Even with the amount of positive data that proves its relevance as a business strategy, many executives are still ignoring social media. Recent figures suggest that only 18% of CEOs are on social media. Aside from the (ironic) social media stir that stat caused, the lack of usage is truly alarming.
As described in my book “Brand Damage – It’s Personal!” co-authored with Larry G. Linne, I state that: “The market is now placing much more stock in individuals than in big corporate brands. In the last few years we have seen huge, powerful, and well-known titans of industry fall. Scandals, bailouts, downsizing, massive layoffs, ethical misconduct, and golden parachutes have dominated the headlines. Consumers have taken notice of all of this. Now, more than ever before, the public has become disenfranchised.
Millennials and gen Xers especially have lost faith in corporate structures and messages. They now rely on word of mouth, social groups, recommendations, and strong connections. The individual is now more important than the whole. What people think about you is now more important than who you belong to.”
Social media has to be a part of a proactive strategy around personal branding. Here are 3 reasons why.
Trust
As stated above, consumers are putting more emphasis on ‘trust’ when they are making decisions to purchase. Executives, and really individuals at any level of an organization, need to not only become more accessible but more vulnerable as well. Consumers are looking for the human element when doing business with an organization. Social media (blogging, social networks, etc.) can greatly increase your visibility and show customers that there are actual people behind the corporate brand you’ve developed.
Connect with potential clients
Nowadays your reputation [your brand] almost always precedes you. More times than not, a potential client has already researched not only your organization but you as an individual. At SiliconCloud we ran a survey that found that 78% of executives look up sales people prior to meeting with them. With that knowledge, what do your digital presence and personal brand say about you? Would they make a potential client more likely to come on board, or scare them away?
Retain your current clients
The deeper the trust, the harder it is to fire someone. As hard as most leaders try to prevent it, a client will have a negative interaction with your business at some point. It’s an unfortunate fact that something will eventually slip through the cracks. If a poor interaction with your corporate brand occurs, your client has a decision to make. Will they remain a client or will they move on to another relationship? Obviously the bigger the organization, the harder it is to have a personal relationship with all of your clients. However, social media can act as a connection point allowing you to have a close digital relationship without a material one. Social media can allow you to show your personality and value, while also allowing you to react and respond to clients.
Everyone has a brand. Successful executives know how to manage their brand via different strategies like social media. With so few competitors willing to take control of their personal social brand, there are huge opportunities out there for those willing to put in the work.
Click here for some free tools to help you manage your personal brand, or discover more about “Brand Damage – It’s Personal!” the book.