Steele Communications

While there seems to be an urgency to becoming part of the social revolution, the reality is that social media is in the early stages of development. It will be years – as we gather more information, understand usage, improve and introduce newer technologies – before we see it reach its full potential.

Take your time. Do it right.

We recommend starting with a simple
social question: Who are you?

Seems like a pretty straightforward question. A lot of companies may answer this in the same language found in their "About Us" web page or in their corporate brochure. Something along the lines of "We are a company committed to, blah, blah, blah."

But in the online social community, do you really want to spend time sharing your thoughts, ideas and activities with a cold, impersonal company such as this?

The answer is most likely no.

So, what may be a better answer? "We are the person sitting in the cubicle next to you that has a wry sense of humor, a slight satirical but pragmatic understanding of our industry, has a deep knowledge and passion about our subject matter and is happy and willing to share with you."

Now, this sounds like someone to connect with.

In the context of social networking – in which success is about interaction, relationships, trust, transparency, engagement and personality – who you are isn't what you are. As noted earlier, what you are is defined in your brochure or on your website. Who you are is how you want to be thought of, the tone of your "voice" and the personality that honestly reflects you and your company.

Keeping this in mind, what kind of personality traits would work for your company? Expert? Funny? Witty? Compassionate? Down-to-earth? Button-down? Take the time to define this and you will increase your chances of successfully connecting with your audience and developing a long-term relationship.

Good luck and good conversation.

Steeling from the Tip Jar is a free, monthly eNewsletter sharing a single item of interest about marketing and advertising. Articles are culled from a variety of industry resources and include Steele insights and/or editing. Steele Communications is a creative agency that can help you keep your marketing efforts on target, on time and on budget. Learn more at steeleweb.com or contact Scott Steele at s.steele@steeleweb.com or 630.968.5106.

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