Social media for professionals. My latest article on social media implementation and integration.

1. 60 Years of Excellence
in British Columbia 1951-2011
How to surf the social media wave
Vol. 38 / No. 1 / 2011
The socialized
professional
A step-by-step plan to launch your
social media presence
Rules of engagement
Strategies for implementing social media
Jason Trefanenko, CGA
Heather Maclean, CGA student
Surviving the leap
One CGA’s foray into social media
60 years young!
Celebrating CGA-BC’s Diamond
40069088
Anniversary

2. Professionals Working With Professionals
BFL is Canada’s largest privately owned commercial insurance broker, providing professional insurance
and risk management services to CGA’s in all industries across Canada.
previous
BFL Vancouver Office Professionals: Commercial:
Glen DeMara, CAIB, VP Business Development
Bradley Potter, ACII, CIP, Managing VP Grant Alsop, B.A., CIP 30 40 42
John Wright, BComm, CMA, CRM, CAIB, EVP Western Canada Cathy Daniels, CIP, Commercial Claims Manager
Shaun Freeman, CAIB
Vol. 38 / No. 1
Administration: Rex Hannibal, ACII
Josie Carlstrom, VP Administration & HR Connie Hanson, FCIP, CAIB, CRM
FEATURES VIEWS SPOTLIGHT
Freda Xue, BSc, MHM, CGA, Controller Alex Harrison
Trudy Lindsay CAIB, FCIP, CRM
20 THE SOCIALIZED revised
08 taxmatters 05 associationnews
Brenda Mendieta, FCIP, CRM
Robin Messenger, AIIC PROFESSIONAL Everything you need
Randy Nobbs, BBA, CAIB, CIP Social media expert Shane Gibson walks you
to know about the tax
37 keepingTabs
settlement process CGAs in the news and
Alexandra Radziwill, B.A., CAIB, CIP through a step-by-step plan to launch your
members on the move
social media presence
Colin Roberts, AIIC 12 techview
contents
Linda Simmons, CAIB Gabriel Vitus forecasts the 40 currentAssets
Mark Skeans, BComm., B.A., CIP, CRM top trends for 2011 after A round-up of all the latest
visiting the Consumer gadgets, technical gear
Anne Taylor, CIP, CRM
Electronics Show and apps
Construction:
15 periscope 42 snapShots
John Donovan, VP National Practice Leader Construction Integrate a high-performing CGAs out and about
Danny Patten, B.A., VP National Practice Leader Surety 24 Rules of engagement coaching culture and
Fred Moroz, B. Econ. Heather Lutze outlines five strategies for watch your organization
implementing a social media policy in your successfully adapt to change 44 partingShot
Jeff McLellan A Q&A with Lisa Payne,
Shaun Thompson organization CGA, CFO and VP Business
16 ethics in focus Development for the BC
Programs & Personal Lines: 26 The social CGA Evaluating an ethical
dilemma
Innovation Council
Arlene DeLair, CAIB Manager Personal Lines & Fleet Services
Lori Sutherland, CAIB
Jason Trefanenko, CGA, describes how his
firm uses social media to achieve business
60 Years of Excellence
38 publicpractice in Britishw
objectives
Edifier e Columbia 1951-2011
n
Real Estate: Krista Remer defines the
Christina Garson, CIP, CAIB, VP Real Estate Division 28 I am not a social media nine key behaviours 46 morethanNumbers
Gareth McDonnell, MBA, ACII, CRM, CIP, VP Operations Real Estate expert that create a trust-filled Letting the data tell the
Paul Duchaine, CIP, Real Estate Claims Manager CGA Merge Gupta-Sunderji makes a bold organization story
Paul Murcutt, CAIB leap into Twitter, blogging, Facebook and
Steve Storrey LinkedIn – and lives to tell the tale
Scott Wallace, CAIB, CIP, CRM
A proud sponsor of the 30 Style matters CGA celebrates 60 years
CGA-BC Conference. Catherine Dunwoody describes the latest
spring styles that will have you looking
60 Years of Excellence
in British Columbia
Reflections on the past and looking to the
BFL CANADA Insurance Services Inc. your best in British Columbia 1951-20
future. Page 6
Freda Xue, CGA, Glen DeMara, Grant Alsop #200 - 1177 West Hastings St., Vancouver, B.C., V6E 2K3
Phone: 604-669-9600 Fax: 604-683-9316 Cover photo by: Ron Sangha outlook 03
Toll Free: 866-669-9602

3. COVER
Social media is changing
how we must communicate,
market and lead
By Shane Gibson
S
e Socialized Professional
ocial media has permeated everything from CNN newscasts
to intimate discussions at your local retirement home, where
grandparents now share their grandchildren’s latest Facebook
media speak about your behaviour, experience, social in uence and
hobbies.
