So who really is the best spokesperson for your company?
Corporate reputation, General
Having a top team of trained representatives to act as the public front of your company has always been seen as the way to go. But with the growth of social media are the rules of the game starting to change?
It seems that certain organizations are missing opportunities when it comes to representing themselves. According to a recent Oriella Digital Journalism Study, more than 60 per cent of journalists are now more concerned with talking to both internal and external experts and individuals, rather than established company spokesmen and -women.
In particular journalists are turning to the blogs and tweets of experts and employees before writing their stories. As such, every employee has the means of becoming a company representative. Although this may seem like a daunting prospect, turning it to your advantage could be a great step for your company.
The most important thing to ensure is that everyone understands your organisation’s key messages and brand values. It’s time for HR, internal and external comms to all work together to ensure that the brand messages filter right through the organization in a coherent and accurate fashion.
We are not saying that your MD will never be needed again! They are, of course, very often the best person. Just remember that in this social age news affects that whole organization, not just the board.