Where’s Your Energy?

Social Media Question #1: “What should we do? What should we talk about?”

Every time I speak with people about social media, this is the question I get. Since I speak to marketing people most of the time, they answer the question, usually, with
“Sales promotions.”

Here’s what I try to answer:

Where’s the energy in your company right now? What are people most excited about? It doesn’t have to be big or even new, but if they’re talking about it inside, chances are it’s something people on the outside will find interesting.

Image by adambowie via Flickr

A funny thing happens then. Everyone stops, takes a breath, and start talking all at once about the fun and interesting things going on. It’s like someone flipped a switch. Instead of talking about what they think they have to talk about, they start talking about things they like. With passion and energy and engagement.

That’s a great start in social media. Yes, we’ll get to those sales promotions; we have to, to keep the lights on at night. But we’ll be talking about them in a different way. And the energy inside can come from anywhere, from any employee.

New things inside don’t have to be big. Remember, it’s not a marketing campaign. Marketing campaigns start slowly, usually have a big promotion and rely on splash and media. Social media can start quickly, cover multiple promotions, and rely on personal connections and conversations.

And no one wants to hear the same old thing from you every time, either. When we have friends like that, we tire of them quickly.

Your energy will change over the months. Be aware of where it is inside your company, tap into it, and share it with the rest of us. It’s a great way to start a conversation.