Social Media Exposes the Corporate Psychopath

Corporate America has a bad reputation, but getting into the social networking game could help boost its popularity and trustworthiness. Here are some guidelines to get started

By G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Vitón

Truth or dare.

We dare you (CMO, brand manager, PR-communications specialist, CRM manager, or whoever you are) to have your company authentically enter into the innovative realm of online social media, the world of Facebook and other networking sites (or as it is known in shorthand, Web 2.0).

Not ready yet? Afraid you won't have control of what happens? C'mon, we double dare you.

Still, not that daring? O.K. If you won't take the dare, you have to tell the truth. Is your company customer-focused?

"Yes, of course" (you answer without thinking). Seriously now, be honest. Does your institution really care about its customers or only about itself? "Our customers," you reply.

We believe you. But what we believe doesn't matter. And the fact is, survey after survey says your customers don't believe you. Ever.

The reason is obvious. Your organization is seen as a corporation, and corporations in the eyes of most people are evil. Large companies—with a 13% approval rating—rank just above Congress and law firms when people are asked to list the most admired institutions in America, according to Harris Interactive.

In fact, if people were to anthropomorphize your organization, your firm would be seen as highly antisocial at best and psychopathic at worst.

Reverse the Anticorporate Slant

The impassioned polemic, otherwise known as the movie The Corporation, asked people to describe big business.

Among their answers:

• "Self-interested"

• "Inherently amoral"

• "Callous and deceitful"

• "It breaches social and legal standards to get its way."

• "It does not suffer from guilt."

Sure, the movie has an anticorporate slant. But Harris Interactive chose its people at random—companies would not have scored at the bottom of the pack if those surveyed thought of workplaces in the same light as Mother Teresa.

So this is what you are up against. People think companies are inherently bad. It's no wonder they don't believe you when you say you are customer-centric, no matter how many times you profess you are.

21st Century Responsibility

But you can change that. The 21st century, with wikis, blogs, and the millions of niche online communities, etc., allows us to create a more level playing field when it comes to customer relationships. It's now possible for us to share with consumers what we as companies are really all about and what we believe, face-to-face, so to speak.

That's a big responsibility. Is your company up to it?

The bad news is you can't hide from these innovations. They are now part of the daily fabric of most of your customers' lives. Even more bad news: If you're opting out, by default your absence will brand you as antisocial and insincere when it comes to being customer-centric.

The good news is that the innovative technology you need to use is the easy part. The better news is if your intentions are authentic, your marketing budget is certain to experience exponential efficiency with infinite potential. And the best news, thanks to breakthrough software such as Shoutlet.com, is that it's all measurable and trackable with real-time flexibility and control. (Full disclosure: we think Shoutlet is so wonderful we have invested in the company—nothing like putting your money where your mouth is.)

Mastering Social Networking

What are the fundamentals you need to master in this new world? There are three.

• Phase 1: Architect a Proper Presence

First, you need to identify where your target is and which communities are important to them. You want to be where your customers, and potential customers, hang out. Having identified those places, you need to understand the conventions and etiquette of those environments.