Internal and External Communication: Social Media

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Informed Decision Making

When social media is used as a form of corporate communication, it creates an outlet for open dialogue between the consumers and their favorite brands. When customers are loyal to a brand, there is usually a connection that is forged, and in order to maintain that connection, it is vital that companies become more personable and genuine in their communication strategies. If the messages that companies convey on their social media pages are legitimate in nature and easy to maneuver, then customers can make more informed decisions as to whether or not they want to proceed as a customer. This can be seen when companies issue promotions regarding sales or special deals for a product or service. It is important that all information is correct and the fine print is made visible in order to help the customer make a purchase decision, and to avoid any possible back lash from it.

Stance Clarification

Social media pages are not only used for promoting one’s own products or services. It is also used to share one’s personal interests and similar ideas that are related to the brand. For example, instead of the Frye Company posting photos and tweets about their boots all day, they also post tweets regarding concerts that are happening soon or photos of famous rock stars. It is a good idea to post things other than the companies’ items all of the time, because this helps make the brand more personable and gets away from the selling aspect that is already occurring on the website or store front. Customers want to feel like they can relate to their favorite companies, especially in the fashion industry, because most of the time, they tend to choose brands that fit their lifestyle and image. It is important for companies to stand true to their brand position and image on social media and refrain from posting things that could be harmful to their brand.

Corporate Literacy

Social media is very user friendly for both companies and their audiences. Computer savvy customers can easily navigate through different company’s pages, just as potential investors could, so it is important for a company to make sure that their page is free from spam, unnecessary messages, and lengthy statements. Businesses who are not on board with using social media will lose out on a lot of potential customers, as they will be building new relationships with their competitors. One article stated that we are now in the age of open communication, engaged dialogue, and transparency, and business is now becoming less focused on advertisements, but how well ones’ customer service is (Gordhamer, 2009). Customers today are focused less on lengthy mission statements and more so digging deep into what a company is truly about and seeing how they interact with their customers and resolve their issues.

References

Duggan, T. (2015). Examples of External Communications in the Workplace. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/examples-external-communications-workplace-10949.html

Gordhamer, S. (2009, Sept. 22). 4 Ways Social Media is Changing Business. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://mashable.com/2009/09/22/social-media-business/#uW7EshbDnkqs

Holmes, R. (2012, December 11). 5 Ways Social Media Will Change The Way You Work in 2013. Retrieved March 13, 2016, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2012/12/11/5-ways-social-media-will-change-the-way-you-work-in-2013/#5d2d3bd019d9