The “Other” Social Media Policy – the One in the Personnel Manual

Much has been written by social media and marketing experts (this blogger included) advising companies to “look before they leap,” or in other words, “create a social media plan before jumping into social media.” While some companies follow this recommendation, some do not. The results for not following this recommendation can be dismal: few followers on Twitter, few fans on Facebook, few subscribers on YouTube, and few followers on LinkedIn. However, when a company’s marketing team or senior management team write a detailed social media plan and adapt it to its customers and prospects, the results can be impressive: increasing number of followers and fans on all social media sites and excellent conversations with customers and prospects - all leading to increased sales.

However, there is another social media policy that doesn’t get as much attention. This “other” policy defines “social media” for a company. Does it only refer to family photos on Facebook? Does it only refer to videos on YouTube? Does it only refer to business connections on LinkedIn? Does it only refer to 140-character quips on “The Twitter,” as Betty White calls it? Employees need to know.

Employees also need to know if any social networking sites can be accessed during office hours. If access is allowed, employees need to know the amount of time they may spend and on which sites as well as from which equipment access is allowed. Due to security concerns, it may not be wise for a company’s IT department to allow access from laptops and mobile devices.

Employees also need to know if the company owns their social networking accounts. For instance, if employees use LinkedIn strictly for sales leads, the question arises if the company owns those contacts or the employee owns the contacts. To address this issue, an employee might create two accounts (one personal and one for the company) or use a personal email address instead of a business email address to access his or her account.

Since specific employees may be involved with social media as part of their job for your company, as social media managers, they need training as to the company’s “official voice.” How do you want your tweets to sound, your Facebook posts to read, etc.? Do you want to use an informal manner of speech, lots of abbreviations, lots of contractions, etc.? Training is critical so that there is a consistent voice for your company – and consistency helps your brand. Some Twitter examples include @Best Buy and @StaplesTweets and @ComcastCares.

And what are the ramifications for employees if they do not follow the social media policy? The details must be written out and explained to new employees and existing employees as social media marketing and social networking evolve. So, does your company have a social media policy in its personnel manual?

Note: If you would like to read some good policies, here is a link to 150+ policies.

Note: I wrote a related post in 2009: Before you jump into social media, ask who speaks for you.

When Do You Send Emails to Customers?

Does your company follow the industry standard approach when it comes to sending emails to customers, whether your company is B2B or B2C? This means that on Tuesday or Wednesdays, you finalize your email message, your distribution software or vendor, and click send. But do mid-week, late morning, and early afternoon emails generate the highest read rates, click-thru’s, and responses?

A recent AOL survey reported that 62% of respondents checked their work email over the weekend, which raises the question, “Are Saturdays or Sundays better days to send business emails?” While this is an interesting idea for marketers, many Americans wish to better manage their work-life balance, but with gadget overload, this is becoming more and more difficult. If businesses add more emails to the mix, there will be no “off switch,” and employers will expect all employees to be available 24/7/365.

Here’s a sample of for-profit and non-profit email arrival (all are Pacific time):
• Ford’s emails arrive on Wednesdays at 7:30am
• Staples’ emails arrive on Wednesdays at 2:30am
• The Daily Grill’s emails arrive on Thursdays at 9:05am
• PF Changs China Bistro’s emails arrive on Thursdays at 10:15am
• Cheesecake Factory’s emails arrive on Wednesdays at 6:30am
• Brandweek’s emails arrive daily at 7am
• Harvard Business Review’s emails arrive daily at 5am
• Disney’s emails arrive on Fridays at 12:15 am
• Starwood Hotel’s emails arrive Wednesdays at 8:30am
• Kimpton Hotels’ emails arrive on Wednesdays at 6:45 am
• Joe de Vivre Hotels emails arrive on Wednesdays at 7:15am
• Canine Companions for Independence’s emails arrive on Wednesdays at 10am
• World Wildlife Fund’s emails arrive on Fridays at 3am

While the majority of this email sampling arrive mid-week, would I prefer to read 100-200 emails over the weekend as opposed to during the week? Here’s a better idea, would I just prefer to decrease the number of emails that I receive by 100-200 a week? Since that option is not realistically possible (unless I change email addresses), email messages will continue to arrive at a myriad of times on every day of the week – with the hope of standing out so I take notice and take action.

What about you? Are you reconsidering when to send your company’s emails?

Are your marketing and sales teams at odds?

Savvy business experts describe marketing and sales teams as two ends of the same book, but that doesn’t mean that they know how to work together effectively. More often than not, neither the marketing team nor the sales team understands what the other is doing, and what’s worse, why.

