Companies have spent decades building out organizational charts that focused on a few select individuals hired as experts. These experts hold significant knowledge that is typically more Macro is scope. Their public voices are certainly respected and are typically very rehearsed and linear.
Today, the new reality is that employees from all corners of the organization are able to express themselves in many ways across the digital world. These new voices are also expert in many cases but from a Micro perspectives and equally important. Some of these employee’s expressions are associated with the company, some are not and this is exposing the public to a new view of the culture of the company. This new view is having affects that are impacting customers, partners, shareholders & potential new employees in dramatic and often positive new ways. The companies that are embracing their corporate legions digitally are beginning to uncover talents of their employees that had long gone unrealized.
Social Media is unlocking a treasure trove of hidden value for businesses with their employees. Southwest Airlines is promoting the voice of baggage handlers, flight attendants and other jobs that were never before thought of under the traditional guise of Corporate Communications. The results are significant with real ROI in terms of reduced service calls, increased loyalty, more sales, and widespread digital evangelism (earned media). So how do you take advantage of employees who have a hidden knack for communicating and can add value to the face of your new digital organization?
We are delighted to get Valeria Maltoni of ConversationAgent for this event! Valeria is more than qualified to lead this discussion as she is an outspoken expert in new media, marketing and corporate culture on her 3 yr old blog and understands Marketing Communications from a hands-on, practical standpoint. She will help us understand the following:
Topic: Uncovering your Company’s Hidden Assets…Your Social Employees!
Q1: How do you find them?
Q2: How can you enable them?
Q3: Do we need to change the skills we recruit for?
Plan on participating Tues 9/1 @ 12 noon EST by going to the LIVE page or using the #socialmedia tag on Twitter.
This has certainly been the year for discussions around sponsored conversations in social media. The term of a sponsored conversation is mostly described as 
and socially connected Lobbyists influencing entire governing bodies. Think about the newspaper industry using expert opinions from companies who advertise with them.
The boss yells in one day that your company needs to “do” social media and would like you to lead the effort, and by the way, can we be up by the end of the day! Ha, Ha, Right?!? So you go about securing a Twitter account, setting up Facebook fan page and sneaking in a cute WordPress site on the tail end of your corporate website. 
It seems this is a chicken or egg conversation at first blush. Do you need great content to stimulate conversation or can you generate quality conversation around mediocre content? That topic has been covered ad nausem for the past 2 years and it seems to be circular for sure. 
