Do your executives know what they can and can’t say on social media?
Earlier this year, Tom Fox and I dissected Tesla’s woes at the hands of its mighty, irreverent genius. Take a listen to the full podcast here.
If you want to avoid a costly $40M Tweet like Musk’s, you should make sure you have a social media policy and training in place - especially for your executives. Your leadership team is part of the brand and can have a super-sized impact on your company’s reputation. Here are my top tips for customized training. (In person is ideal, but it can also be done live virtual, which may also be recorded and sent to stragglers): Make it simple, catchy, and memorable, such as a “Ten Commandments of Social Media”. Use examples from the news (like the Tesla one I cited above) to have an impact and imprint on peoples’ memories. Keep it under 20 minutes, plus allow 10 minutes for discussion. Agree on core rules of Do’s and Don’ts. Be as specific as possible. For example: never comment on competitors, stock price, or pending business deals. Avoid language that could reflect negatively on the company, such as the use of aggressive language, profanity or sarcasm. Better to forewarn people and have rules in place before you need them.
I hope you find this information helps you avoid a costly mistake.