So that we are all on the same page, here are the basic definitions:

MARKETING = the business function responsible for messaging and strategy by which companies create interest (or buzz) in products or services – the marketing umbrella can and often includes brand strategies, competitive positioning strategies, collateral (newsletters, annual reports, flyers, etc.), email marketing, direct marketing, advertising, public relations and media outreach, market research, special events and tradeshows, partnerships, websites and webinars, and social media

SALES = the activity of selling products or services in return for money

According to Wikipedia, “Marketing and sales differ greatly, but have the same goal. Marketing improves the selling environment and plays a very important role in sales. If the marketing department generates a list of potential customers, that can benefit sales. A marketing department in an organization has the goal increasing the number of interactions between potential customers and the organization.”

Due to the advent and continuing evolution of social media combined with effective brand marketing, customers have assumed more power in the buying process and often direct the conversation. But sales and marketing teams must be in alignment for products and services to sell. Here are some useful resources.

Creating Customer Evangelists
How Loyal Customers Become A Volunteer Sales Force
By Ben McConnell and Jackie Huba
c. 2007

The Referral Engine
Training Your Business to Market Itself
By John Jantsch
c. 2010

The Profit Maximization Paradox
Cracking the Marketing/Sales Alignment Code
By Glen Peterson
c. 2008

Word of Mouth Marketing
By Andy Sernovitz
c. 2009

Sales and Marketing the Six Sigma Way
By Michael Webb and Tom Gorman
c. 2006

Marketing Metrics: The Definitive Guide to Measuring Marketing Performance
By Paul W. Farris, Neil T. Bendle, Phillip E. Pfeifer, and David J. Reibstein
c. 2010

Marketing ROI: The Path to Campaign, Customer, and Corporate Profitability
By James D. Lenskold
c. 2003

Measuring Marketing
103 Key Metrics Every Marketer Needs
By John Davis
c. 2006

Engage: The Complete Guide for Brands and Businesses to Build, Cultivate, and Measure Success in the New Web
By Brian Solis
c. 2010

Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies
By Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff
c. 2008

Six Pixels of Separation
Everyone Is Connected. Connect Your Business to Everyone.
By Mitch Joel
c. 2009

What secrets does your business use to align your marketing and sales teams or departments?

Is it too early to think about your December holiday cards?

It’s late summer, which means that vacations are over and kids have returned to school. It also means that most companies are creating their 2011 budgets and planning for large expenditures, such as, new hires, tradeshows, event sponsorships, social media, etc. But, before 2011 begins, what about thanking your existing customers for their business as well as wishing your potential and existing customers a happy holiday season?

Due to the current economy, there are probably few companies that will invest in large-scale print projects including fancy cards, calendars, and other unique gifts. But, you really don’t need to spend a lot of money to send holiday greetings. All that is necessary is a good plan, a sense of philanthropy, and some basic technology.

If you wish to contribute to a charity, make a donation. Many charities have lost significant amounts of funding due to the economy, so any and all donations will be welcome. Once you make a donation, send either a printed card or an e-card to your customers with a message along the lines of: We appreciate your business, and in your honor, we made a donation to XYZ Charity. We wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.

Of course, you may also wish to send customized e-greetings via email. You can segment your database by prospective customers, current customers, and repeat customers. You may also wish to segment the e-greetings by industry, customer size, revenue size, etc. The sky’s the limit in terms of how you customize your e-holiday greetings, but remember that segmentation is the name of the game.

Above all, remember that the recipients of your greetings will appreciate whatever you send. They will not miss the $50 gift basket of stale cookies or rotten fruit. The bottom line is that, during the holiday season, people just want to be remembered and thanked for their business.

So, have you started your planning yet? If not, time to get started.

What Is the Most Overlooked Element of Your Company's Brand Marketing Strategy?

How often do you think about all elements of your corporate marketing? Can you list them? Your list may include many or all of the following elements: annual marketing plans, brand identity including logo/tagline and letterhead, annual reports, newsletters, all collateral especially direct mail and print ads, radio and/or television ads depending on the size of your company and budget, email marketing, blog posts, social media (at a minimum, a presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube), brochures, event sponsorships, tradeshows, seminars, webinars, videos, strategic partnerships, promotional goodies, proposal templates, presentation templates, mailing lists, website design and maintenance, professional association dues, public relations/media outreach/advertorials, strategic partnerships, co-branding initiatives, and software renewal fees. But, there is something clearly missing, and it touches every employee, every vendor, and every customer everyday. Still stumped? The answer is the universal email signature.

Think back to your first day on the job. On an employee’s first day, he/she receives an employee manual and a tour of the company, and is assigned a desk, computer, and phone. Then the role of human resources is done for 90 days. But, shouldn’t there be a discussion about corporate marketing, which is actually a discussion about brand consistency and the role of every employee as a brand advocate? You can be sure that all Apple employees receive some form of what I call “brand advocate training.”

There should be a discussion presented by the HR Department about the corporate mission and brand consistency. Of course, the ideal situation would be for the Marketing Department to hold a one-hour brand marketing overview for all new employees, but depending on the size of your company and the size of your marketing team, this may not be feasible, but all of us in the marketing arena can dream. Back to the issue at hand, the discussion should focus on the need for brand consistency, which means that emails sent from all departments should look the same.

