Have a business or technology question? Send it to ask@NCET.org and if selected, NCET’s panel of business and technology experts will answer it in our monthly column.
I’m starting a new business. Which social media platforms should I use?
Facebook is a great place to start for any business owner because it has the highest user adoption rate of any social media channel. When I consult with business owners, I will coach them to start with Facebook to establish who they are, and who they want to be before adding additional channels to their overall strategy. (As other channels require a higher level of strategy and often have less avenues for free help.) Facebook also comes with many free tools for managing the channel, including free self-service training through their Facebook Blueprint Certification program.
Instagram is amazing for businesses that want to make a visual impact with their audience. If you are an artist, maker, baker, stylist, etc., it is common that you would want to display your work on a channel like Instagram that is centered around impressive photography images that are meant to draw the eye and make you look. It can be powerful for business likes home services with before and after photos of jobs performed for happy clients.
The best Social Media channel to get started on, is the one you will use. When you have a Social Media channel lying dormant – it’s the equivalent to having a brick-and-mortar store, but no one attending the shop. Social Media channels are a second home base for your business with the goal of driving consumers to engage with your brand, and ultimately to drive consumers to your website. Pick a channel and get started today!
Cinammon Davies is an Account Executive for LOCALiQ, Part of the USA Today Network (www.localiq.com/markets/nevada/) and NCET’s VP of Social Media & Newsletters.
My team and I are working from home indefinitely, what’s the best way to manage/motivate them?
The one thing that is certain from this past year is that work as we know it has changed dramatically. What hasn’t changed is us. We still need the same things we needed previously – to feel appreciated, purposeful, and to have work that is meaningful.
While it looks very different now, there are still ways to keep teams engaged and productive. First, make sure that you are engaged! Remember, people are watching to see how you’re dealing with this situation, so make sure you’re putting on your best face and showing that your work matters. If you don’t, your team will notice, and they’ll follow your example and not your words.
There are three keys to keeping people engaged. Connection, commitment, communication.
Connection – in this time of social distancing, people are craving connection more than ever. Keep in touch. Message them, call them, and make sure they’re doing okay. It makes a difference because it tells them that they matter.
Commitment – they need to see your commitment to them. In a world of “me” it’s critical to show that you’re concerned with “we.”
Communication – the tendency as we isolate is to reduce our communication with others. But that won’t keep people engaged. And in this time, we need to especially focus on positive communication. People need to feel appreciated for their contributions and as leaders we need to make sure we’re telling them what we see.
Do these three things as a foundation for increasing performance and add as you go. Despite the distance, it is possible to create an environment where your people can thrive.
Kevin Ciccotti is a Certified Professional Coach and President of Human Factor Formula, Inc. (www.humanfactorformula.com). He has more than a decade of coaching experience and is NCET’s VP Biz Cafe (www.NCET.org)
NCET is Northern Nevada’s largest member-supported non-profit that produces educational and networking events to help people explore businesses and technology. (www.NCET.org)