Did you know that IBM has 400,000 people and use social book marking, instant messaging, blogs and wiki’s in the company improve productivity?
And did you know that the fastest selling product for IBM is their social networking product and developed here in Dublin?
Bill Kearney of IBM spoke in the session at Future Focus Dublin about using social media and social networking to enhance communications in your business.
His tips for introducing social media in business were:
- Identify a problem that web 2.0 can assist you with in solving
- Introduce the technology platform for your business
- Allow it to spread virally
- Consider optional training
- And feel free to visit the IBM lab as they would love to hear from you.
I personally don’t agree with point 4 – I would not make training optional. I remember a conference I was at last year run by Simply Communicate where a FTSE 100 company had introduced an internal business blog but after 90 days when they explored why there was little engagement, their internal communications team found there was little engagement as people did not know what to do. So they then went about educating their people in how to engage with the blog and what was in it for them.
What is standing in the way of your company engaging in social media?
Who could help you?
Is it due to lack of understanding? Or lack of a budget? Or are you unconvinced about social media applications for business?
Or don’t you have a business challenge where you have identified social media could help you?
And if you have integrated social media into your business, what are your top three learnings?
Author: Krishna De speaks, writes and consults on brand engagement and communications to build your visibility, reputation and profits through traditional and social media; follow her on Twitter @krishnade.
