Our lives are undoubtedly steeped in social media — it exists on our phones, tablets and just about everywhere we go. Today, nearly 53% of Americans gather their news through social-media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Within the AV industry, we have the popular #AVinTheAM discussion, which Starin’s Chris Neto leads on Twitter every Sunday morning. There, #AVTweeps dive into the trends and issues that the industry faces.
Social media is more than just a communication medium; it is also a tool that allows companies to advance their businesses online. That leads to the question: How should AV integrators leverage it? To answer the this, Commercial Integrator sits down with Alex Fortin from NDS Integration; Tobi Tungl from Conference Technologies Inc. (CTI); and Bill Fons from Promotion Technology Group (PTG). Together, we explore how social media can be a powerful medium to build enterprise, craft company culture and engage with potential hires.
Social Media and its Virtues
According to Fortin, president of NDS Integration, the internet is perhaps the most effective way for a company to propagate a message in today’s business environment. He explains, “Traditional methods of marketing, such as radio, TV or print, cast a very wide net as far as whom you can reach. However, with social media, you can have your message shown to the most ideal prospective client.” In other words, social media offers a much more targeted audience with which to engage.
Fons, president of PTG, echoes that sentiment, adding, “It is a stream of business communication [happening] at the speed of thought.” In his opinion, social media gives AV integrators the ability to stay in front of customers, maintain both direct and indirect communication with vendors, and engage instantly with whatever is happening. He notes, “Done correctly, [social media] allows you to take control of the message, tell your story, highlight your achievements and educate the market.”
For Tungl, vice president of business development at CTI, social media offers integrators visibility to study competitors’ strategies. “Marketers need to know what competitors are doing on social media,” he proclaims. “If there are copycat campaigns, you know what you’re doing is working.”
It’s crucial, Tungl believes, to stay ahead of competitors as they can also leverage social-media platforms to analyze your business marketing, social-media strategy, brand reputation, and so on. He observes, “This requires investment in innovation and crafting unique, personalized campaigns.”
Leveraging Social Media
Given that social media has gained prominence steadily, it is imperative that integrators get the most out of it to benefit their businesses in the long run. According to Fons, it starts with a strong marketing strategy. “It needs a specific purpose, and it needs to be used as part of a larger plan, with detailed goals in mind,” he advises. The goal, he adds, could be as simple as reinforcing unique branding, but integrators must execute their plan in a way that achieves that goal.
In Fons’ opinion, hallmarks of poorly managed social media are a lack of cohesion and the magnification of discordant messages. “It is important to strike the right balance of employee participation and sharing content that is in sync with your branding strategy, without overstepping [any boundaries],” he remarks.
Related: Social Media Isn’t an AV Business Cure-All But It Can Definitely Help
Fortin agrees, stating that many integration businesses — and companies in general — have social-media managers but don’t actually have a message or strategy in place. “With an effective strategy, integrators can create marketing materials (ebooks, guides, price comparisons, etc.) to market directly to their ideal prospective client and create an excellent flow of high-value leads,” he observes. But Fortin also acknowledges the time and effort required to put such strategies into place, saying, “The biggest disadvantage is that much like any investment, it can take time to pay dividends.”
Social media doesn’t only have a little bit of something for everyone but also has a bit of everyone as part of the community. It’s time for integrators to their fullest advantage. BIZVECTOR/ STOCK.ADOBE.COM
Fortin recognizes that it takes immense resources to ensure that a company is communicating its message through the right channels/platforms and executing on its objectives in doing so. Therefore, he counsels, “Like [any other project], as a business executive or manager, you should have a pretty good overall idea of the job, tasks and requirements for success [before implementing them].”
That might mean having a hand in social-media strategy until you have a good grasp of the basics; only then might you consider outsourcing these tasks to others.
Tungl adds another key piece of wisdom regarding social media: Be real; don’t fake it. He expands on that thought, saying, “As human beings, we love to talk about our thoughts. A large portion of social-media posts are announcements about a person’s experiences, such as work, trips, dinner on the town, family, etc.”
According to Tungl, integrators can find creative, ways to connect social listening with their own organic marketing strategy. “Consistency [and authenticity] are a large part of your personal brand that will amplify the professional company brand,” he notes. “We need to be more authentic and far less ‘show up, post up and move on.’” Tungl observes that, if companies are true to what they believe, they can easily stand out from all the noise.
A Formidable Recruitment Tool
Fortin opines that, apart from driving sales leads, social media offers an incredible opportunity to share a company’s unique culture. He explains, “With AV talent being a high-value asset, the ability to nurture prospective hires should be one of the objectives.” Here, social media can provide prospective hires with insights into what kind of company culture an organization has. It can also create and nurture a relationship with them.
“One thing that would make an integrator stand out, in my opinion, is showing how they overcome challenges and win as a team,” Fortin reveals. Reinforcing Tungl’s comments about authenticity, Fortin says companies should exercise humility to connect with potential candidates. “Let’s face it: A good portion of this business is overcoming challenges and winning as a team,” he acknowledges, “Why not showcase that more with prospects, clients and potential hires?”
Fons also emphasizes social media’s impact on recruitment practices. “Prospective hires definitely do their homework before interviewing, or even applying for a position,” he reveals. For integrators, social media emerges as a way to showcase the organization’s values, as well as to narrate the story of what the company is and what it does. Accordingly, Fons argues that integrators should capitalize on social media’s recruitment potential. “This is where your core values should be apparent, your company culture should shine and your passion for your profession should be undeniable,” he enthuses.
On the topic of recruitment, Tungl directs integrators to look beyond the usual career sites. “Start thinking outside the norm and [instead] use TikTok, Instagram and Twitter to engage with the younger generation,” he advises. Passive recruitment is more important than ever, Tungl underscores.
He then observes, “People are looking to engage with similar culture-minded individuals and companies.” In line with this, he argues that integrators should boost company-culture practices and employee benefits on social media to attract likeminded individuals. As Tungl puts it, “Social media extends beyond simple conversation via a platform [and] helps businesses and job seekers connect [effectively].”
Peering Into the Future
At the time of this article’s writing, many social-media platforms are undergoing major changes. However, all interviewees agree that the purpose for integrators will remain the same. According to Fons, social media’s main focus is engagement and that will continue despite the seismic shifts. “As integrators, we are very much ‘the wizard behind the curtain,’” he notes, “So, our future within social media should be the chance to pull back the curtain some and really show the world the exciting behind-the-scenes [magic] of who we are and what we do.”
“Social media is a fad — just kidding!” Fortin jokes, before emphasizing that it won’t be going anywhere. In his opinion, social media will continue to be an incredible opportunity for AV integrators to get a foothold, leaving competitors to catch up.
Tungl adds, quite simply, that we are “wired” to share content. He continues, “TikTok and other social platforms may take the lead in product and content discovery, as they prioritize visual content. [This is especially true when] traditional search engines are starting to show a lag in keeping up with consumer needs.” From Tungl’s perspective, integrators should be aware of these emerging trends and ascendant platforms, and they should evaluate what they can do for our industry.
Tungl concludes by sounding a note of connectedness. “People can jump onto a social-media platform and have conversations whenever they want,” he says. “It makes them feel connected to others across the world.” Indeed, social media doesn’t only have a little bit of something for everyone but also has a bit of everyone as part of the community. It’s time for integrators to use the platforms to their fullest advantage for branding, marketing, recruitment, retention and so much more.
