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Every company and small business in the country has some kind of social media presence. I can’t imagine a business not having a presence in this day and age.
At every level of corporate America, CEOs want their companies to have a vibrant social media presence, but they themselves aren’t jumping into the fray. According to a 2015 Social CEO Report, 61 percent of CEOs have no social media presence whatsoever and none of the Fortune 500 CEOs are active on all six major social platforms.
Why the disconnect?
One way to possibly answer that question is because change doesn’t come easily, especially at the top. Many top-level executives are entrenched in their ways and they see social media as a waste of time, not a place to conduct business, and they simply don’t see the need in carving off time in their schedule to read their Twitter feed. Not to mention, the very real fear of screwing up and inadvertently creating a social media crisis.
While these are legitimate reasons not to tweet, or use Facebook Live, it’s not an excuse NOT to. The other side of that argument is the benefits CEOs can reap from being active on social media, even without posting on a regular basis. Social media can be an effective productivity tool, a global broadcast channel, a place to gather information on both consumers and competitors and a useful public relations tool.
Here are 5 ways CEOs can take advantage of social media:
CEOs can use social media to create buzz around a new product being launched into the market or a big company announcement. It can be a staggered effort, too. When I launched my book, Think Big, Act Bigger, in 2015, I used a number of social media initiatives to let people know about the new book. I started months in advance and ramped up efforts as the launch date drew closer. I did numerous Facebook posts, I tweeted regularly, and reached out to all of my LinkedIn followers, who themselves are influencers. This resulted in me sending galley copies to a select group of people who, in turn, told their friends and so on. Create a chain of people who will evangelize your brand.
CEOs are human beings too, so why not show that to the world? This doesn’t mean posting dinner pictures (unless the food is unique), but if you’re doing something for charity, have a cool hobby or are talking to a celebrity, let your followers get a sneak peek about what makes you, you.
Showing off your personality is an effective, yet simple, way of letting people know that an actual human being is running the company. Richard Branson has mastered this because he shares personal stories, career advice and shows everyone how much he enjoys life.
I take a slightly different approach.
Everyone knows I’m a workaholic and that I enjoy what I do, so I use social media to show people pictures of my fishing excursions, speaking engagements, and all that goes on behind the scenes with my show C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett, and my podcast, All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett. I love giving my audience a sneak peek about upcoming interviews, give them a chance to ask questions I can ask my guests and even get some good feedback in return.
CEOs are seen as leaders, so why not add some content to your social channels? When people think of CEOs, they think of someone sitting up in an ivory tower, sharpening No. 2 pencils and flipping through a Rolodex of contacts acquired from all their years in the industry, barely knowing how to use a computer.
Times are changing.
Adding value-added content to the mix helps establish CEOs as thought leaders who have their finger on the pulse of their respective industries. People are always looking for content that is engaging and gives them valuable information and writing content on a regular basis, even a blog post, will establish you as someone looking to perfect their craft – just like your audience is.
While many still have an image of the CEO as aloof and someone you only hear from during a crisis, things are moving in a different direction. If a brand wants to create loyal followers, they need to present a real, human face to consumers. Social media can create a powerful and efficient ways for CEOs to connect with consumers efficiently and at scale.
This doesn’t mean that company executives need to respond personally to every consumer request or complaint. But, a CEO can easily jump into a conversation and leave a big impression. For example, T-Mobile CEO John Legere randomly tweeted someone who praised their data plan (and regret about being locked into another company’s plan).
I don’t know if the company got the guy to switch over or not, but Legere definitely demonstrated the ability to show the world that ‘corporate’ cares about their customers. In an era where ‘less corporate’ is the new normal, nearly 70% of senior professionals say that seeing a CEO tweeting makes the company more attractive, according to Weber Shandwick and KRC Research.
With social media being such a powerful tool, your message can reach a worldwide audience within seconds. At times, it seems a simple Facebook post by a CEO can have the same impact a press release had a few years ago, not to mention more gravitas while adding another layer of credibility.
Social media reflects more than just a technological shift. It also represents a leadership and cultural shift. Research by McKinsey estimates that companies who can apply a variety of social technologies in the next few years can add $1.3 trillion in value to their brand. That’s the kind of numbers that any CEO can get behind!
The bottom line is this – CEOs can no longer afford to hide in their perch. They need to roll up their sleeves, become immersed in social media and learn how to take advantage of every possible avenue that enhances the brand, puts a face to the name and reaches a wider audience. Stepping out of your comfort zone is the quickest, and fastest, way to grow (and join the 21st century).
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Jeffrey Hayzlett is the primetime television host of C-Suite with Jeffrey Hayzlett and Executive Perspectives LIVE on C-Suite TV and is the host of the award-winning All Business with Jeffrey Hayzlett on C-Suite Radio. Hayzlett is a global business celebrity, Hall of Fame speaker, best-selling author, and Chairman of C-Suite Network, home of the world’s most trusted network of C-Suite leaders.