If you’re looking for new employees, some of your brightest candi-
When an executive tells me that their clients don’t do social media,
I have a simple and accurate response:“Yes they do, you just haven’t
gured out where they are and how you’re going to engage them.”
-
pro le pictures. It’s operating in the background while you’re sitting dates are already being courted by well-socialized companies with Take it a step further and ask yourself how socialized and discov- Social media is not a separate silo or discipline. In fact, companies in
in your local co ee shop or searching online for stock advice. People a dynamic and transparent online presence. If you want to attract erable your brand is online. Does your presence consist of a single the B2B space like BuildDirect.com, Oracle, SAP, Intel, Accenture,
are researching businesses, rating their last latte and even debating these candidates, your corporate social graph had better speak to website and a sparse LinkedIn pro le, or have you truly maximized GE and Siemens have found that it is most e ective when integrated
the Egyptian Revolution on a local news blog. at couple sitting them about the growth opportunities you o er employees, your or- your exposure on the relevant networks? e more consciously and with business and marketing processes. Social media has also given
next to you in a Blenz Co ee in Victoria? ey’re from Detroit, and ganizational value and your purpose beyond pro t. is is especially methodically you cra your online presence, the better chance you them a signi cant advantage over their less socially engaged com-
they are there because one of their Facebook friends raved about the important when targeting generation Y, aka millennials born a er have to stand out from the masses. petitors.
espresso on yelp.com. 1980. Despite the adoption of social media by mainstream society, many
With that said, there is a common misconception that only kids marketers and professionals in the business-to-business (B2B) space So how do you start – and how do you do it
Here are the hard facts and numbers: (a relative term for those of us over 35) use social media. e truth still question its relevance. right the rst time?
is, Facebook’s growth from 250 million users in April 2009 to 600 I asked Je Booth, the CEO of BuildDirect.com (the world’s larg-
million today is largely due to people over 45 joining the network. est online wholesaler of building supplies) how his company engages ere are many things to consider as you wade into the social media
B2B versus business-to-consumer (B2C) markets, and here’s what he space. I have worked with everyone from individual accountants
said: “Social media is not really about B2C or B2B, it’s about P2P, or and non-pro ts to Fortune 500 companies with well-developed
person-to-person communications, and adding value.” social media presences and strategies. Even though these groups are
Shane Gibson is Chief Social Officer for e reality is that most decision makers or their direct in uenc- diverse, the same principles for success apply – especially if you’re
As a CGA or business, why does this matter to you? Ten years ago Socialized!, a social media, training, ers use the web to nd information on a vendor and the individual just beginning.
when you were looking for a new job or working on some new intelligence and seminar company. He is employees they are dealing with. Consider this: In our book Sociable!, Stephen Jagger and I put together seven
business, the potential client or employer would call your references. also co-author of Guerrilla Social Media rules of engagement and a seven-step plan for those launching (or
Today, they hit Google and look at your social graph, which includes Marketing and Sociable! http://socialized. - re-launching) into the social media space. Although the tools will
photos, blog posts, the people you are connected to and more. ese me or @ShaneGibson on Twitter. change (remember MySpace?), the rules of engagement will not.
20 outlook outlook 21

4. e Seven-Step Launch Plan
di erent formats or language. It
is vital to understand that it’s not
major Fortune 500 companies
and some of Canada’s most suc-
a lampshade on your head at the latest ac-
counting convention a er-party, stop wear- 1 IDENTIFY YOUR GOAL
It’s hard to measure your e ectiveness if you don’t have a goal. It could be as simple as in-
about you. If you want to build a cessful high-tech rms. ing lampshades. Some people resist joining creasing your online in uence or blog tra c by X per cent. It could include multiple ROIs, such
loyal blog readership or heighten Give more than your competi- Facebook for this very reason. Not joining as reducing recruiting, PR and marketing costs; increasing customer retention; and generating a
engagement on your corporate tors think is practical or neces- Facebook, Flickr or Twitter won’t prevent certain amount of new business opportunities in a calendar year. Your goal will help de ne the
Facebook page, the content has sary. Talk and engage more than others from uploading photos and informa- type and intensity of activity you engage in. Remember that most social media e orts don’t pay
to be about your customer, com- others. You’ll soon build a strong tion about you. It just makes you oblivious immediately. If you are new to the space, it could take 6-12 months before the ROI really starts.
