Social networking has become a part of marketing, but it is not always obvious who should be in charge of a company’s efforts. It’s not uncommon for a company’s media- its employees to be the “corporate social strategy” more or less by accident.
Is that the” best approach to filling such a crucial role within your organization? Would you choose someone based on their personal social media skills to be the leader of the social network charge? Would you rather have someone who knows how to use social media for business purposes?
You’d probably prefer the second option. You’ll want to know how you can be sure you’ll choose the right person for the job.
Jeremiah Owyang, an analyst at the MarketingProfs Online Seminar ” How To Be A Social Media Strategist “Not The Social Help Desk,” answered this question with five suggestions.
Hiring a Business Program Manager is better than hiring a maven, guru, or ninja.
Do not focus on those who have a sense of self-importance. Owyang says that when you hire a strategist to help with your business, it’s best to look for someone who understands the problems and challenges of running a business, as well as how to allocate resources.
It is not a martial arts term that defines a strategist. According to Owyang, a corporate social strategy is “a decision maker for social media pro”rams.” She is the leader; she defines the “road map, and she innovates. She influences social business spending, buying, agencies, vendors, and consultants, as well as research. Social media strategists directly affect the overall expenditure and decisions of social businesses.
Strategists know that social media can only be effective if they focus on building relationships and not technology. Owyang says that the old way of thinking was that interactions with customers were transactional, infrequent, impersonal, and short-term. A social media strategist knows that passion, constancy, and intimacy are necessary to maintain a business-client relationship. (See the ” Scaling Social Business: How Brands” and Build Their Business Now and Position for What’s Next in Social Media seminar.
What’s the candidate’s history of adopting new tecandidate’ssocial media strategist should be open-minded about new technologies, even though the focus of their job is not technology.
Owyang suggests that you consider when candidates adopted new technology (Web, Email, and Digital) and how those platforms and systems became an active part of the business.
Everyone can say they like learning new technologies. But look at their actions and not just their words.
Select someone who can take calculated risks.
It would be best if you had a strategist who can both work within your company’s culture and take the calculated company. Yang says that you don’t need “someone who disrupts the donuts, but” rather [someone who] can identify disruptions and guide people in the right directions.”
Why would you want a person who’s not” afraid to take calculated riwho’sBecause risk-taking–stepping outside the comfortable or the routine–is part of growth. Owyang says that the social media strategist must be able to “create a proactive program for business”s and customers” in order to stay ahead.
Failure isn’t an option.
Nobody ever succeeds without also failing. Make room for mistakes…and the opportunity to grow from them. Owyang advises, “If you are going to make mistakes, do so in a way that you can learn from it and be constructive.”
Allow social media strategists to use” their imaginations and abilities.
Some companies have created a “sandbox agreement.” Owyang explains that “at the company off” is a sandbox where employees can experiment and play. Executives can say to their employees, “You can make things [here], but [they” may break. Here are the parameters for how big this sandbox is.”
Reward your strategist well.
This relatively new job is in need of qualified people. The job title usually falls at the vice-president or director level.
Owyang says, “Pay them the highest pay grade possible”e because this job is highly demanded.”