Corporate Social Media Policy

More and more enterprise-grade social networks are coming online. With this, should come rules and guidance.

Here are ten common sense rules for developing your corporate social network social media policy:

1. Be Certified in the Social Media Certification Program.
2. Follow our Code of Business Conduct and all other Company policies.
3. Be mindful that you are representing the Company.
4. Fully disclose your affiliation with the Company.
5. Keep records.
6. When in doubt, do not post.
7. Give credit where credit is due and don’t violate others’ rights.
8. Be responsible to your work.
9. Remember that your local posts can have global significance.
10. Know that the Internet is permanent.

Yelping about Yelp!

Oh my, Yelp still doesn't get it!

I am a fan of reviews. Reviews keep us honest, alert and wanting to improve. But, I am also a fan of fairness and honesty. If Yelp would adjust their algorithm to focus on identifying "fake" reviews and post reviews chronologically, I would be much happier and these type of reports and blogs would disappear.

This is a link to a video to yet another story on how Yelp seemingly extorts money from reviewed merchants. Yelp sucks as long as they continue providing such an unfair service. In my opinion, as soon as a new review site comes along that offers the same amount of information, with reviews posted chronologically, Yelp will become less relevant. And, that's fine with me. Yelp never addresses their algorithm relating to date stamping. Why is that?

Even consumers are starting to look for alternatives. It's a good directory (so is Google), but it isn't a fair review site. The average review is what, 3.5 stars? Seems like a low-end attempt to create a crowd-sourced content site. Moreover, they are not creative. They haven't figured out how to monetize Yelp beyond advertising. Or have they?

See video at YouTube here.

Watch video here

The B2B Social Web - More Than a Marketing Tool

Yes, it is! I know, the media is all in a frenzy about social media, all your friends are on facebook and Twitter is starting to bug you. Me too, sometimes. But, I find all these web 2.0 tools useful, but I use them for different purposes. Social media is like Chinese food. Somehow, when you make it at home, it always tends to taste the same. At least for me. That's because whatever I choose to make, I tend to use the same spices - because that's all I have in my cupboard. So, of course, my dishes tend to take on a similar flavor profile.

So, cooking with all the same spices is like using the same web 2.0 tools for all your social-business needs. The results will be similar. Choose the right tools for your social media strategy and measure its impact. Them swap them out until the objectives are met.

The future, as I see it for the social web, is B2B utility. Utility is needed when there is a problem to solve. In the foodservice industry, particularly at the unit-level, business solutions fall into four primary buckets: Business CRM, Social CRM, Workforce Collaboration and Business Productivity. By using readily available SaaS solutions developed specifically for the restaurant industry, an operator can leverage Web 2.0 and social media creating a powerful management system that promotes efficiencies. Cloud computing is finally here for foodservice. From purchasing and supply chain transparency through managing customer loyalty programs and mobile marketing initiatives, social media is in the middle of it all. How? By engaging all stakeholders via the social web and delivering information bi-directionally. Collaboration between all stakeholders is a must today.

FohBoh 2.0 is the first step in delivering integrated technology and social business solutions to the foodservice industry. While B2C is cool, and driving new customers to your restaurant door is compelling, you still need B2B social tools to engage and communicate interactively with them to measure success. Social networking is a part of your communication strategy, but should also be incorporated into your B2B strategy as well.

You also need to control commodity costs and real-time interactive conversations relationships with your vendors and access to manufacturers. It's a new game with new business models, new tools and technologies that are cheap and easy to bolt on. However, technologies need to be unified before true utility is obtained. Look for SaaS solutions for foodservice that offer fully integrated and unified connectivity under a single log-in beginning this year. This will finally make restaurants smarter and offer something truly valuable to business. B2B Social media is as powerful as B2C social media. Successful restaurant operators will need to be fluent with both.

The LongView

Image by Gauravonomics via Flickr

I was told today that we may have to be patient for success. That, while social media are indeed being embraced by the enterprise, the FohBoh vision may be too big for foodservice. Hmmm.

The 4C's of Social Media
FohBoh has content. In fact, more P2P content in one spot for the foodservice industry than anywhere else.

FohBoh Is collaborative. We have 13,000 members that suggest that we are an active, engaged community. Not all at once, but we are engaged.

FohBoh is The defacto online restaurant community. We have members, content, groups, interaction, dialog sharing, and 13,000 members...

FohBoh has collective intelligence. We are the deepest peer-to-peer resource for our industry. Our members are the voice of the restaurant industry.

The Restaurant industry isn't waiting for analysts and investors to say, ok, the timing is perfect for us now. That concept is a circular reference.

We are working hard to move this needle and educate investors, analysts and others to deliver solutions to this industry. We need social media business cases and thought leadership now, not when prognosticators say so.

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Blogging for a Living

Over the past two years, I have somehow found the time required to be more productive. While I have been blogging since 2006, this past 20 months, since founding FohBoh, I have been a very active blogger and social media practitioner. Now, with my frequent posts on FohBoh, bi-weekly posts for the FohBoh newsletter, "In the Window", my new Social Media Kitchen blog, this new Restaurant Social Media blog and my forthcoming monthly column for the California Restaurant Association "The Standard", I am now fully engaged. Lately, more speaking engagements, moderating and participating on panels discussing my passions, social media, online communities, technology, and foodservice social media.

So, where do I find the time to actually run my business? How can I be creative, continue my research, read, raising capital, create and sell new products and still have a balanced life? I think I just work, alot.

I find what takes the most time is messaging. Crafting messages. Revisiting the last message, learning new messages and trying not to live in PowerPoint. FohBoh is a small company with just a few employees. We are NOT venture-backed, so resources are skinny. We do have a few shareholders and a couple of note holders. But, most of the capital is from my wallet. Deferred luxuries include things like like a paycheck. This is skin-in-the-game and dedication.

Blogging has become our SEO strategy and we have learned to be patient and optimistic, however. Testing and evaluating new technologies has also become a big part of our daily routine because we need to accelerate user adoption, FohBoh member activity. So, adding to our daily activity is Twitter, Digg, Friendfeed, Facebook, and dozens of foodservice and other blogs. Writing now consumes 4 hours a day, seven days a week.

I had a foolish thought recently. Maybe I should write a book?

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