Business executives, there are ways to supplement your business process and strategy, and it's up to you to do it. Gaining momentum in today's digital world is so much easier than it used to be years ago. Or is it? Companies everywhere talk about momentum as if it was the golden rule of business. Funny... they're probably right. Momentum is one of those intangibles in business that can be difficult to monetize and measure.
If Momentum really is that important, why is it that corporate leaders and C-level officers aren't taking advantage of social media tactics that can help their company gain momentum?
Lots of commentators and pundits say CEOs and business leaders are hurting their companies and their brands by not being more active on social media sites. -- Steve Tobak
Maybe C-level executives don't see that by taking advantage of today's digital tools and participating in them they can begin to create positive momentum for their company. If you have any doubt about whether or not being active on social media can help you or not, take a look at these top CEOs who are tops on social media. While the wrong type of post is damaging, the direct connection with your customer is priceless.
Gaining Momentum -- Easier Than You Thought
The thought of business momentum lost has rattled me for a few years now. As a marketer, I see many reasons why companies can and should gain momentum and not lose it. Here are four reasons why I think gaining momentum and keeping it is easier now than ever before. CEOs and business leaders, this is for you.
•Social Media: Regardless of the social channel, it is your friend, and should be used strategically from the CEO, down through the organization. I cannot think of a more powerful medium to be used all by itself. Your voice will travel far and wide. Your vision and ideas will go along for the ride as well.
•Blogging: Like social media, blogging is absolutely critical for company leaders. It is a voice to the masses, and also a direct-connect channel that ends up in people's pockets and purses because it is received on their smartphone. Just 10 years ago, companies would have paid top dollar to be able to directly reach prospective customers. Blogging allows you to do that and also fully control the brand voice. It's a way to get personal in ways that brands want and need. With blogs we all have instant access to many prospective customers.
•Video: This is still a content homerun and is easier than ever to produce. When combined with your social media and blogs, the corporate story is told powerfully with video. The impact on the customer can lead to more website visits, a deeper understanding of the product and a customer that is more likely to purchase. Customers want to hear what the CEO is saying, so tell them what's on your mind.
•Leadership Voice + Exposure = Credibility: When the CEO of the company engages in social media, blogging and video, you've got an incredible advantage over the competition that is still in the dark ages not using these tools. If I were a CEO, I would jump into all of these with both feet and not take my foot off the gas pedal. The powerful combination of leadership voice, exposure and credibility for your company will be hard to match.
All of these are huge assets for companies. CEOs and business leaders must jump into the digital race now and stay on course. When companies have a leader that is active on social media, strategically engaging in industry online conversation and pushing the needle forward, this engagement gets noticed and shared by consumers. Like I said earlier, it's hard to match. If you don't believe me, here's a quote from Katrina Klier, Global Director of Digital Marketing and Communications at Accenture:
Who would you rather do business with: a company with executives that stay ahead of the curve on new technologies and new ways to communicate or ones that cling to history and the past?
I think we all probably know the answer to this question. Nobody really wants his or her business to cling to the past. Gaining momentum is not looking in the rearview mirror to see what happened in the past and trying to benefit from it. Gaining momentum is looking far down the road ahead and creating a spark of an idea. Sometimes that spark is the business executive speaking using digital channels. This can create inspiration and motivation for your employees. It can also create momentum that can be the fuel that keeps the spark burning and turns it into a credible idea, product or service. If you're a C-level executive or business leader, you really need to leverage digital tactics yourself to help your company gain momentum and keep it. Your voice has incredible clout and people want to hear from you. Your business depends on it.
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