Social media is a primary force that is redefining the role of the men and women who are agency owners.
The importance of social media on business has dramatically escalated. We have moved through the “hype phase” of social media when businesses felt compelled to participate because it was a fad. We have entered a productive phase where companies are starting to crack social’s code to turn it into a genuine marketing advantage.
“Just as having a company website has become standard operating procedure over the past two decades, utilizing social media channels has now become an increasingly essential platform for companies to communicate their messages to the general public and other audiences.” Andy Polansky, CEO of global public relations firm Weber Shandwick.
As Communicator and Chief, agency principals need to have a more prominent role in social media. As social changes the way we work, it impacts the talents and skill sets needed for the current generation of agency owners to equip them to be more social.
Agency Principals Lack a Firsthand Knowledge
Many owners have grown to see the value of social media for their agency’s participation, but haven’t seen the need for their personal involvement. From my experience, I would say the vast majority of agency principals have very little consistent participation on any of the major social media networks. With little to no participation, owners do not understand how to use social media effectively and cannot comprehend it’s benefits from a new business perspective.
As prospects and staff have become more social savvy, social media is quickly evolving into an essential leadership tool. The time has arrived for social media to become an expectation for agency leaders. Successful leaders will be measured by how they communicate with employees, clients and their prospective client community.
An IBM study of more than 1,700 Chief Executive Officers from 64 countries and 18 industries worldwide reveals that 70% of the responding CEOs will shift their focus from using e-mail and the phone as primary communication vehicles to using social networks as a new path for direct engagement.
Social media is anticipated to rise from the least likely method for CEOs to connect with their audiences to the second highest method, just behind face-to-face interactions.
Prospective clients now expect to have direct connections to the agency’s brand leader. According to recent reports, 82% of buyers say they trust a company more when its CEO and leadership team are active in social media.
Agency principals that are social will be perceived as better leaders and better communicators by their employees.
Executives with social CEOs say their CEO’s social media presence makes them inspired (52%), technologically advanced and proud (41%).
The more socially proficient, the more they are viewed as people-focused, better communicators and leaders.
Sociability provides a multiplicity of benefits, such as:
- Thought leadership and vision
- Attract top talent
- Improve your agency’s reputation
- Demonstrate your agency’s innovation
- “Humanize” the agency, improve employee communications and build media relations
- Strengthen your credibility
- Unfiltered direct communication with prospects and enhance new business opportunities
- Share social causes
To have success with social media, agency principals need to understand that it is not just another marketing tool. It provides a two-way channel of communication, allowing them to connect and engage with large numbers of people quickly while maintaining the characteristics of one-to-one conversations.
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