FULL DISCLOSURE

I completed a quick online Social Media training session at work today and it was well worth my time.

 

Did you know... ???

• 4 in 6 active Internet users visit social networking sites
• 67% of people talk to others more online than they do in real life (really?!)
• Over half of 200 million users regularly access Twitter through a mobile phone
• Every 2 seconds someone signs up for a Linked In account

 

My big take-away from the training...

"Regulatory Agencies mandate that individuals disclose their affiliation with a brand/company anytime they post a comment/review about the company's products/services."

 

Although I generally steer clear of social media comments on specific RIM products/services, I may have recirculated comments from others with a "like" or "retweet". To be on the safe side, I decided to add a disclaimer on the sites I regularly use. This proved to be more difficult than anticipated because I wasn't sure exactly where to post this disclaimer on each site.

 

Here's how I added a disclaimer to my sites:

Twitter: Profile -> Bio

Facebook: Profile -> About > About You

Google+: Profile -> Introduction

Linked In: Profile -> Groups & Associations (I was really at a loss on this one, finally decided to fudge it in here)  

 

Final thoughts:

1. Remember that anything written in social media is permanant and searchable. Respect your audience, be smart and be kind.
2. You are responsible for what you post. Imagine your boss or grandmother looking over your shoulder - would it be ok for them to see what you're about to post?
3. Use common sense.

Is Email going the way of the Dodo bird?

I admit - I'm an email hog. It's quick, it's comfortable, it's reliable. But is it the best/only communication channel out there? Definitely not. Maybe new channels of communication are gaining popularity for good reason. Maybe emails will quite down just like my phone that never seems to ring?

After reading "Email is the new pony express - and it's time to put it down" by Ryan Holmes (Fast Company) I thought about how email could be holding me back.

To start, a quick summary of key points from the article:
1. Email has become the unproductivity tool
2. Email is linear, not collaborative
3. Email is not social
4. Your inbox is a black hole
5. Sharing documents on email is a joke

I am currently working on a project with external vendors and will admit that our current approach to project communication is appalling. We can't use the approved corporate social media tool (IBM's eCollaboration) because of third party developers on the team. So we're relying mostly on email discussions.
I'm seeing first-hand how ineffective email threads are when we add in the extra complication of time differences. Some mornings I have to combine multiple emails that are actually the same thread but have had responses from different pieces. We're doing our best to encourage verbal conversations and video conferencing to connect across the globe - but I really do miss the discussion forums available for internal projects. 

I have heard a lot of buzz on email alternatives and am willing to go out of my comfort range to continue exploring social media options. Have you found any secure email alternatives to use within the company? What about alternatives when working with a mixed internal/external project team?

Professional Development ideas using Social Media

I recently participated in an Introduction to Social Media for Professional Development webinar session, led by the Social Learning Centre (SLC). 

It was a good reminder that I need to personally control my own professional development. The job market has moved away from a 'job for life' model into a more temporary or freelance model. Companies are investing less in employee development as they see people leaving after a relatively short period (say 2-5 years).
It's similar to the familiar concept of "you have to manage your own career", only focused on professional development. An interesting point was that the information learnt in college has an average life span of 5 years. FIVE YEARS?! To stay marketable, continuous learning is a must. 

SLC offers the "SCOPE" framework to build your own professional development plan:

• Self-Organised: YOU have to put the effort in
• Continuous: 10 minutes each day adds up!
• Ongoing: make it a habit
• Personalised: plan an approach that will fit into your life and meet your needs
• Evidence-based: record what you've learnt to improve your online presence (think future employers)

But how do build our knowledge when companies are tightening their training budgets? Professional development is not limited to conferences and courses. There are so many continuous learning opportunities available from the social media scene.

I was surprised by the top ten tools for professional development because I tend to think of these sites for more personal use: Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. So instead of following Lady Gaga on Twitter (ranked #1 with 30 million + followers), we should be looking for people/companies who are in our field, industry, or other areas of interest.

 

How to use Twitter for Social Learning

How to use Facebook for Social Learning

As a final thought, I loved the Twitter poll used in the webinar! I’ve already signed up and a ran a test with some friends on their favourite spot for coffee. It was really easy to use and I'm excited to try it out in a work scenario.

To be a star, you must make it rain

I was introduced to the Rainmaker Credo a few years ago and have kept a printed copy at my desk since. Although I personally do not work with external customers, I still have internal customers with similar expectations.

From author Jeffrey J. Fox: "In today’s business culture... there are more products and services available than ever before. To be a star, you must make it rain. A Rainmaker is a person who brings revenue into an organization, be it profit or not-for-profit". 

 

THE RAINMAKER'S CREDO

• Cherish customers at all times
• Treat customers as you would your best friend
• Listen to customers and decipher their needs
• Make (or give) customers what they need
• Show customers the... value of what they will get
• Teach customers to want what they need
• Make your product the way customers want it
• Get your product to your customers when they want it
• Give your customers a little extra, more than they expect
• Remind customers of the... value they received
• Thank each customer sincerely and often ...
• Ask to do it again

...NOTE: I removed a few items which do not speak to me personally, as I am not in a Sales role -  "dollarized" from "dollarized value" and "Help customers pay you, so they won’t be embarrassed and go elsewhere"