On the other hand, there is a growing desire among many consumers to see more transparency, humility and openness in government and in the corporate world. There is a general perception that a culture of secrecy has played a role in our recent, high-profile corporate and political failings. This intersection between a consumer-driven push towards more transparency and the increasing allure that companies feel towards being involved in the two-way conversation that is social media is creating some tension.

I’ve noticed this tension when the subject of social media comes up with the companies we talk to (and they are all talking about it). Most of them want to find a practical, strategic way to apply it to their business because they know that ignoring would be a mistake. They understand that it is growing platform that they need to master before their competitors do. At the same time, they realize that it is not as manageable as pushing out a one-way message through traditional media. Engaging consumers in this relatively new and unfamiliar territory opens up a door to possible risks that can initially be a little daunting. The blue-sky brainstorming of innovative ways a company can better engage their consumers through Twitter, Facebook, etc. can quickly be replaced by even more vivid images of the worst case scenario that could come in the form of a public relations nightmare or worse. Companies are struggling with where to draw the line between the discretion they value and the transparency and openness that consumers value.

The one realization that working through a process like this usually leads to is that the person or group who is ultimately tasked with implementing the social media strategy needs to intuitively understand what kinds of company info can be released in the social media world versus information that should be kept closer to the vest. And depending on the company, they may need to possess a variety of skills including marketing, public relations, customer service and of course, the nuanced etiquette of social media. That is how the issue morphs into one of staffing, because employees like that, if they exist, may already be too busy doing their regular jobs.

As a jumping off point, the following five things should be written down before creating any corporate social media strategy:

1. Establish up front exactly what you want to accomplish through social media and how it compliments the company’s overall brand positioning and the rest of its marketing efforts.
2. Outline company information that is not for sharing through social media.
3. Identify potential downside risks and how to address them. For example, how should we deal with negative remarks? If on Twitter, a consumer says “X” about your company, what is the appropriate response?
4. For consumer product or service companies, decide whether Twitter could be used as a Customer Relation Management tool.
5. Identify the necessary skills needed for the person who implements the social media strategy and also identify who internally or externally can perform that task.

I’m always looking for books with ideas that challenge the assumptions that I bring with me to work every day. Although, some of these books are a couple of years old, I find myself wanting to read them twice:

Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
Mavericks at Work - William C. Taylor and Polly G. Labarre
Blink – Malcolm Gladwell
Zag – Marty Neumeir
Good to Great – Jim Collins
Tribes – Seth Godin
Twilight (just kidding!! Sorry Sara.)