, you can start to benefit from relationship based Social Media.
3. Profits – Combining purpose with a process can create profits. This can create a measurable and repeatable difference for new and untapped business. This happens only by becoming the top of mind option and solution for your top 20% of clients and prospects. Once you learn how to maximize and leverage business relationships with LinkedIn, you can put it all on autopilot and watch business grow like wildfire.

Final Thoughts

If it all sounds too good to be true, it's not. In one example, a client who started to develop more personal touches with their best customers, saw a big increase in activity. Their engagement quadrupled and showed a measurable increase in revenues and profits. It only took a willingness to learn the “Why” behind the “How,” and then talking with people inside and outside of business to gauge interest and how best to create that engagement. Finally it took some active participation in the process, even if it is managed and monitored by a team. Nothing can replace your smile, handshake, and sincere interactions.

I would love to hear your thoughts, questions and experiences… Comment away!