More than 250 people attended the BIFM Ireland region conference at the Titanic Belfast and heard Magenta’s MD Cathy Hayward talk about the role of social media in improving individual and organisational effectiveness. Cathy started by giving a brief history of social media and then talked about the benefits of getting social: reaching big brands or senior people directly whether inside your organisation or in the wider market; boosting your brand recognition; creating greater brand authority; instant feedback about your business and your competitors; the ability to communicate directly with stakeholders, without relying on a medium; responding to criticism and minimise the spread of disinformation; and if you don’t do it someone else will.
She offered some practical advice for those embarking on social media including listening as much as you talk; creating interesting, engaging and through-provoking content including videos and photos; and building a following by engaging with thought-leaders such as FM CEOs and journalists. In a presentation which included numerous examples of
individuals and organisations doing social media really well and a few doing it very badly she gave some tips on dealing with negative feedback through social media channels. “The key thing to remember is that people will always say bad things about you; it’s how you respond, or not, that has a major impact on your reputation. Don’t panic but be timely, decide whether or not you want to respond; respond publicly and then take the conversation offline; and speak like a human, she advised.
Cathy later took part in a panel debate with other speakers at the end of the conference. See #BIFMIreland
For more on the conference, read Lucy Black’s Workplace, People and You article in FM World 4 December edition
