For the Boyette Strategic Advisors ThinkIn conference, this presentation focuses on how executives and company leaders can use social media to build their personal brand and the reputation of their companies.

1. Social Media:
What’s Hot & What’s Not
Emily Reeves
Director of Digital, Stone Ward

2. Managing Your Executive Connectivity
• What are the technologies that are disrupting
your day and how might you manage them better?
• As you think about outbound information that you
are sending or using, what are some of the
channels you should know about that could save
you time and make you look smarter?
• What does your social network portfolio look like
and what should it look like?
• How do you assess and value the time you use to
be active in your chosen networks?

3. WHY SOCIAL MEDIA?
Executives Online

4. “CEOs who shun social media risk
losing touch with some of their
most lucrative customers,
prospects and influencers.”

5. Sir Richard Branson says,
“Embracing social media isn’t just
a bit of fun, it’s a vital way to
communicate, keep your ear to
the ground and improve
your business.”

6. Social fluency = modern leader

7. Benefits of Social Media
• Create conversation and relationships
• Share a unique perspective
• Learn from your customers
• Improve company reputation
• Increase consumer trust

8. Social Media Executive Opportunity
• The vast majority of executives are using social
media as a broadcast channel — a digital billboard to
hawk their company’s products and services — not as
a way to connect.
• For those executives who appear to be attempting
to engage, their social activity feels impersonal and
generic, as if a junior member of the marketing
team is managing their social accounts and speaking
for them. Those who approach social in this manner
are missing the point entirely.

9. Think of social media as
an online cocktail party.

10. TRAITS OF A SOCIAL LEADER
Executives Online

11. CURIOUS

12. DIY MINDSET

13. BIAS FOR ACTION

14. DESIRE TO GIVE BACK

15. THE #1 BRAND AMBASSADOR

16. WHO DOES IT WELL?
Executives Online

17. Richard Branson, Founder, Virgin Group
• Richard Branson is very active on Twitter and
LinkedIn. He’s an avid blogger who uses his posts to
help populate his other social feeds.
• You don’t have to come up with 100% original
content for every channel you choose to be a part
of.
• If you create any industry-related content at all (to
establish yourself as a thought leader), you can
share it to multiple channels multiple times as long
as you’re careful not to over-promote your own
stuff.

23. Elon Musk, Tesla, SpaceX, PayPal
• Comes across as relatable and human
because he doesn’t just tweet about
work, and he’s not afraid to use a
fragment sentence here and there. He
tweets about his kids, books he
recommends, and movies he likes.

26. A FEW TIPS
Executives Online

27. First and foremost, build a compelling and complete
profile. Then it's time to build a relevant network of
people you know and those you would like to know.
After making those connections, the primary objective
should be to engage your network with valuable content.
At least half of the content shared
should not be about you.

28. The more information you offer up about
your professional background and
who you are as an individual,
the stronger your credentials will be, and
the more trustworthy you’ll come across.
People do business with people they
know, like, and trust.

29. Be a subject matter expert — especially if
you are in the field talking with customers,
working in the trenches with engineers or
speaking at conferences — you have great
insights to share.
What may be old hat to you
is interesting to others.

30. Industry language that your fans and
followers also speak is very different from
blasting your feeds with business terms in
an effort to maintain a buttoned-up image.
It’s okay for even executives to avoid
robotic corporate speak.

31. Having a bio on your company website
matters because prospects will Google you at
some point during the buying process. Put
your best professional foot forward by having
your bio or your LinkedIn profile rank at the
top of search engine results.
Be findable.

32. Two thirds (66%) of consumers say that their
perceptions of CEOs affect their opinions of
those companies and their products. By creating
a digital asset that tells the story you want to
tell, you have more control over what people
find out about you when they go searching.
Your reputation matters.

33. NO EXCUSES
Executives Online

34. #1: “I don’t have time.”

35. #2: “It’s not about me.”

36. #3: “It doesn’t replace
face-to-face.”

37. #4: “It’s marketing’s job.”

38. #5: “Who cares about what I had
for lunch?!?”

39. #6: “I don’t want to get my
company in trouble.”

40. FIND THE RIGHT CHANNELS
Executives Online

41. Where do you go everyday online?
What do you read?

42. LinkedIn
• The easiest social network for executives to
use and appreciate.
• Get started by creating a full profile,
connecting with those you know, and joining
groups that are interesting to you.
• At least once a week post something to the
LinkedIn homepage. It can be an article (along
with your brief comments on it) or just your
thoughts by themselves. Ask questions. Invite
feedback.

43. Twitter
• Once you’ve set up your account create a
schedule for tweeting by inserting a
reminder in your calendar. Tweet once a
day AT A MINIMUM.
• Retweet interesting posts from people you
follow.
• Follow a lot of people–anyone whose
opinion you respect.

44. Google+
• This is a mash-up between LinkedIn,
Facebook and Twitter.
• Not many people use it.
• But Google gives posts here weight in
search engine results.
• Reuse content from other channels.

45. Pinterest
• This is an area where you can enlist the help of
your marketing team. Have them create content
for you, then you post it with your authentic
comments.
• Share visuals related to the operations of your
business. Did you just set up a new office? Pin
pictures of it. New product? A photo of every
product you sell should be posted to Pinterest
with a link to where it can be purchased.
• Create boards focused on regions you represent.

46. Instagram
• Save this for truly stunning images.

47. Slideshare
• Don’t be protective of your presentation
content. Share and show thought-
leadership.

48. Goodreads
• Goodreads is a social network custom
made for readers.
• It allows you to connect with business
associates, employees, and clients on a
very personal level.
• Just set up an account, connect with your
Facebook friends, and start adding books
you’ve read.

49. IS SOCIAL RIGHT FOR YOU?
Executives Online

50. Managing Your Executive Connectivity
• Choose your channels based on what you
have to say and who you have to say it to.
• Share content related to your business,
but also show your personality.
• Don’t take on more than you can handle.
• Are you getting feedback, likes, retweets,
follows? Are you having conversations? If
not, tweak the content and approach.

51. THANK YOU
Executives Online