munity or stakeholders. online network and community when it happens.
e Rules of Engagement is doesn’t mean you are
necessarily writing about them
speci cally. What you are doing
that will literally produce busi-
ness and career opportunities
daily.
e same goes for corporate behaviour
and social responsibility. In the past, a good
PR team and well-placed advertising could
2 IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE AND NANO MARKETS
To focus your content and e orts, you must rst know your target audience and the sub-
groups or nano-markets within it. If you’re looking for career advancement, focus on corporate
1
STOP PITCHING and having meaningful dialogue. is creating content and hav- whitewash most wrongdoings. Today, an decision makers in your sector and those that in uence them. Nano-marketing or hyper-
AND START e pitch artist usually misses ing conversations about things DON’T BE A SOCIAL unhappy customer will share their nega- segmenting means that instead of broadly engaging senior executives, you break that segment
CONNECTING
e term “social media” can
the opportunity. that educate them or help them
solve problems or achieve their
5 SPAMMER, ENGAGE
When we think of spam
tive experience with 1,000 people online.
A disgruntled employee who has been
down by industry, geography and size of company, and have separate strategies for each. As a
company, recognize that when you use new channels of communication and marketing you
be misleading. It sounds like DOERS WIN IN goals. is community-centric we think of emails o ering treated injudiciously will not just write a o en discover new untapped markets.
something used to broadcast 2 THE GAME OF approach will help you build pharmaceuticals or free travel. complaint letter – they can deliver proof of
a message, like a digital bull-
horn. In reality, it’s more like a
SOCIAL MEDIA
People who keep to themselves
a strong and engaged online
network. When people ask me
Some marketers argue that mes-
sages through LinkedIn, Twitter
your wrongdoing to a site like WikiLeaks or
a network of local bloggers that reaches mil- 3 PICK THE RIGHT PLATFORMS
Not everyone should use Twitter or YouTube. Once you identify your nano-markets, nd
telephone, creating opportunities and lurk on social networks what they should blog about, I or Facebook aren’t spam because lions of eyeballs. out what tools and platforms they use and start there. In addition, always look slightly to the fu-
for two-way communications. rarely pro t. Similarly, having a o en suggest that a good place you have opted-in to receiving e upside of this equation is this: if you ture by testing and educating yourself on new technologies and innovations that the market may
Showing up on the social web lot of connections or conversa- to start is the ten most common them. is is social spam – any are authentic and have strong personal and adopt. It’s always better to be a little early in adopting technology rather than late to the game.
and pitching every person you tions won’t guarantee a return questions or concerns of your generic message sent to your organizational values, the new hyper-trans-
meet for a career opportunity or
business deal is like showing up
on investment. Social media is
a content game. is content
customers or stakeholders. contacts that is not of speci c
interest or customized to them.
parency will work in your favour. While
your competitors are trying to hold back the 4 HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY AND TRAIN YOUR TEAM
Not having a social media policy before you launch is like handing your child the car
to a cocktail function and pass- comes in the form of blog posts, BE FEARLESS IN YOUR At best, it’s noise, but truly, it’s an tide with antiquated policies, you can ride keys without driving lessons or a curfew, and then wondering why things went wrong. A
ing out brochures while rudely
interrupting conversations. is
videos, status updates and even
public conversations. Because
4 CONTRIBUTION TO
COMMUNITY
a ront to the trust and permis-
sion your contacts gave you
the wave. One thing to note: there’s a di er-
ence between transparency and revealing
good social media policy will not sti e innovation or make your organization less social. It
will, however, give your team a framework of accountability and direction that will result in
type of behaviour – online or most of the population uses the I started podcasting in 2004, to engage with them on a very con dential or proprietary information. If fewer missteps and wasted resources. Organizations you may want to emulate are Ford, Intel
o ine – will quickly get you same blogging and social media regularly posting my 15-minute personal level. For example, if you’re unsure, don’t post. and the US Air Force, all of which have posted their very thorough social media policies and
blacklisted. tools, there is a lot of content and programs on common sales you want to promote an event to guidelines online.
