Continuing its reputation of providing professional resources to young practitioners, the UF Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) held a skill seminar last Wednesday.
As a member, I attended the meeting, which explored the relationship between businesses and social media by bringing in guest speaker Melissa Simpson, Manager of Social Media for Firehouse of America LLC.
Simpson discussed how a rudimentary business principle, "The customer is always right," can be put into action in a contemporary, effective way.
Firehouse of America capitalized on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook to provide attention, or more so, power to its consumers.
She said the company transferred its efforts over to the Internet because of two noteworthy observations:
- The websites were a guaranteed place to touch base with consumers.
- Be it positive or negative feedback, these websites got the customers talking.
And Simpson said she knew it was the company's job to listen.
Social networking is where people are headed, assuming they aren't already there yet.
She stressed the fact that a company functioning without it won't be able to stand the test of time. And having a current public relations career without it? It’s unrealistic, unlikely and unheard of.
These websites are multitasking by serving as news outlets, informational kiosks and more, making it increasingly difficult for companies to avoid using them.
If the PR profession had to be put simply, it all boils down to fostering positive relationships.
The immediacy of these websites is providing companies with another way to converse with the exact audience they depend on for survival.
So, personally respond to wall posts. Use Twitter for more than one-way communication. Have a message and want it to go viral? Put together a short YouTube video.
Let the convenience of social media bridge those necessary gaps and get things moving.
