What’s this guy’s name again?
Richard Branson. I knew that already and so did you. Why? Because he has remained relevant throughout the growth of his company, and here’s why:
There’s a push-pull in the social media/digital marketing industry. It’s an undercurrent really, of conversation that continually debates one of our hottest topics: should your CEO be involved in social media? There are blogs, books and seminars arguing the case for a modern social CEO, but for every well-written opinion editorial, we see a rebuttal to reserve the social sphere for those who are adept, energetic and tech-savvy.
I’m here to make one more case for leadership presence on social sites. It doesn’t have to be entirely overrun by your CEO’s content, but a healthy mix will be really well-received.
Let’s start with a history lesson. Companies like Zappos, Virgin, and Red Mango were started by people just like us. Their founders were hardworking, bright, and undoubtedly had some obstacles to overcome. They are your bread and butter. Giving them a platform to express the company story, their voice and their passion for what they do will separate you from the competition.
Second, no one has his ear to the beat of the street more than your own Chief Executive Officer. Who travels on your behalf? Represents your company? Holds lectures, seminars and networking events? That’s right. Most likely it’s the company head honcho. Urging him to snap some pictures of keynote speakers, cool cities and the like will give your social media fan-base a glimpse into how legit the boss is.
Third, game-time decisions often start at the top. Let’s say your CEO is oh, I don’t know, Richard Branson, and he’s trying to decide the name for a new Virgin bank. Or he could be Dan Kim from Red Mango looking to create a new frozen yogurt flavor. Opening up the conversation to your audience encourages a very personal level of feedback and engagement that you often can’t find anywhere else.
Lastly, the numbers don’t lie. Stats repeatedly show that CEO social media engagement is down. Most recently we learned a whopping 70% of Fortune 500 CEOs don’t have a social media presence. Imagine a Twitter account full of pictures and first-person perspectives, not just links and questions. Simply by joining the already existing online party you could make a serious dent for your brand’s notoriety.
The beauty of it is that you don’t have to go it alone. Agency Entourage specializes in digital marketing, social media strategy and helping you make the most of your brand. We’d love to discuss an opportunity to help your CEO jump on the social bandwagon. Give us a call at (214) 414-3035.
