Today’s guest post is written by Jeff Hunt. 

We just conducted a study which found companies who fully embrace social engagement have four times more business success than less-engaged companies.

Four times.

The study also found, in the most socially engaged companies, the chief executive officer and other C-suite executives are the vital advocates for change to make social engagement possible – and profitable.

But how do you help a CEO who doesn’t “get” social engagement get it? Continue Reading »

Last fall, before I joined the Spin Sucks Pro team, Gini Dietrich asked me to contribute a letter to Dear CEO, an ebook compiling advice from more than 30 PR and Marketing experts to CEOs in the new era of communication. Following is my letter. You can purchase the eBook here for $40.

Dear CEO,

You may have discovered you have become the leader of a media company in addition to the business you’re accustomed to guiding. If you haven’t, I hope you’ll think about it that way as you move forward.

I know. You’re on it. Your organization embraces social media. You have dedicated staff working the social networks. They are broadcasting news, interacting with customers, blogging. They are talking. But are you taking a good look at the walk? Continue Reading »

Guest post by Hollis Thomases, author of the book “Twitter Marketing: An Hour a Day.”

WARNING: What you’re about to read might sound like heresy coming from someone like me, who others have described as a “social media expert”: As a CEO or business leader, don’t get too sucked into or carried away by social media.

To explain what I mean, first let me set the record straight: Though others may call me a social media expert, I have never labeled myself as such. It is because of what my company does – I started working in online marketing back in 1998 as founder/CEO of an agency, Web Ad.vantage, which I still own and operate – that I am even involved in “social media” as we know it today. And yes, somewhere along the way I also wrote a book on social media subject matter.

Ironically, from day one, I’ve never espoused that one single online tactic, let alone online all by itself, should be the be-all/end-all of a company’s marketing strategy. I believe in an integrated approach – one that involves both online and offline marketing, advertising, public relations, and business development. With this in mind, any marketing tactic just becomes another tool in the toolset, all given fair consideration. Continue Reading »

Last night I went to write today’s blog post and ended up with writer’s block. As I told Nancy Myrland, the only thing I really wanted to do is snuggle in my flannel sheets with the down comforter and the remote control.

Instead, however, I asked my Twitter friends what they would like me to write about and I got some great ideas!

* Brad Farris suggested how to feel like you’re in control of the business while traveling.

* From Bruce Smith: Trust.

* Scott Yurashek had an attention-grabbing idea: How the lack of public commentary has been lacking and how social media has made it interesting again.

* Troy Costlowhttp recommended how the intended message can’t be directly stated modestly.

* Several people suggested I write about how to get past writer’s block, which I guess I’m kind of doing by writing this blog post, even though I called them all smarty pants.

* And, God love her, Nancy tried to create a topic out of my wanting to veg out.

All of these are great ideas and you’ll see them as blog posts in the next few days. But this made me think…what would YOU like to see me write about?

* What kinds of conversations do you want to join?
* Is there someone you’d like me to interview?
* Is there anything you’ve always wanted to ask a CEO?
* Is there anything you’ve always wanted to ask a business owner?
* Is there anything you don’t understand about social media and need help?

The parameters are to stay within the PR industry, social media, or what it’s like to run a business.

If your idea is chosen as one of the blog posts, you’ll receive about 30 seconds of fame. And a fun surprise (which means I haven’t yet figured out what it is).

One of my favorite reporters in the entire world is Del Jones, the leadership columnist for USA   Today. I’ve worked with him for many years. I know him in real life. I’m featuring him as a case study in a book (details forthcoming). And I have a daily conversation with him on Twitter.

So when his cover story, “Often, men help women get to the corner office” ran today, I was more than intrigued. As usual, his style of reporting is fair and covers all of the reasons the title he choose might be true.

The premise:

* There are more men in leadership positions at companies big and small so it makes sense the mentor a woman has is male (only 29 Fortune 1000 companies have women CEOs).

* Men, (Gini adds “unfortunately”) have the power to make women great.

* Female champions are rare.

I agree with all of this. I am in a communication business and I’ve only had one female boss my entire career…where females are prevalent at the lower levels, but not at executive levels.

