Avionics News November 2014 - 65

through social media platforms and
already talking about you, so you must
participate in this discussion.
If you're a newcomer to social media,
don't fret. There's something to be said
for sitting back and seeing what develops
before you jump in feet first. But now's
the time. It wasn't long ago that only forward-thinking companies had websites;
now it's hard to conceive of any company,
including the smallest of enterprises, that
doesn't have a website. Today, customers
are reluctant to do business with a company that doesn't offer a website.
Social media isn't quite there yet, but
it's close. The tipping point has been
passed, and social media is mainstream.
But beware, if you use social media to
joke that you don't care what others had
for lunch, you won't be funny or well
received. In fact, you'll look silly when
it comes to marketing in 2015.
So before we address how to raise
your grade in social media, take it serious. If you have signed up for Facebook
and Twitter and abandoned it, go ahead
and cancel your account. Two lonely
tweets from 18 months ago without
any follow up damages your company.
It's better to have nothing than to have
cobweb-covered social media accounts.
Your customers, vendors and competitors are monitoring what you do, so
don't give them ammunition.
If you are prepared to make a commitment to social media, Facebook and
Twitter are the best places to begin.
However, familiarize yourself with how
they function along with the appropriate tone and acceptable content. Open a
personal Twitter and Facebook account
first to learn how things work. Follow
a mixed bag of people on Twitter, from
news outlets to friends and celebrities, to
see what is being communicated. When
you have successfully worked those for
a few weeks on a personal level, you
will be in a better position to do the
same thing for your company.
You may not like it, but you must

be involved with social media. Some
companies simply leave the social media
tasks to an intern or a young staff member. This can be dangerous, as these
folks may not understand the strategic
vision or have the judgment necessary
to be the voice of your company in the
online world. You wouldn't let an intern
send a news release you hadn't seen, and
social media is no different. However,
keep in mind that speed matters in the
electronic world. You can't take the time
to have a committee approve or run your
tweets through the legal department; it
just won't work.
Once you are more familiar with
using social media outlets, you can get
to know what works best for you. In
today's environment, older people are on
Facebook more often, while Instagram

skews younger. Techies are on Google
Plus. Consider who your customer is
and where they might be. Social media
should be considered just a layer in
your company's overall communications
plan. It's a mistake to think of it as a
stand-alone channel. Like other marketing vehicles, photos are king; people love
photos on social media.
All of this social media work may
seem daunting, but it's here to stay. The
average ninth grader can do it, so you
can, too. You can make social media
work for you with specific programs that
need speed and responsiveness. The key
is to drop the corporate mask and talk to
your customers in an authentic human
voice. With social media, your online
voice gets louder and clearer, and that's
good marketing. q

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Avionics News November 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News November 2014