ocial media has been embraced by consumers — your members and potential members. Your employees are engaged in social media activities, whether they are active on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter, and other sites or active bloggers themselves. For more info: www.nafcu.org/genworth

1. inside nafcu
services
Shifting Social Media from “If” to “How”
By Steve Richman
S
ocial media has been embraced
by consumers — your mem-
bers and potential members. One way to ease the entry into social
Your employees are engaged in
social media activities, whether they are media is to create a weekly post of content
active on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest,
Twitter, and other sites or active blog-
that is both legally permissable and
gers themselves. In fact, social media has relevant to the member.
become more mainstream, with growing
participation in all age groups and income
levels. The question for credit unions has complete with threats of termination for However, if someone posts a complaint
changed from “Should we or shouldn’t inappropriate usage, you should include (for example, “Your underwriting is
we?” to “How do we?” Here are three what would be considered acceptable horrible.”), you must respond and move
steps to consider, whether you’re already posts. Show employees the types of com- the conversation out of the social media
using social media or are just getting ments you deem proper and effective, and realm. For instance, you could write
started. train your employees on the social media “Thank you for your concern. In an effort
policy as a part of the distribution plan. to respect your privacy, please contact me
1. Identify a Senior Leader at … so that I may help resolve this situ-
One way to ease the entry into social ation.” After the issue has been resolved,
Champion. media is to create a weekly post of con- go back to the original post and write a
The first step in making social media tent that is both legally permissible and comment stating that you are glad that
work for your credit union is to have a relevant to the member. Distribute this you were able to work with the member to
senior leader to champion the idea. This post to team members so they can use it address his or her concern. These actually
initiative is not going to bubble up from in their own LinkedIn, Facebook and/or are opportunities to show what makes
within the organization — it needs a Twitter feeds. you stand apart from your competitors.
champion from high atop the hierarchy. If you successfully resolve a member’s
3. What If Someone “Goes complaint, he or she may return the favor
That champion needs to create a team Negative”? and provide a positive comment on his or
to institute a social media initiative. The
Once you have an organization that her own on your social media sites. And
team should include an attorney. If the
embraces and understands social media, learning of a problem sooner can help you
attorney is involved in the creation pro-
there is still an element that is outside address any internal issues or processes
cess, with a directive from senior manage-
your control — the consumer. How do that may have contributed to the mem-
ment to make it work, you can pave the
you deal with negative comments that ber’s unhappiness.
way to easier implementation.
people, not your employees, make on
2. Distribute the Social Media social media sites? A plan to deal with Steve Richman is the sales trainer and
Policy. negative situations should be a part of national spokesperson for Genworth
your social media policy and training. Mortgage Insurance.
Developing a practical social media policy
is a must — with emphasis on “practi- If a consumer posts something that has no
cal.” Rather than writing a social media actual content (for example, “You stink.”),
policy that tells employees what not to do, simply delete the post.
42 The Federal Credit Union March–april 2013