Public Relations Princess

How to Choose a Reputable Social Media Consultant: Twelve Essential Questions

Social media is maturing as a marketing discipline and mainstream business owners all over the country are asking for help on how to best implement social media strategies. Some are savvy and have been experimenting in the space for years, most are just waking up to the possibilities and promise.

Social media consultants don't have their own section in the Yellow Pages, on the contrary - even if there was a section - you'll most likely find one using Google or another search engine. How do you choose who is right for you or your company?

First, you have to answer these questions:

1. Do I need individual coaching or coaching for my business or both?
2. Is my company a Business-to-Consumer (B to C) operation? (like a restaurant)
3. Is my company a Business-to-Business (B to B) operation? (like a software wholesaler)
4. What is the budget? (a ballpark estimate is fine)
5. Are there any restrictions to social media success? (a restrictive legal team, an unconvinced CEO or industry precedent) If there is unresolved internal conflict in your company, it could be a deal-breaker, or you might just need some strategic leadership, which a good consultant can provide.

Once you have these basic questions answered, you can begin your search. Once you find a few companies or individuals you'd like to work with, there are some questions that might help you choose someone who is right for your particular situation. Here are the ones I'd start with (and have already been asked of me on numerous occasions).

1. Length of time in the social media space: How long have they been blogging, using Twitter, or helping others create a social media presence?
2. Influence: How many people are following them on these social networks?
3. Reputation: How are they regarded among clients? (ask for references!) Checking their LinkedIn references is another idea.
4. Results: Has anything they've created in the social media space earned results? (ask for case studies or results summaries)
5. Philosophy: What is their philosophy about controversial issues such as "ghost blogging" and astroturfing?
6. Listening Skills: Can the consultant create a customized plan after listening to your specific needs, or do they seem hung up on one aspect of social media based on their own experience level?
7. Company status: Is their business incorporated? Why or why not?
8. Insurance: Does the consultant or company have business liability insurance?
9. Business Partners: Does the company have its own support services (like PR, graphic design and SEO services) or does it partner with other organizations? If "subcontractors" are involved, who are they?
10. Integrity: Does the business have a record of integrity and a spirit of service to the community?
11. Teaching: Are they involved in teaching or spreading knowledge on their blogs or in other settings? Do they participate in seminars for which they are not being paid?
12. Membership in Professional Organizations: Do they belong to their local Social Media Club or another professional organization that can provide them with ongoing educational opportunities?

These are just a few questions to get you started, but don't forget that a gut feeling is worth just as much as a fancy resume or business card. Chemistry is important when working with consultants! They will be entrusted with sensitive information about your business and must have high integrity. Even after your choice is made, don't be afraid to ask questions and challenge their assumptions!

I'd love to hear about your experiences in finding a good social media consultant. Did you run into any obstacles?

Wal-Mart Manufactures Fake Public Support in Chicago

Wal-Mart is up to its old tricks again.

Ever since I decided to stop shopping there more than five years ago, I've kept track of Wal-Mart's gaffes and legal blunders. I've also given Wal-Mart credit for being a leader in making its buildings more energy efficient and encouraging vendors to use less packaging.

When I tuned in to Twitter today, several people had pointed out that apparently, Wal-Mart has learned nothing from its first fake foray into social media.

Chicago is a difficult market to break into for a retailer. That is a fact. Wal-Mart's frustration with not being able to waltz in and build one of its mega stores without resistance from organized labor and neighborhood groups is without a doubt frustrating.

But under NO circumstances should a company ever be tempted to use "fake" grassroots support. That is exactly what Wal-Mart attempted to do, with the help of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce and its public relations firm, Serafin and Associates.

As a powerful and influential member of the Chicago Chamber, Wal-Mart has shown that it is learning how to play the game in local markets in which it's trying to gain influence. Instead of just flying into town with its gigantic legal team and blanketing the airwaves with branding ads, it's trying to gain influence in some very traditional ways. Joining the Chamber of Commerce, as a tactic,  could not have been more old school.

Wal Mart (hiding behind the Chamber banner) has launched a fake grassroots Web site called, "Our Community, Your Choice" to highlight the benefits of having a Wal-Mart in the community. The site is incredibly "on message" with Wal-Mart's normal talking points it uses when moving in to a community.

According to the site, Wal-Mart would bring jobs and healthier food choices to residents of the South and West sides. Ok, I'll buy that (albeit low wage jobs with no health insurance for most employees). This is where it goes fishy, though. The site says the new Wal Mart will attract more shoppers to other businesses! What planet are they on? It's pretty well documented that Wal-Mart has a tremendously negative effect on adjacent businesses when it moves into an area.

Then it gets even better. The Chicagoist tracked down the IP address of the commenters defending Wal- Mart on its site. You guessed it! Paid astroturfers (read: fake grassroots). Once they figured out the true origins of the campaign and requested an interview, Wal-Mart went into hibernation and stopped answering phone calls and emails regarding the issue.

I wonder when big companies and chambers will stop trying to get their message out by using disingenuous methods. They must know by now that transparency and honesty are the cornerstones of the social media universe. Serafin most certainly should have known. The Chicago Chamber of Commerce is basically laundering Wal-Mart's money by putting its name on the site. Wal-Mart should have just put up its own site and taken responsibility for its own position.

The Chamber and Wal-Mart both have the right and the responsibility to get their side of the story out to the residents of Chicago. There are undoubtedly benefits to Wal-Mart to have a presence in this lucrative market, and benefits to the community to have Wal-Mart there. But to manufacture fake support in this manner is simply disingenuous and does not have a place in the social media sphere.

The only people who have not weighed in are the citizens of Chicago. If you are one of them, please leave a comment and share your feelings about Wal-Mart trying this tactic. Does it move you to action?