As promised this post delivers the second half of "The Top 10 Ways To Get What You Want (As An In-House Social Media Marketer)." What follows are numbers 6-10, in no particular order of course, of the best ways to get what you need and want as an in-house social media marketer.
6. Be Willing to Compromise
You can't always get what you want. It's true. Sometimes you have to be willing to compromise or wait. We all need to pick our battles though so be sure you have clearly defined your goals and do not compromise where there is a critical social media win internally. However, there will be times and places where compromising can earn you respect, trust and social capital within your organization. You may think you need to add a social feature to your site so badly you will die if it doesn't happen " but step back for a second. Will it greatly lessen the load on your dev team if you agree to wait 6 months? Be honest here. You will most likely be fine. Take these simple concessions when you are able. By doing this people will know you mean business when you raise your red flag for real.
7. Make Friends Everywhere
I'm not a fan of making friends with people out of the 'what can I get out of this' mentality. That will earn you negative ju-ju in your work place. An alternative method is to simply *gasp* make friends. Even better, make friends and think about what you can give to them. Things like bringing them a cup of coffee in the morning or just stopping by to chat about their kids during your 3 o'clock cookie run, help you to build social capital at work. Whether it is Stan down in the mailroom, or Jean the Executive Administrative Professional, it is important to remember that having capital in your work place is a more powerful tool than your own title or position. People get things done. Make friends with people. You never know when you're going to need a rush-order print job or an overnight shipment of shwag somewhere. The other people in your organization are the ones that make these things happen for you.
Have you had troubles pushing your ideas and goals up through the ranks? Sometimes it is not the best approach. Every Social Media professional needs to find a champion at the 'C' level and taking a great idea to the top of the heap is a great way to earn that backing from management without fighting the uphill battle that can come from working in-house at times. Your champion can push down as you push up greatly increasing the possibility your goals are seen through to fruition. Show your champion the numbers and they will surely support your goals.
The social space is constantly changing and evolving. Do not let yourself get behind the curve. Always be aware of trending information and stay up to date on industry news. This is critical for not only avoiding potential catastrophe, but also ensures that when a member of management asks "Have you seen/heard of/used [insert thing you're already familiar with here] yet?" that you can answer YES and give feedback or thoughts. This will help you gain credibility throughout the organization as the 'go-to' person.
10. Bridge the Communication Gap
Like many organizations of just about any size there are often serious gaps in communication. As a communications professional you are perfectly suited to help your company bridge these gaps. Your position and associated responsibilities touches many different aspects of existing operations. Make those overlaps work in your favor. Collaborate with your PR team. Touch bases with your Advertising team. Take your SEO person out for a beer. These people are working on similar goals and initiatives so be sure to leverage their efforts to boost the rewards for everyone.
Those certainly are not the only ways to get what you want as an in-house social media marketer. But surely they will put you on the right path to ensuring that your goals and initiatives get a seat at the table. It's up to you to provide results to make sure they stay there though. Social media marketing is not just about 'what's right now' and being in on the 'next big thing', it's about helping to maintain relevance and long term business growth. Do what you do best; show the numbers and social media will become a valued resource for years to come in your organization.
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Kristy Bolsinger is currently employed as a Social Media Marketing Strategist with RealNetworks in Seattle, WA. Prior to her time at RealNetworks Kristy was working as a Social Media Marketing Consultant and completing her Master's in Business at Willamette University. She maintains a social media blog and can also be found on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.