It’s like a real estate agent noise out there. or leadership challenges and your LinkedIn connections, take 7 BE CONSISTENT
posting all of their house listings
on their Facebook page think-
Move beyond creating content
to becoming a thought leader.
how to overcome them on my
blog. I soon had many hours of
the time to segment your contact
base and only send the event
Keep your identity consistent. Have
a consistent message, online identity and 5 IMPLEMENT A LISTENING AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
Use social media monitoring tools like Twitter Search, PostRank and Google Alerts to nd
ing it’s the social thing to do. ought leaders are doers who free content available online. information to those for whom tone. People want to know where you and/ business intelligence, identify stakeholders and see what people are saying (right now) about
No one cares about what you’re consistently contribute to their Several peers and even mentors it’s relevant. You may even write or your company stand. Social media allows your company, competitors and industry. Social media is more about listening than broadcast-
listing until they want to buy online community and create expressed concern. ey thought di erent invitations to the same your organizational and personal values and ing and these tools are your ears and eyes on the web.
a house. Of your 300 connec- content. eir content, however, if I gave my intellectual capital event based on particular de- personality to bleed through online.
tions, only 10 at the most will
see it as relevant. e rest will
is di erent. It’s unique and tai-
lored to speci c target markets
away for free, people wouldn’t
hire me – why would they need
mographic segments. is extra
step will help you rise above the
Another form of consistency is consistent
presence. I have seen many corporate blogs 6 KNOW CORE PAINS AND DREAMS
By listening to and engaging with your stakeholders, clients or future employers you
see it as noise, choosing to mute and communities. ought to? noise. Always look through the with three-month gaps between posts, or will learn how to be relevant. Observe and take note of their goals, challenges, interests and
your updates or disconnect leaders also create opportunities Because this was new ground, eyes of the reader and ask if your Twitter questions le unanswered for days preferred methods of communication. It’s not enough to have a general idea of what’s important
altogether. Instead, the real estate for others to connect. is o en I could only trust my intuition. message is truly relevant, timely or even weeks. Facebook is littered with to your target nano-markets. To win in social media communications, you need to know your
agent could be asking people includes starting online groups Instead of pulling back, I did and customized. thousands of corporate pages with hundreds market more intimately and in greater depth than the competition.
about their favourite restaurants focused on speci c disciplines more podcasts, including inter- of unanswered questions and client com-
in the area, interviewing local
business people and promoting
or even o ine events where they
bring their virtual connections
views of other authors who were
traditional competitors. I even
6 BE AUTHENTIC
Be authentic because you
ments. Having a Facebook page, Twitter
account and blog isn’t enough. You need to 7 CREATE UNIQUE CONTENT RELEVANT TO YOUR NANO MARKETS
Once you truly understand your nano-markets, take it to the next level. Start blogging,
local charity events online. In into the real world to deepen gave away digital versions of our and your organization don’t have be consistently present. tweeting and creating content that helps them with their challenges and goals. Forget about
addition, they should take an relationships and create com- training manuals. What was the a choice. People used to worry Once you and your organization under- cut-and-pasting press releases, product info or any other types of me-focused marketing. Work
interest in what their network is munity. result? rough search engines, about “Big Brother,” but I’m stand the rules of engagement, you need on elevating yourself above “job seeker” or “marketer” and provide content and community
talking about by commenting on podcast directories and refer- worried about the 500 people a solid strategy before you engage. Some engagement that positions you as a thought leader and network hub. If produced consistently
their updates and contributing to
positive conversations. Almost
3 IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU
Some people become puz-
rals from executives who were
subscribers, my blog and podcast
on every city block armed with
the ability to instantly post and
people will tell you it’s enough to be social
and well liked. at attitude can result in
– coupled with being conversational – this content will help you truly socialize your personal and
corporate brand.
all business transactions or zled when we talk about unique became my number one source broadcast photos, video, tweets hundreds of wasted people-hours and a very Once you have launched, stay active, keep listening and be consistent. Social media is a messy
career opportunities begin with content. ey think it’s about for new business. Many of the and information. weak online branding e ort. Your social media: it’s more like a cocktail function than a tradeshow, and you will have to adjust your
a relationship. at relationship sharing their company vision referrals or direct leads that are If you don’t want photos of media launch should include the following strategy as the tools and markets change. Stay exible, authentic, open and – most of all – be
is started by making connections or latest product features using now long-term clients include yourself on the Internet wearing seven steps. Sociable!
22 outlook outlook 23