| It’s a Blog New World. Social media has changed | | | | keep your opinion in check, just make your opinion |
| how we communicate. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, | | | | relevant and topical for readers. |
| and dozens of other social media sites have given us | | | | 5. Think Story. People all over the world love |
| a new way to communicate with friends and business | | | | narratives. You can never underestimate the power of |
| colleagues. They have also given us a new | | | | a good story, no matter how long or short it is. When |
| vocabulary. We now “blog” and “tweet” | | | | commenting and especially when blogging, add stories, |
| and “text”. We read “blooks” and | | | | relevant business examples, and real-life people to |
| “microblogs” and are concerned about | | | | make your writing come alive. |
| “trackbacks.” | | | | 6. Think With Your Ears. Listen to the crowd. |
| But most importantly, social media has given us a new | | | | Don’t just jump in and write to LinkedIn colleagues |
| set of communication rules. And if you are a business | | | | or respond to a blog post. Really listen to the collective |
| leader, knowing the ins and outs of communicating in a | | | | voice first. Maybe read a post more than once before |
| social media world can be critical to your online | | | | you respond, or review a few of the blogger’s key |
| reputation and your business presence. | | | | words. By really listening, you’ll know how to more |
| Here are eight guidelines executives might think about | | | | effectively frame your comments—you’ll add |
| when communicating in this brave new social media | | | | more value and be more a part of the social fabric. |
| world. | | | | 7. Think of the Venue. Each social site has its own |
| 1. Think Eternity. When writing a blog, tweeting, or | | | | conventions and ways of doing things. Spend some |
| commenting on any social site, the first thought in your | | | | time checking-out the lay of the land before you land |
| head should be, “These words are permanent.” | | | | your comments on a page. Conventions for Twitter |
| Will you be proud to see the comments you wrote, | | | | are vastly different from those for Facebook or your |
| let’s say twenty years from now? Comments | | | | corporate blog. Think, “Editorial Guidelines” so |
| associated with your name can advance or tarnish | | | | your comments will be in keeping with the look, feel |
| your online reputation, so write with an eye to your | | | | and flow of the social site you’re writing for. |
| future. | | | | 8. Think Twice Before You Tweet. Does the world |
| 2. Think Like Aretha Franklin. Remember her famous | | | | really care that you are going off to the slopes now, or |
| song, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T”? No matter what | | | | meeting Mr. X for lunch, or taste-testing a new |
| social media you engage with, offering up respectful | | | | microbrew? As a business leader, are you |
| comments, recognizing and calling-out the efforts of | | | | advancing compelling business ideas? The types of |
| others, and keeping a collaborative mindset will serve | | | | comments that might be relevant to your favs or |
| you well. It's also one of the most important brand | | | | family might NOT be relevant to the corporate world. |
| traits for a business leader. | | | | If it’s not of value to the collective business crowd, |
| 3. Think Like Twitter. Few people have the time or | | | | think twice before posting. |
| inclination to read rambling and lengthy articles or | | | | Bottom-line, the social media is not like the American |
| comments. Twitter’s micro blogging 140-character | | | | Wild West. There are rules, conventions, etiquette |
| limit forces us to be crisp and focused. No matter | | | | and best practices. And as a business leader, following |
| what the venue, concise and to-the-point writing will | | | | or not following those guidelines can impact your |
| help gain any business leader an audience. | | | | executive brand. |
| 4. Think Like the Audience. What do THEY want to | | | | Thinking about social media conventions before you |
| read? What are THEIR likes and needs? Make | | | | jump in can make the experience a better one for |
| your comments and writing more about your readers | | | | both you and your readers. |
| than about you. That’s not to say you should | | | | |