There should be no flowers as wallpaper, no rock musicians plastered behind the email message, and no size 4 font. The consistency will ensure that all emails sent by the company look the same, which reinforces brand identity or the company. A good universal email signature contains the following information in the same font and the same font size:

Employee’s Name

Employee’s Title

Name of Company – include tagline if appropriate

Address for Company

Telephone (Direct)

Telephone (Main)

Fax

Email

Website URL

Social Media Links – if applicable

Promotion for Company Event – if applicable

Testimonial for Company – if applicable

There are some final considerations. A logo image may not be recommended since it may not appear as intended due to email servers. In today’s electronic age, some companies do not include their mailing address in email signatures, based on the URL to the corporate website. Some social media links may be more appropriate than others, so carefully consider which should be included as part of the company’s email signature. Do not use link shorteners because some may be considered spam, and your customized URL may be part of your brand marketing. If a large tradeshow or other event is coming up, it might be beneficial to include on all employees’ emails, however, it is essential to remove it from the email signature immediately following the event.

So, what do you include in your universal email signature, and is it consistent with your brand marketing strategy?

YouTube Is Not Just for Funny Videos – It Can Grow Your Business

Of course, you’re well aware that people post all kinds of videos on YouTube – from funny animal videos to other crazy stuff. But, have you thought about how creating a YouTube channel (the term for a YouTube page) can help your business? According to industry experts, people send more videos than emails, so you should consider adding YouTube videos to your marketing mix.

Let’s take Coca-Cola, one of the world’s best-known brands. On its YouTube channel, Coca-Cola provides basic company history, a list of its many brands, and links to other social media sites (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Bebo). But most importantly, Coke’s YouTube page represents another online location for its consumers to come together and share content and feedback. When Coke sponsors a major event, such as the Olympics or the World Cup, its TV commercials appear on its YouTube channel. Consumers comment, and the audience grows. And, those same consumers share the videos on Facebook, Twitter, via email, etc., and in the process, continue the conversation about the brand. What beverage will these consumers remember when at the supermarket or ball park?

Now, let’s take Apple, another well-known brand. On its YouTube channel, it provides company and product updates. Due to the recent “antennae-gate” issue with the newly-launched iPhone 4, this past week’s press conference appears as the featured video. While there are many other video ads on the page, oddly, Apple disabled the ability to add comments to its videos.

According to YouTube’s “most viewed channels” this month, other companies who place a high value on their YouTube channels include Geico, Verizon Wireless, BMW, Blackberry, Universal Pictures, Adidas, Chevrolet, Ford Fiesta, Nike, Xbox, and Disney.

So, as you evaluate the “must-have” components of your marketing plan for the rest of 2010 and beyond, consider the basic tenets of social media and how you can best showcase your product or service to create more conversations with your customers. A YouTube channel may be a cost-effective option.

My YouTube channel is a marketing resource. Check it out here.

What’s up with the Y?

Ever since Brian Williams of NBC-TV announced on his July 12 broadcast that the YMCA has changed its logo to just a “Y,” I have been stewing about the marketing ramifications. As a marketing professional who specializes in brand strategies and corporate identity, I keep asking myself about the reasons for such a dramatic change.

When a company changes its logo, and as a direct result, its brand identity, it is usually due to a new mission, new tagline, or a different corporate direction. Consider Kentucky Fried Chicken back in 1991, when, due to health concerns, it changed its name to KFC to move away from its emphasis on fried food. The company listened to the times, made a change that made sense, didn’t alter its core positioning, and as a result, KFC has continued to grow nationally and internationally.

But, back to the YMCA…who hasn’t or doesn’t refer to the YMCA as the Y? The abbreviated nickname has always been present, and if the management team at the YMCA wished to make a change, then perhaps, the logo should have been redesigned to emphasis a more universal membership. In Brian Williams’ announcement, he said “The YMCA is streamlining and dropping the last three letters of its name.” But, the underlying message or translation is that the YMCA would like to be more welcoming. That is certainly admirable, but a new logo should demonstrate that desire. There are countless designs that could have done a much better job. You can watch Brian’s broadcast here: http://bit.ly/9fYI7k.

Heck, even the Village People from the 1970’s joined the discussion: “We are deeply dismayed by [the] announcement from the YMCA that they feel a name change and a rebranding are in order after 166 years. Some things remain iconic and while we admire the organization for the work they do, we still can't help but wonder Y,” stated the Village People's publicist in an official statement following the announcement.

Remember, while Google alters its logo, which it does often and convincingly, to celebrate a holiday or famous person or invention, the logo retains the core essence of the Google brand. Some clever interpretations of the Google logo can be found online at http://bit.ly/aLh70A. So, my question to the Y is: how did your new logo retain the core essence of your brand while simultaneously adding more dimension to your brand? While you consider your answer, I think I’m going to continue to stew.

The YMCA logo is a registered trademark of the YMCA. Use of the logo here does not imply endorsement of the organization by this site.