Vanessa Williams of Bethlehem, PA, was hired to be the “Media Specialist” of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation.  All was going well, until Vanessa let on that the company was on, “summer hours, many of the staff leave at noon, many to hit the links.”

President and CEO of the company, Phil Mitman, called the Twitter post, “out of line”, and not in keeping with the agency’s intention of using social media — helping employers expand and bringing new businesses to the area.  Williams will have lots of time to work on her short game now, she was let go that very weekend.

This brings to light the problem with not fully understanding the scope of responsibility of the social media specialist.  Whatever you say, whenever you say it, those words become a permanent mark on your company.  Once it hits the internet, it’s permanent.  Whomever you’re trusting with this responsibility MUST understand the message you’re trying to establish and they have to be given firm guidelines and boundaries to stay in.

That being said, certain guidelines of professionalism should be assumed by all employees.  Emotes, text shortcuts and abhorant grammar don’t belong in workplace communications; especially externally facing communications.  If you post something that makes your employer look bad then expect to get fired. Nothing has changed, this has always been the case, except in this day and age it’s instant and requires a simple click of a mouse button.

Joe Leo & Billy Sagarese really are the “Jukebox Legends“.   They sing all your favorite songs from the 50′s, 60′s, and 70′s, with all the flair and excitement you’d expect from a couple of old friends who love the music and their fans.  Watching Joey and Billy work the crowd, you can tell that they’re really connecting with their fans.  It’s no surprise then that this doo-wop duo maintain an active social media presence.  They use Youtube, of course, to highlight their live act, but it’s their Facebook account that really shows how much they value their fans.

Unfortunately, not everyone understands this new medium as well as Joe and Billy.   Lots of businesses or entertainers use social media just to broadcast their message.  This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make, and is akin to nothing more than white noise.  Viewing the internet as ONLY another venue to advertise is a sure-fire way to alienate anyone who was foolish enough to follow you to begin with.  Would you watch a TV channel that was nothing more than advertisements?  Then why would anyone want to participate in your social media venues if you do nothing more than pitch to them?

Bill and Joe know better, they know their fans, and they understand that people expect a two-way communication when it comes to social media like Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube.  This became clear to me one morning when I logged into Facebook.  Since I’m a fan, I too get notifications of when and where they’ll be playing, they post that religiously to their Facebook profile.  But they also go that one step farther.  I read a post made by one woman, she thanked Billy and Joe  for a wonderful show the night before.  Less than 20 minutes later, Joe had answered her post, thanking her in return for coming out.  He was very sincere in his appreciation of her not just coming to see the show, but in also letting he and Billy know that they had done such a good job.  Minutes later, the woman responded to Joe, obviously very impressed that her post was answered so quickly, and so personally.  She promised to see the act the next time they were around, and to bring more friends with her!

Clearly, this is the kind of dialog that social media avenues were meant for.  In order to be effective, you must be willing to actively engage your perspective clients, to let them in, and show them who you really are.

JukeBox Legends Website – For More Information About Availability, Bookings and Prices Call Joe Leo at 732-300-3518 or Billy Sagarese at 732-600-1085

Fortunately, there are three such companies right here in New Jersey.  Combined, they can offer an end-to-end solution to your most challenging IT needs.

Your IT infrastructure is everything.  It can literally make or break you.  Many companies have found out too late that having a substandard network can have a crippling affect on your productivity and deliverables.  Primel Solutions know this too, and they can get you back on track.  From data backup and recovery, to full enterprise-level IT solutions, Primel has the ability and experience to assess, plan, implement, and monitor your network.  Server configurations, troubleshooting, and telephony solutions all fall within Primel’s jurisdiction.  If it’s a question of hardware, Primel Soultions is the answer.

Your website is your digital business card, your online representation.  It must be professional, understandable, and deliver your message.  Dreamline Designs provides top-level website design and hosting for clients of all sizes.  Developing websites for over 15 years gives Dreamline a level of experience that is invaluable when it comes to your web presence.  Past clients include Fortune 100 companies like Siemens and Morgan Stanley, but also local firms and charities.  Companies today are realizing that social media like Facebook and Twitter are an integral part of their overall digital marketing plan, and Dreamline Designs is at the forefront.  If your current website isn’t helping you bring it new business, you need Dreamline Designs.

Image is everything, as we’ve all been told.  Think of these iconic brands, and what comes to mind?  Starbucks?  BMW?  Apple?  Your brand is your identity.  It must be protected, cared for, and representative of your company and ideals.  It needs to be fresh, vibrant, and stick with people so they remember your name and what you can do for them.  That’s where GGDesign comes in, specializing in Corporate Identity and Branding Solutions.  Graphic design is only one aspect of their services.  Where GGD really stands alone is their ability to consult, create and strategically apply your brand to effectively market your business.  Once that new design is yours, GGD can print it on a variety of promotional items  and clothing.

These three excellent companies found each other by way of their membership in the Shore Professional Business Association.  The SPBA  is a New Jersey based networking organization founded with the idea of helping its members grow their businesses.  They meet once a month, and are always interested in meeting individuals who share in their strong work ethic.  Members experience significant benefits as a result of being part of the group.  New leads and referrals are developed, new business relationships and opportunities are offered.  For more information on the SPBA, as well as downloading a copy of the application form, please visit their website.

Anyone interested can register for the networking events on the official website.  Dreamline Designs is the proud website designer and  web site host for the Nine Innings of Networking website.

For more information, Contact Josh with the Blueclaws: