Category Archives: Talking to your customers

Social media: think before you ‘do’

Social media, Talking to your customers, Talking to your employees

If there was a prize for the creation of new or at least reinvented verbs, then step forward social media. Blog it, tweet it, poke me, message me; there is, indeed, an awful lot of ‘doing’ going on. Which is nice for those who like to see a bit of action but those shiny new tools in the box shouldn’t allow you to be detracted from the thinking behind your communications.

Beware the irrestible lure
The pressure to utilise social media can be irresistible but don’t forget to ask the most obvious questions first; who are you trying to communicate with and what are you trying to say? The audience and the message are still the stars of the show. Only when you’ve got that cracked should you be thinking about how best to deliver your communications and, whisper it, social media tools might not always be the best way of getting the message through.

Trusting your instincts

Communicating in a crisis, Talking to your customers, Talking to your employees

A good take on the Murdoch phone hacking saga today in the Guardian http://bit.ly/oTq5Zp. Deborah Orr discusses the ‘working towards the Führer’ analogy put forward by historian Ian Kershaw, where basically Hitler’s advisers would implement policy according to what they thought were Hitler’s wishes – a sort of please him at all cost approach even if the overall circumstances favoured a different tack.

It is an extreme comparison of course, as Orr says, but how far did/does this type of culture seep through the News Corp culture?

For the communications team in a corporate environment, the Chairman/CEO are big stakeholders in what goes out and, rightly so, often have a big influence in those communications. The dilemma however is when communication is shaped against the better judgement of the comms team because they know what their Chairman/CEO is expecting to see.

Managing that interaction is difficult, but for a comms manager, not losing sight of the bigger picture and trusting your comms instincts should override any other consideration.

The truth will out

Communicating in a crisis, Talking to your customers, Talking to your employees

The recent storm over the use of super injunctions in the UK, much used, it seems, by celebs desperately trying to mask a marital indiscretion or two, has opened up a whole debate on what should, or should not be published in the public interest. I think the issue at the heart of this though, and a good lesson for anyone involved in the world of communications, is the trouble that awaits when the desire to cover something up overshadows the need to communicate openly.

No secrets
The old saying that the ‘truth will out’ has never held as much currency as it does in today’s social media era. What price a super injunction when @tellitlikeitis on Twitter can broadcast the news; seemingly impervious to the legal blows of the judge’s gavel?

Tell it like it is
Whether you’re dealing with the media or communicating company news to employees, obfuscate at your peril. Tell it like it is; people from all sides will respect and admire your refreshing honesty. And even if they don’t, just think of the legal fees you’ll save on super injunctions.

Social media: don’t be a Dooce

Social media, Talking to your customers, Talking to your employees, Working with the media

I recently came across the phrase ‘to be Dooced’ which apparently relates to a blogger (www.dooce.com) who got herself into hot water with her boss for making some disparaging remarks about work on her own blog and subsequently lost her job, hence, ‘to be dooced’. This happened back in 2003, pretty much a lifetime ago in social media time, but it’s rare that someone from office worker to celebrity isn’t getting themselves into hot water thanks to their blog, tweet, facebook posting or simply emailing something they really should not have.

In the work environment, it amazes me the amount of care and thought people will put into their quote in a press release which then has to be approved by Uncle Tom Cobley and all, but when it comes to tweeting something; bang, out it goes.

More straightaway
Of course that’s the real beauty of social media; the ability to be so direct, quick and as Lola (Charlie and Lola for those without children) might say, more straightway.

As ever, the medium of the message changes but the rules don’t. Take a minute just to think about your tweet, blog etc and think, would I be happy to have it broadcast on the News at 10 or splashed on the front page of The Times?

Or maybe just imagine what your boss/client would think? They’re watching you.