Lunchtime Leader Christmas Wrap-up

by Stewart Savage | Dec 8, 2011 | Professional Development

A big Thank You to our local professionals that joined us today for the Holiday version of Lunchtime Leaders. We had a great discussion about social media, the tools we use, and how what we post to our various social media can affect our brand, reputation, followers, friends, and ultimately, our business.

Here is the outline we used to discuss how to properly manage social media for Christmas, New Years, and the holidays we will enjoy in 2012.

Thank You – to the members of the business community here in Davis that believe in the Lunchtime Leader program and volunteered their time and shared their knowledge.
- Andrew Newman – Newman Associates
- David Cougevan – Edward Jones
- Kim Maslaniak – KAM hr
- Carolyn Schrader – Energy Change Solutions
Be cautious when using religious symbols
- Symbols are powerful
- Evoke a strong emotional response
- Become inflammatory
- Divide/Join followers
- Change demographics
Be cautious of changing your posting behavior. – People are comfortable with patterns. Sudden change will make them notice and may cause them to alter theirbehavior.
- Channel
- Content
- Frequency
- Interaction
Be creative Look for ways to share the holiday spirit
- Photo journal of Holiday activities
- Share Holiday music
- Links to local Holiday activities
- Contests
- Customer/Fan photos
- New marketing program
- http://www.informationweek.com/news/smb/ebusiness/231901710
Promote Social Good – The holidays serve as a reminder for people to open their hearts and to think of other and of those that are less fortunate.
- Offer incentives for donating
- Showcase donation programs
- Focus locally
- Be open, honest, and transparent
- http://mashable.com/2011/11/01/social-good-deadly-sins/
Take the lead in sharing
- Share with your heart
- Be genuine
- Don’t try to market when sharing
Be careful of what you post. Inappropriate comments or pictures can do irreparable damage to your brand. Not everyone thinks that pictures of you drinking or racy photos are appropriate. Fine line between funny and lewd.
- Office party photos
- Racy photos and videos
- Offensive jokes
- Mindless forwarding of other posts
Be tolerant of others and critical of yourself
- Communication is all about the recipient
- Not everyone has the same belief system as you
- The Holidays are not an easy time for everyone
Social Media Management
- Refresh your understanding of Social Media
  - Social Media has changed over the past year
  - See what features are available to interact with your fans/followers
- Revisit your Social Media Guidelines
  - Are guidelines still acceptable?
  - Are holidays or seasonal variations addressed?
- Set goals for the holidays
  - Holiday goals should compliment/support long-term goals
  - Should be realistic
- Re-communicate Social Media goals/guidelines
  - Is everyone on the same page?
  - Does your staff understand the rules of engagement?
- Monitor your Social Media resources
  - Look for changes
    - Negative/Positive responses
    - Increased/decreased interactions
- Use “Santa’s Rules”
  - Make a list and check it twice