The Continuing Power of Face-to-Face Communications
Earlier this month Gallup released an article entitled "Three Social Media Myths" in which is made three broad statements worth considering:
1. Social Networking Primarily Happens Off-line. It then carries over to on-line social media outlets, not the other way around.
2. Social Media Doesn't Drive Customer Loyalty. Brand Engagement Drives Social Media Engagement. Brand loyalty is a complex thing but once it happens it, like social networking, spills over on-line. Again, not the other way around (i.e. you don't build brand engagement on-line).
3. Social Media is a Tactic Waiting on a Strategy.
HR is a face-to-face business. It like so many similar pursuits from retailing to sales calls has felt the pressure of outsourcing or centralization leveraging social media communications channels. Here's a daring prediction: the next dot bomb will be some social media outlets. There is way more hype than substance, but there is some substance. This medium is a game changer, but it doesn't change the game's fundamentals.
Most every business is a people business. Businesses who abandon that understanding and try to replace face-to-face interaction with technology won't succeed. The exceptions to that are the technology companies themselves and those who promote it. The rest of us need to keep pressing the flesh.
1. Social Networking Primarily Happens Off-line. It then carries over to on-line social media outlets, not the other way around.
2. Social Media Doesn't Drive Customer Loyalty. Brand Engagement Drives Social Media Engagement. Brand loyalty is a complex thing but once it happens it, like social networking, spills over on-line. Again, not the other way around (i.e. you don't build brand engagement on-line).
3. Social Media is a Tactic Waiting on a Strategy.
HR is a face-to-face business. It like so many similar pursuits from retailing to sales calls has felt the pressure of outsourcing or centralization leveraging social media communications channels. Here's a daring prediction: the next dot bomb will be some social media outlets. There is way more hype than substance, but there is some substance. This medium is a game changer, but it doesn't change the game's fundamentals.
Most every business is a people business. Businesses who abandon that understanding and try to replace face-to-face interaction with technology won't succeed. The exceptions to that are the technology companies themselves and those who promote it. The rest of us need to keep pressing the flesh.
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