Engaging on social media channels with customers and prospects does not a social business make. Being a social business requires this for starters, and more. Becoming social inside and out by engaging stakeholders at all levels takes consistent effort and clarity from the C-suite to the sales organization and elsewhere.
To really understand how to evolve into a social business from a social media engagement position, I recommend a book authored by Mark Fidelman called Socialized! How The Most Successful Businesses Harness The Power of Social.
I’ve only read word for word through page 40 and became too excited not to share this book for small-to-medium enterprises as well as larger corporations. Its teachings are for all types of business and that includes not-for-profits and academia, as well.
In the first several chapters of the book, my pages are marked up and dog-eared. Mark interviews the experts and authors who’ve already paved the way with tomes on each phase of the social media revolution, and he dots his writings with fodder from executive interviews and his professional experiences with Forbes as the Socialized and Mobilized columnist.
Essentially, what Mark is trying to instill among corporate executives is that social media is the here and now; it’s not going away, and it has forever altered the business landscape of yore. Executives not on board need to be…yesterday.
There are still so many companies grappling with social media, and as Mark puts it so well, “Companies that are ignoring (social media) communities will soon find their customers moving to better neighborhoods.”
Indeed!
Who Needs To Read Socialized! ?
- Anyone trying to convince a client that social media adoption has to occur, needs to read this book.
- Anyone in a marketing department having issues earning consensus throughout the organization about a social media deployment strategy, needs to read this book.
- Anyone who is a social media blogger who wants the most recent research at the tip of the finger to reference in blog fodder or in thought pieces, needs to read this book.
So What Is A Social Business?
Everyone has their own definition for their own organization; however, Mark provides a simple explanation – “businesses that have learned the philosophy and strategy of using social technologies to create more adaptive businesses.”
A benefit of being a social business, according to Mark, “provides real-time dynamic feedback from employees, customers and partners… with collaboration and social technologies that make it easy to capture, store, and share organizational intelligence.”
So many businesses today are content having a marketing team with a social media guru leading the charge. Perhaps it’s one or two people who tweet and post Facebook content or maybe it’s an external agency working on social media strategy with one person internally.
That is not what a social business is all about. Mark is clear in his writings about the necessity to have a solid team of seven various experts who manage a different aspect of social media, mobile and intelligence with an internal or external perspective.
The book dives into critical discussion about business culture, developing an internal digital village for employees, engaging externally, provides a strategic social playbook, identifies the social employee, and discusses ROI indepth.
As I continue to read every word in this book, because it is that good, I’ll be writing posts about what I’m pondering. Run and get your copy, and then we can have a healthy discussion below. The really cool news is that Mark Fidelman is everywhere. He’s accessible on Google+, Twitter, Forbes, LinkedIn, and gosh, maybe Pinterest?
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Thanks Jayme. One of my goals in 2013 (that arose from someone’s triberr post) is to read 100 books. Seems perhaps lofty, but since I’m a voracious reader, I’m up for the challenge. I will add this book to my reading list. And didn’t we at one time talk about books, favourite books, reading lists?…hmmmm:) Cheers! Kaarina
@KDillabough We did indeed! Wasn’t it something about our lucky number 13? And didn’t you and Gini Dietrich have The Secret Garden on your list of faves? Now that I read that darn book last summer with my kid and toiled through it…arghh!
Please do add this; you will not be disappointed.
Love it when you find a book that just really gets you thinking! Thanks for the recommendation … am definitely adding it to my reading list for 2013 (currently reading Start with Why by Simon Sinek & feeling similarly inspired/provoked to action! )
@Bloom_OnlineNZ I’m not the best book reader, I have to admit. Why I looked more intently at this one, however, is because I got a pitch from a really fabulous PR pro! Fancy that! So glad I did, as I’m sitting here writing a post for tomorrow based on more of the readings in this book. Thanks so much for coming over!
I’m going to add your recco to my list! I’m going to start a list @KDillabough . It won’t be 100 books though!
P.S. Is everyone on GoodReads? Be sure and add your reviews there and friend me, too!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing @Bloom_OnlineNZ I haven’t checked out GoodReads, but will do so. I also received from a friend a “reading journal”, that tracks books, characters and comments, provides a place to list books to read and books borrowed/lent (I usually don’t see the books back that I lend out, so this will be a big help). I’m going to use my journal for my 100 books project. And hey…whether it’s 100 or 10 or whatever number…reading is good!
Got it, ordered it, now simply waiting for it! LOL
@AlaskaChickBlog I think I’m gonna ask for royalties.
That coupled with this https://nobullshitsocialmedia.com/buythisbook would likely mare a killer combo. I read the Decker/Falls book last year and it helped me put together some ideas for a non-profit that I volunteer for. I will ahve to get this one too. Cheers!
@rdopping Hi, @MarkFidelman. See? Another $1 to my fave charity, eh? I love PR.
@rdopping P.S., Ralph, are you on GoodReads? Seriously, with all the books you read, I’m thinkin’ that’s the bomb for you!
There is far more potential to use social tools within a business than there ever are in the more traditional marketing/advertising uses that currently dominate. Another good book on this topic is https://www.gartner.com/it/products/research/media_products/social_org/ and https://www.socialbusinessnews.com is a good source of the latest info on this topic.
@Adi Gaskell Thanks for coming over, Adi! I very much appreciate these suggested sources, and I’m going to go check these out and bookmark.
I’m curious about what you said, though; can you please elaborate? “far more potential to use social tools in business than in more traditional marketing/advertising.” That begs for your smarts, please?!
@Soulati | B2B Social Media Marketing For the most part social media marketing is simply trying to sell more of what you already do.
Social business by contrast makes what you do better. For instance rather than relying on insights from executives for innovation, social tools can bring insights from across your business, from all employees, customers and other stakeholders.
Or for instance you can utilise social recruiting tools to create a flexible workforce that adapts to the demands of your business.
There’s way more potential for this than exists on Facebook 🙂 I had a presentation with them today and they’re obsessed with advertising. Not a social platform for the future.
@Adi Gaskell I love your insight, Adi. It also sounds as if you’re speaking to Big Data, too. The insights from social tools and analytics that tell a story IF you can interpret the conclusion.
You presented to Facebook today? How cool is that. Well, they’re also trying to monetize and I suppose they think advertising is still the way, eh?
Hi Jayme – HAPPY NEW YEAR, MISS! A social business has the potential to be a global business from the get-go. For those who are foolish enough to believe they can impact and change industries, social provides the power to be everywhere… If you have the right fuel, you can accomplish anything in business you have a vision for. That is powerful. I’m looking forward to sharing 2013 with you, Jayme!
@Mark_Harai Mark! I’ve missed you! Is the new year off to a groovin’ start? I’m immersed in huge tech issues over here; it’s amazing I still have blog posts coming out. Lots of good stuff coming, IF I can get beyond this nightmare quagmire. How’s your tech? Me, too, Sweets!