Blog Post: How to Educate Clients, Partners, and Upper Management About Social Media

By now you’ve probably had a few clients, partners, or bosses come up to you with an inquisitive look and ask, ‘So what’s with this social media stuff?’  This blog is about where to begin to educate these folks about social media and the potential benefits it holds.

There’s five steps to providing an effective social media education:  

Step 1: Explain what social media is.

Step 2: Explain what the benefits of social media are.

Step 3: Provide relevant examples of companies who have received results from social media.

Step 4: Share the questions that should be on their mind when entering into the social media world.

Step 5: Answer their questions.

Step 1: Explaining Social Media

When explaining social media to someone, ask what they mean by ‘social media.’  Because there are over 4,000 social media tools that are available.  Each site collectively makes up ‘social media,’ each serves its own purpose, and each deserves its own explanation.  

If that person answers by saying, ‘You know.  Social Media.  Facebook, Twitter…” then focus on explaining those specific sites that they mention.

“Facebook. #1 social network. 200 million users.  If Facebook were a country, it would be the 8 th largest in the world. It’s the ultimate social networking/media hub that has every organization scrambling to get a piece of the expanding pie.”

“Twitter. Microblogging service that gives you 140 characters to write whatever message you want to your followers.  International social network with over 25 million users.  Organizations are gradually beginning to tiptoe into this arena, and a lot of those doing it right are experiencing success.”

The thing to remember when explaining social media is that each one of these sites are just tools that each have a specific purpose.  Before using the tools, you have to understand the benefits and risks of using each.  

Other good sites to refer to when researching social media: Mashable, Social Media Today, Adage.   

Step 2: Explaining the benefits.

When explaining the benefits, focus on what’s the coolest feature to you personally, and tell that from an organizational perspective.  By focusing on what’s cool, you’ll be able to sell people on social media much easier than if you give them the obvious pitch of “it helps brand your organization.”

“The coolest thing about Twitter is the ability to communicate with your stakeholders in a real time way.  If customers are frustrated you can respond.  If partners do something phenomenal you can congratulate them.  Perhaps the coolest thing about Twitter is that you can communicate with people who aren’t yet part of your community and convert them into a stakeholder.”

“The coolest thing about Facebook is that it allows you to build deep relationships with existing clients, partners, and employees.  With tons of photos, status updates, and personal information, being part of that circle of trust is priceless.  In addition, Facebook allows you to take the community that you have offline into the online world.”

Step 3: Relevant Examples of Companies

The word ‘relevant’ really throws things off here, but here’s some examples of companies using social media really well: 

26 Social Media Marketing Examples in Detail

A List of over 324 brands using social media

Step 4: Ask the Questions That Should Be On Their Social Media Minds

If your clients, partners, or upper management is still having a difficult time seeing the benefit of social media, these are some key questions that need to be addressed and answered.

What are you hoping to accomplish with social media?

What is your employment brand?  How does that translate to social media?

What is your search identity?  (Aka- what appears when you google your company?)

What is being said about your company?

Where is your current social media engagement?

What are your recruitment goals and obstacles?

Step 5: Answer their questions.

Now that you’ve asked some challenging questions about social media, it’s time for you to sit back and listen to what their questions are.  Answer them to the best of your ability, and if your boss still has that inquisitive look that they started with, realize that social media is a process that takes time.  You might have to repeat steps 1-5 again.  

If you have any questions about social media and how it can benefit your business, please contact Brett and Zach at Jobing Social Media Solutions at: http://phoenix.jobing.com/socialmedia.  We’ve got the resources and the knowledge to help you ‘socialize.’