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We are often asked by clients to present to their senior executive, to their board of governors or directors, and to other leaders within their organization. There are times when having an unbiased “outsider” come in and share knowledge and information in this area is beneficial. We don’t have an agenda, we’re not trying to “sell” them on an idea, and we have a range of professional experience that can help put media relations and social media into context for them.

One of the key components for us in delivering this type of presentation is to collaborate with our client (usually the communications manager or director) to develop the organization’s key messages.

We have had great success in engaging the leadership team and I believe that’s because we build our presentation in a way that speaks to how they see the world. Believe me, the CEO, senior VP, board chair or board member perspective is different than that of the communications manager (and it should be). Our role is to help the communications manager to clearly connect on all levels.

The first thing we do is clearly define what is being done in the specific industry. This is, of course, much easier when we are presenting to a long-term client. We know what the competition and partners are up to – it’s a part of our role. If this is a new client or they want a one-time workshop, and it’s an industry we don’t know well, we research it and do a competitor evaluation as well as review what the organization we are presenting to is doing.

Another key point that we include in any presentation is what the budget (human resources and financial) will be to develop a strategic communications plan or to integrate these new components into the existing plan. We want to be realistic about what it will take because the fact is, if you don’t adequately resource this type of outreach and give it enough time to develop and grow, you are setting yourself up for failure. These days, the leadership team wants to know what it is going to cost them in time, effort, energy and money. As an aside, being open and transparent about the costs is also a support for our client. If you don’t showcase what it takes, there can be the expectation that it is “free” (it’s not) or that it can be added to the current workload, which in many cases, is already too heavy.

We also talk about the value of measurement and how crucial it is that you make sure that you measure throughout the campaign, not just at the end. There are lots of areas of public relations, media relations and social media that are a little “soft” and it’s hard to put definitive numbers to them – we all know that. There are also plenty of opportunities for clear measurement that tells you what is working and what isn’t. Measurement is key. And it isn’t something to be afraid of. It’s a strong tool that helps campaigns become and stay effective. I can’t tell you how often I get calls after a presentation from a CEO or senior VP saying thank you for including measurement. The fact that measurement can be put in place is what shifted their response from one of not thinking this is a good idea to being open to trying it.

That takes us to our last point for today’s post. We believe that small pilot projects are the way to go. Take small steps into the pond and see how the water is. Test and measure, refine and revise – then measure again. Build slowly and give campaigns the time to build momentum and to provide you with small results at first, so you know that it is a positive move forward. You can always ramp up when you see what works. It’s pretty challenging to ramp down from something too big and not have the project be seen as a failure.

The people on my Facebook page represent a range of relationships to me. Some are close friends, other acquaintances, others are former colleagues and some I have only met either briefly in person or not at all. It’s a bit like a neighbourhood coffee shop where there are a lot of different people hanging out.

With the recent changes on Facebook I have seen this happening more recently, but it really hit home the other night when a friend happened to comment on her friend’s photo. I am not connected at all to the person who uploaded the photo, but I could not only see the photo (which was of a party where people were clearly tipsy), but I could see all of the comments below the photo. The person that uploaded the image likely has no idea how many “strangers” could see that image or the conversations that followed. I don’t know what this person does for a living (although I do now know where she lives and what bar she goes to, thanks to the comments), but what if that was a VP in your office or a board member? (Please don’t think that VPs or board members are too responsible to do such things—they’re human.)

Organizations are using social media networks to check out potential employees, research competitors, and check on current employees. And they aren’t the only ones using social media networks to find things out. There is no buffer zone anymore; it’s important to remember that.

I believe that most of what is shared on social media networks is done in the spirit of good fun, but how it is perceived or used can hurt your professional and personal reputation and it could reflect on your brand reputation as well.

Of the five communications audits we have done in the past few months, four of the organizations are dealing with challenges in that their social media networking communities are not growing and there is little or no engagement or interaction.

