Buying Into Social Media Kicking and Screaming

When talking with other staffing execs lately, the issue of social media inevitably comes up. That was no exception at a recent Staffing Industry Executive Forum I was a panelist on.



After a discussion on building an engaging workforce, a break-out session on social media yielded these burning questions:

Will social media really help me better reach customers and candidates? Will it improve my brand image…better than “traditional” marketing? Should I actually incorporate social media into my business model?

The conclusions we derived—yes, yes…and most likely, yes.

Our session yielded this unavoidable truth: Social media is here to stay—especially with a new generation of professionals entering the workforce who grew up on the Internet.

We also left with some key tips:

• You should define who your buyers are, what you want your brand to be, and tailor everything toward that.
• You can add value to your social media endeavors by including webinars and “friend of a friend” introductions to targeted prospects.
• You MUST set rules, track results, and draw specific conclusions for your vertical.
• You can lose credibility if you don’t keep your sites current…so starting a program is a long-term commitment.

I’m now adamant about not mixing the personal with the business. I’m using my Linked-in account just for business. And I’m maintaining two Facebook pages—one purely professional and one for personal use.

I’m been brought onboard the social media train for years…slowly…kicking and screaming. But now, I’ve decided to fully embrace it.

Do I have concerns? I barely have enough time to keep up with my e-mails, let alone time to delve into the wide-open world of social media. But it’s something I’m sure will be well worth the effort.

I’ll let you know how it all goes.

-April