Pub. 5 2015 Issue 1

14 AUTOMOBILE DEALER NEWS ILLINOIS www.illinoisdealers.com M aintaining a first-rate reputation has always been a sometimes-difficult matter, but then social media became a force within U.S. culture and the level of difficulty increased to brand new levels. Think about it: the definition of social media is any media with interactive online communication, which means that every single communication that takes place has the potential to hurt or help your business, whether it is from an employee or a customer. As a result, you need to know what the risks are; more than that, you need a game plan for handling those risks. No one expects you to stop using social media — there’s no question about its potential value to any business organization. At the same time, it is clear that those who make use of social media for the benefit of a business will be required to comply with regulations and guidance on the local, state, and federal level as well as obeying rules designed to govern advertising and communication. What can you do to comply? And where should you even start? 1. The first step is an obvious one: knowwhat you are trying to accomplish by setting objectives. This involves study- ing the social media landscape and measuring risks and benefits. What do you want your social media programs to achieve, and how do your goals match up with your values and vision for the future? Who are you trying to reach? Who within your company is responsible for man- aging social media, and what involvement do you want from customers? How will you measure (and report) on the ROI for your program? 2. Write a policy for the company. In essence, you are re- ducing risk by deciding in advance on ways to control business involvement in social media. The policy should address your goals and objectives. It should also consider how employees may participate for business purposes. Who speaks for the company? What does the company consider to be inappropriate usage? Howwill you balance restrictions and the rights of employees to talk about sen- sitive issues such as pay or working conditions? After all, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has decided that both these areas are protected ones, even if it means disparaging an employer or bad publicity for the busi- ness. Actually writing something down is important. If you are ever audited, you will then have the appropriate defense in hand. 3. Write a content plan and document an approval process. This means making a way to monitor social media, test controls, and report data about effectiveness to the main decision makers. Social media moves fast, so you need to have something in place that will allow employees to monitor what is going on and react as fast as possible in BY SUSAN MORGAN , THE NEWSLINK GROUP You can probably find some industr ies where a business reputat ion doesn’t mat ter, but one thi ng you can be su re of : i f you own a ca r dealer ship, your long-term succes s depends on how potential customers see you. A good business reputation is often the difference between pe o p l e c h o o s i n g t o d o business with you, or choosing to go elsewhere. ProtectingYourOnlineReputation