But I am FIRED UP! Why, you ask? I just spent 20 minutes reading the comments. Because there are nearly 200 comments, I started with the most recommended ones.

I am shocked and appalled there are men out there, like Slay and ChristianCon3, who still think women belong in the kitchen and not the workplace. And that people recommended their comments for others to read!

Read this comment from ChristianCon3:

“Not an issue for me since I believe women do not belong in the workplace, but at home tending to the children and the husband. Much of what is wrong with our society today is because of women’s liberation (a product of liberal / socialist thinking) and the idea that women “can have it all.” — family AND career. Well they can’t. Just look at the divorce rates. The crazy, drug addicted children that come out of two career households. It’s high time we get back to a traditional nuclear family: husband who works, wife who minds the house and two or three kids.”

Now I know that by putting this on my blog, I’m engaging this man and his ludicrous opinion. Did he not read the story? The point is that, even in 2009 where women ARE in the workplace and DO have it all, their mentors still are men. That even though we’ve come a long way, we still have to rely on men for procreation and to promote our careers. And that does NOT mean we’re sleeping our way to the top as other comments on the story suggest.

I have belonged to two women-only organizations in the past and have gotten nothing from either of them. No return-on-investment of my time or money. Not one woman from either of those organizations referred business to us – most women see other females as competition. I’ve always kept this in mind as I grow a business – that women deserve as much mentoring as the men in an organization.

But truth be had, the most ROI on my time, the most referrals we receive (even today), and the people who affect my business decisions are men. I have a handful of women business confidants, outside of the Arment Dietrich walls, but I’d venture to guess they’re less than 10 percent of my “mentors”.

Social media is changing that. I’ve been able to connect and engage with women business leaders around the world and we help one another quite often. It’s fun to get a woman’s read on a particular situation because we look at things so much differently. We lead differently. We think differently. We act and feel differently. We should be mentoring one another, without threat, and with a man’s assertiveness and ability to forgive and forget sprinkled in.

With Del bringing this very sad reality to light and with our social media connections, soon behind every successful woman will be another woman.

I think most of you know I’m a Vistage member. My Chair was here on Friday for our monthly one-to-one meeting. During that meeting he said to me, “It’s time for you to stop being an entrepreneur and become a level 5 CEO.”

As is natural for me, I internalized his comments and have been thinking about it since then. What does a level 5 CEO mean? What kinds of traits, skills, and knowledge do I need to become a leve 5 CEO? Do I need to be a Jack Welch or Steve Jobs? If yes, what does that look like? Beside Bill Gates and Michael Dell, who are some great level 5 CEOs? And what makes them so?

These are all of the questions I asked myself this morning as I rode 30 miles alone.

And, I’m really nowhere near the answer, but this is what I think right now:

* Surround myself with super smart people

* Let the super smart people with whom I already work to do their jobs and then some

* Stop feeling guilty about delegating

* Give up control

* Coach, coach, coach…and don’t get flustered or frustrated when someone doesn’t “get” it initially

* Hire slowly…and spend a lot of time making the decision to be sure everyone fits our culture and is willing to drink the vision kool-aid

* Stop doing things that don’t make the company money

* Stop feeling guilty for arriving to work 15 minutes late on the mornings that I have long rides

* Lead and inspire people by leading by example, even when I’m not talking

* Develop and grow people to take over my job someday

* Spend time daily thinking, being creative, and reading

* Spend more time outside of the office marketing the firm and being our own brand ambassador

* Make it rain every day!

* Communicate the vision every day

* Hold people accountable

* Position the company for organic growth and client retention

What else would you add to this list? What does it take to be a level 5 CEO?

Nearly two years ago I had to make the transition from working in the business to working on the business. It was a difficult transition (still is sometimes) because no one tells you how to do it. When I asked my peers, friends, and family what a CEO should be doing, no one could give me a straight answer.

I read a ton of books.  I read every article I could find.  I brought it as an issue to my Vistage group.  I asked other entrepreneurs turned CEOs.  I kept a list of things I thought I should be doing as a CEO. Continue Reading »