As you read this, the #BrandsConf is in full swing and streaming live with Ustream. Presentations are being kept to a ten minute minimum which means rapid-fire inside industry 
knowledge is being shared in a way that won’t dull the brain. Even panels will run no longer than twenty minutes. These short excerpts of wisdom have incredible value for you and your business. If at all possible, grab your staff, and get them in front of this stream pronto.
In the 10:40 time slot Ryan Osborn brought an important message and a vital new perspective to how your business should handle its social media responsibilities.
Brands are People Too
Although Ryan apologized for not having brought flashy presentations and displays, I get the feeling the apology was only to drive home his point. Ryan shares his belief is that the only way to successfully scale is through the collective efforts of your entire organization. He explained that for news organizations, this can be a particularly challenging idea.
There are always dangers of empowering your staff through social media venues like Twitter, but the positive elements achieved can be well worth the risk. Empowering the collective organization may be a challenging one for your business. However, if a massive news media outlet like NBC News can take this plunge, what exactly are you waiting for?
The Humanization of Your Organization
NBC has taken an unusual initiative for a News organization under Ryan’s directive. Live Tweeting shows has massively increased user interactivity, show viewership, and the brand that is NBC News. The label of Brands isn’t typically a word those in newsrooms are fond of. One short syllable dehumanizes the entire process of creating the Brand in the first place. Ryan reminds us that as marketers, we need to think a bit more like journalist.NBC retains a staff list that keeps over 250 people Tweeting in real-time to keep a running promotion of their own organization.
Ryan thinks of his organization as a collective group of people, not one single Brand. His reminder to keep the people in the brand has made NBC a shining example of how the collective human organization works in a positive manner. When NBC shot out a job ad looking for a new social media editor, they received a record number of applications in less than an hour.
Tips for Your Business from Ryan Osborn
- Reinvent your Brand if it is required to show that the people behind the brand are the tools in which to make it great.
- Let the people behind the brands be themselves.
- Keep your eyes open for conferences and any educational opportunities to further increase your knowledge on how to appropriately humanize your organization
After you attend the Ustream of #Brandsconf, head back here to check out the “social media matches made in heaven”, explained by Ryan in this video.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMdki3_Qd0c]
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