Charlene Li shares how you can form communities that want to be part of your brand. Making all employee marketers to build the brand.
“Frankly, employees have been told for so long not to share. Now they’re curious and a little bit nervous about what they can share and how to do the right thing. So training, development of competency in their judgement, these are all things that are steps that have to be taken.” –Charlene Li
Charlene Li is the Founder and CEO of Altimeter Group and the author of five books, including the New York Times bestseller, Open Leadership and the co-author of the critically acclaimed book, Groundswell. She is a sought after speaker and advisor to many Fortune 500 companies. She is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School and lives in San Francisco with her husband and two teenagers.
It’s a big high to know the work I do makes an impact on people. #TBJApodcast
Think Like A Journalist Quote
“Nothing so conclusively proves a man’s ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself.” –Thomas J. Watson
Success Tip
Try to meet someone amazing every single day. Engage with people to develop connections.
Career Highlight
Charlene went into journalism and then into Internet publishing before starting her own company several years ago. Radio City Music Hall for the World Business Forum. But even greater than that moment is something else. Find out what Charlene says is a career highlight for her.
When It Didn’t Work
Find out what Charlene learned about needing to set parameters around beginning partnerships and ending them.
Top Tips
- What kind of relationship do you want to have with your audience.
- Work toward a conversation not a transaction.
- Listen. Share. Engage to transform relationships.
- Bring empathy into the conversation. Don’t just “message to” your community. It makes you seem tone-deaf.
- Identify the purpose: be helpful to the community.
- The key test: are you there for just your brand or for the community?
- The biggest mistake: don’t plan a calendar of campaigns without measuring whether it’s working. If it’s not engaging, you must modify your message.
- Employees may be nervous to share brand content. Empower them to do so.
- Establish guidelines for employees, especially, for the grey area.
- Have processes and support for employees.
- Have a crisis management plan before you need it.
- Make sure you have a strong brand story. People remember stories.
The time to think about crisis management is not during a crisis. It should be on Crisis on autopilot.
Resource Link
TBJA 110 How To Hire The Right Talent For Your Company, Brandon Moreno
Multimedia Resource
Book
4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris
