Social Media: It’s Not a Choice

Kindergarteners are learning off iPads, not chalkboards.  Fifty percent of the world population is under the age of 30. As best-selling author Erik Qualman says, “We don’t have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it.”

Shirley Turner, vice president and experience leader, Edgewalk Business Experience, led Breakaway attendees through a series of steps to help them jumpstart and improve their social media plans.

Edgewalk reached out to Choice Technologies in Baltimore, Md., earlier this summer.  Choice Technologies is a typical small solutions provider.  It has about 250 clients and 30 people on staff; about half of its business is in healthcare IT.  As of June, it did not have a social media plan, or even a marketing plan for that matter.  It was too overwhelming.  It wanted more sales, to generate leads, grow brand awareness and become a thought leader.

Choice Technologies had several challenges to overcome in creating a plan: resource uncertainty, executive participation, lack of social media experience, and lack of how to position social media within the company.

Turner advised attendees, “You can’t just hire a 20-something-year-old…you need to plug them into your business.  They need to be invested in the business success.  You also must trust them.”

Luckily for Choice Technologies they had just that.  Matt, the owner’s son was home from college this summer, and while he didn’t know have deep experience with all forms of social media, he was clearly invested in the business’ success.

Turner went on to outline the three roles you need on your social media team: social media operations manager, social media technology manager, and social media content contributors.  Note, she said team – it’s not a solo job.

Other basic steps you need to take:

1. Optimize your logo for social media – it needs to be 320x325 pixels.


2. Schedule your content.


3. Create an easy-to-follow plan and stick with it.


4. Be patient.  Start the conversation and let things build.

Social media is a two-way street.  You must engage with followers and friends.

Choice Technologies started by creating a Facebook page.  Then it linked that page to a Twitter account.  And then linked Twitter to its LinkedIn page.  Thus if the social media team updates on Facebook, the same messages gets to Twitter and LinkedIn all in one step.

Choice Technologies just implemented its social media strategy, so the results are still undetermined, but at least it’s on the right path to customer engagement and growing its brand.