Using Social Media in Government Affairs

November 9, 2009
Questions and Answers with Curt Mercadante, Principal of Merc Strategy Group
With Permission

Q: How can an organization justify the time commitment of updating and following social media?

A: Engaging with social media tools is no more an extra time commitment than writing a press release, meeting with your members, or engaging in any other activity that fulfills the core mission of your organization. If you took a half hour to write a press release- would you question that expenditure of time? If you spent an hour on the phone calling through your media list, would that be an extra time commitment? Of course not. Communications departments need to hit the "reset" button on how they do business- embracing the new tools that allow them to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. Social media tools are no different than a cell phone, e-mail or even a typewriter. They are simply communications tools. How you use them will ultimately determine if you are wasting your time or getting a return on investment of that time.

Q:Do you suggest companies hire an outside consultant, or hire a younger "expert" to help execute online efforts if they are unfamiliar?

A: As a consultant, I am certainly a proponent of hiring a consultant to help you with your communications needs! That being said, I am a strong believer that your existing communications staff either has to embrace these online tools — or find new jobs. The days of a public relations professional simply relying on a phone and and a fax machine are long gone. Your communications executive needs to become your chief content producer — producing regular, compelling content that tells your organization’s unique story and then using a variety of communications tools to help disseminate that story. If a PR flak can produce a 400-word press release, he or she can certainly produce a 140-character tweet and a status update on Facebook. If you can work a video camera, you can certainly post short, simple video interviews to post on YouTube. Remember — it’s about the content, not the tools and technology. And content is (or should be) the responsibility of your communications department (just because it involves the “Interwebz” does not make it the responsibility of your IT department.)

Q:Since you say open rates for e-newsletters are at a low number, what would you suggest instead?
A: E-newsletters may look nice, allow you to stick to a weekly schedule, and provide a ready-made template for you to use — but that doesn’t mean they are effective. Instead of building your program around a regular schedule, build it around your content.
In short — send emails to your network when you have something compelling to say. This goes back to the first step of developing your content strategy.
Further, rather than simply providing a rundown of news and updates, the emails you send to your network should be personalized, short, and include a clear call to action.
Tink of it in these terms: when you want to communicate with your friends or family, do you send them an e-newsletter? Of course not, you write them a personal note. Do the very same thing with emails you send your network.