by Barry Silverstein
Many small businesses have yet to crack the code on the true value of social media. What does social media really do for a small business in terms of awareness, engagement, and generating leads that turn into sales?
Just as important is the broad impact social media has on the business world and how business leaders cope with it. A thought-provoking article on this topic, "Six Social-Media Skills Every Leader Needs," appears in the Feburary 2013 issue of McKinsey Quarterly. Author/academic Roland Deiser and GE senior manager Sylvain Newton suggest social media has "transformational power" that must be effectively harnessed by every business leader. Based on research they conducted at GE, the authors developed a set of six "skills and organizational capabilities" they say leaders must build to create "media literacy":
- Producing compelling content
- Influencing the dissemination of information throughout an organization
- Managing many communication channels, even if they are overwhelming
- Becoming "strategic orchestrators" of social media activities
- Creating an infrastructure that encourages "free exchange" with reasonable controls
- Experimenting with new technologies to stay ahead of the curve.
While Deiser and Newton write from the perspective of a very large organization, small business owners might consider applying this strategic thinking about social media to their own situations. As the authors of the article point out, "When organizations and their leaders embrace the call to social-media literacy, they will initiate a positive loop allowingn them to capitalize on the opportunities and disruptions that come with the new connectivity of a networked society. And they will be rewarded with a new type of competitive advantage."
This insightful article provides plenty of food for thought.
Barry Silverstein is a brand marketing expert. He has written numerous 123 eGuides on branding, product launches, and sales leads, available here. He also teaches an on-demand online course, Big Brand Strategies for Small Brands. Regularly $39, the course is available until February 28 at the special price of just $19. Simply visit www.bigbrandstrategiesforsmallbrands.com and use the code newyear13 to take advantage of this offer.
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