One of the challenges of social media is that it is easy to lose perspective when it comes to content creation and social media. We see it quite often – there is great intent to share interesting, informative, engaging content. Unfortunately, it gets sideswiped when the content creator sees their role only as the publisher of information and not as a facilitator of conversation or content.

The traditional paradigm of providing information is to push it out. It’s a one-way approach where people are “told” – facts, information, stories and ideas. Social media allows us to do more. It allows us to actively participate, to put information out and to take information in. It gives us the opportunity for a conversation, for a two-way (or three-way or twenty-way…) approach. It encourages a community approach that inspires participation and interaction. Many organizations just aren’t there yet; they are defaulting to the more traditional way of doing things… putting information out through Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

It is a cultural shift and it does take time for this approach to take hold – for it to become the standard of how you communicate. There are straightforward, simple ways to start to do this. Of course, the first step is recognizing that you aren’t encouraging interaction, but are using your social media networks as a megaphone to push out information.

Review the last month or so of your updates and outreach. How often did you ask for input from your community? How often did you respond to others asking for input, opinions or advice? How often did you link to ideas or conversations that were relevant – but didn’t directly benefit your organization – even though your community would be interested in the topic? How often did you recommend a blog, Twitter or Facebook follow that you felt would bring value to your followers? If it isn’t often, it’s time to shift a little.

For some organizations, this is a big paradigm shift. It can, in fact, be culture shifting. There is a perception with the fast-paced, 24/7 cycle of user-generated content online, that organizations have lost control of their “message.” When in fact, the social media era (in my humble opinion) should be seen as providing the most opportunity to let your target market (and others you haven’t even considered) in on the conversation about your brand, organization, and product or services.

Before social media, people went home, went to parties and pubs, went to coffee shops and restaurants, conferences and networking events and discussed what they were thinking with their family, friends, and colleagues. If they were frustrated or angry enough, they might send a letter to an organization, to the newspaper or to a consumer investigative reporter. And until you got a call from the media or happened to stand behind someone talking about you at the local coffee shop… you had no idea what was being said about your brand.

Today, you can engage. You can respectfully and authentically step forward and correct errors, help to clarify miscommunication and to participate in conversations with the people that use your services or product, that are a part of your community, and that support your brand.

There are great opportunities to build strong relationships, to share interesting aspects of who the people behind the brand are, what life is like in your organization, why you do the work that you do, etc. And, should your brand face an issue or crisis, you will be glad that you did. Most people understand that mistakes happen, that errors can be made – we just want to know how you are going to make it right, that you see what went wrong and why and what you will do to ensure it won’t happen again.

One of the most valuable (and effective tools) an organization has is to create interesting content. Monday’s post will talk about more about what the steps are to creating compelling content that will be watched or read, and shared.

At AHA, we have done a great deal of work studying online behaviour relevant to communication. What is being said and discussed online is a key component for an organization – from building and managing its reputation to dealing with potential issues and crisis communication. However, there are still large organizations that have not yet come to terms with this for some reason. Some aren’t even monitoring what is being said or who is saying it. More and more we are seeing issues come up, not from an outside source, but through online discussions by employees.

Social media gives everyone from employees to unions and association members the opportunity to gather and discuss things virtually. This is a new opportunity to engage with one another and to find like-minded people. And they are going to do it with or without your support, assistance or knowledge.

I spend a great deal of time speaking and working with CEOs, presidents, COOs, VPs and senior communications executives. Just about everyone I have ever worked with wants to do good things for the people that work at their organization. If there is something that people aren’t happy with, they want to know about it. If there is something that needs to be changed, they want it brought to their attention. People matter to them. And yet there is still a challenge, in some areas, in having the senior team see the value of social media or realize that it is now a part of everyday business life.

Imagine if people were encouraged to participate in honest, open and respectful dialogue using social media and discussions could be facilitated rather than controlled (or perceived as being controlled). It is a culture change, but it is one that is coming. And one, I strongly believe that organizations need to embrace.

Wouldn’t you rather be a part of the conversation – even if it was critical or negative – rather than have it go on without your knowledge or input?