Lessons Worth Repeating: Managing The Message and Telling The Story

By Joe Favorito (@JoeFav)
The passing of Mario Cuomo again reminded me if the power of the narrative and the value of storytelling. Like his politics or not, the former Governor of New York State was a master at delivering the message and evoking emotion, and with that emotion, inspiring others to act with passion. He wasn’t always right, he could be divisive at times, but he knew his audience and looked to use the spoken, and the written word to drive opinion.

Would he have been a little younger, the former Governor probably have embraced the social space as well, something that one of his sons, reporter Chris Cuomo has done well with, while another son, current New York Governor Andrew, has done to some degree to help amplify his messages.

Today, the narrative and the value of storytelling is more important than ever, and being able to tell that story across multiple platforms is important. So as 2015 begins we wanted to pull a little from our book to talk about the do’s and don’ts of engagement as one tells their story. Most if not all of these, we think the late Governor, himself a former ballplayer, would have agreed with.

First, it’s not for everyone.
Just like parties or driving fast cars, social media is not a practice for everyone. Coaches, athletes, even some brands may be risk averse or simply not have that much to say. Therefore participating in a social media campaign of any kind is not something that everyone must do. Understanding and following what is going on from a distance makes sense, so being on twitter or Facebook from a monitoring standpoint is a great thing to do. If you have nothing to say, or add, then don’t say or add anything. However understanding what is going on is important. Silence can be the best form of intelligence.

Second, Size doesn’t always matter.
When social media exploded there was a burst to get to large number of followers. However social media is about peer to peer engagement of thoughts and ideas. Making sure you, your client, your business partner have the right followers, whether they are 20 or 20,000, is just as important as having a million in many cases.

Third, know who is in your posse.
Many people sign on to twitter or Facebook, Google Plus or engage in LinkedIn or any other social platforms and never bother to see who is following them or why they are following them. Ask from time to time; check your lists for spammers or unusual content, block those who are offensive to you. Just like people at a party in your house, responsibly managing your lists is an important piece of business maintenance. Then, knowing who and what is being said amongst your user groups will make your social media engagement just as valuable and effective as anything else you do in communications.

Four, ask questions.
Make sure you ask people why they are following you if you don’t know. Drop a question from time to time to some followers. It is important to be involved in the social space if you choose to be, so engage when you can.

Five, speak when you have something to say.
Many people fall into the trap of speaking just for the sake of saying something. Don’t. If you have an idea, a link, a story to communicate then do so, and make sure it is reflective of your overall social strategy. Don’t just post something because you haven’t said anything in a while and feel a need to do so.

Six, remember who you represent
Sometimes people think that they can separate their personal thoughts from their professional by using a “this is my thought not my company” disclaimer. That can be a big mistake. We are all intertwined for better or worse, and the alter ego idea in the digital space does not work. You speak for all those you represent at all times, so always have those around you in mind.

Seven, watch the chains that bind you
It is very easy to comment on a photo or a public chain in social media. Once you are on it you can lose control of those ties and they can spin very easily into a questionable area of comment, whether you are still commenting or intended to be part of a conversation that grew or not. Cut the ties after you comment, it will save you a lot of headaches.

Eight, watch the inference.
We lose all nuance with the printed word, despite the addition of emotions and small catch phrases. If something gets lost in the printed word pick up the phone and call the person. A little voice contact can take much of the sting out of a misguided email, post or tweet.

Nine, Think before your post.
The biggest mistakes made in social media come from those who react emotionally. Be professional, pause and then say what you have to say. Once a thought is out the amount of time taken to retract or clarify will cut away from all the productive time you have.

Ten, be Genuine and Creative
Don’t use social platforms to create white noise or endless useless chapter about a subject you are working with or promoting. Make your platform as much editorial as advertorial and as diverse as you can. It is social, so be social while balancing the work effort. Social media provides lots of opportunities for us to connect with people from around the world that we would not normally be able to.

Network away, but watch what you say.

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