Should the C-Suite Use Social Media?

I won’t. But don’t let that deter you.

by Frank Maylett

If you’re anyone who’s anyone, you follow me on Twitter (@fmaylett), you’re my Facebook friend and we LinkedIn long ago. (Okay, considering that I was only pushing 100 Twitter followers as of press time, I won’t be challenging CNN to a duel anytime soon.)

My social media adventure began in early August with the question of whether executives should use up any of their precious 24 hours of every day with social media. I opened a Twitter account, dusted off the Facebook account my kids opened for me, and started writing and reading posts.

I accumulated my first Twitter followers within minutes of opening my account. Impressed that the world had found me already, I was then horrified to learn that they all wanted to share their “naughty pics” with me. Yes, spam does exist in social media, and I am happy to say that you can block those people.

Once my initial shock passed, I condensed all my thoughts into 140 characters or less, and started writing. I began following a few interesting people on Facebook and Twitter and I like to think I added a certain charisma to the conversation with my posts and queries, a few of which even received valuable comments. I have a new window into the activities of our remote employees, and I’m now checking social media sites when I consider a new hire. What I found amazing is what people are willing to share with the world.

So, after my exhaustive test, should executives spend their time navigating social media? Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy answer. All I can say is: it depends. Every business and executive has different opportunities and goals, so for those of you considering social media, I suggest you first consider how it can benefit you and your company.

Our B-to-B company produces software that makes call centers work better. We do have company Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages that do a great job of spreading our news. However, I don’t see tremendous value in having my own pages and taking time out of every day to make regular posts. Sure, social media is an interesting diversion, and I did see a few highlights in it, but I don’t see it as a great way to build a B-to-B company.

Alternately, I can see great opportunity in social media in the B-to-C world. Dell has social media-only specials. Best Buy has an entire campaign built around their in-store service. Even my local pizza parlor, Z Pizzeria, sends out social media-only specials, and the owners tell me they see an immediate increase in business after each one goes. This is where the power of social media resides.

But don’t take my word for it. The best way to find out if social media is right for you is to jump in and try it out for a while. Following are this novice’s tips to getting started:

1. Identify your business strategy and have a purpose.


2. Talk to your peers, colleagues and friends and understand how they are using the tools.


3. Open the accounts that interest you. I went with LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter mainly because those are the sites that you hear the most about these days.


4. Tools make it easier. Tweetdeck and similar applications allow you to view both Twitter and Facebook in a single interface.


5. Be patient. Social media definitely takes time to get moving.


6. Get out there and find people. I’m a fan of twellow.com for Twitter, and Facebook actually makes some great recommendations for friends. (And don’t be afraid to borrow” friends from your friends.)


7. Evaluate. See if you are finding value, professionally or personally, in the experience.


8. Keep your posts relevant. I’m not really interested if you’re done mowing the lawn or not.

Bottom line: social media isn’t for me. My time is much better spent in face-to-face meetings with our employees, prospects and customers. But only you can decide if it’s right for you. And please, keep your naughty pics to yourself.

Frank Maylett is executive vice president of sales, marketing and global alliances at inContact. Frank can be reached at frank.maylett@inContact.com. For more information visit www.inContact.com.