Master The Social Network

it's easy, engage, be real and don't take it too seriously.  According to Michael Lebowitz founder and CEO of 'Big Spaceship' corporations make 5 mistakes:

Mistake 1
Faceless corporations do not have a sense of humour, they are not good at funny.  Or worse they get it badly wrong like Durex South Africa who allowed a tweet joking about female sexual violation to be sent out … oh dear, oh dear.

Mistake 2
They are too slow to respond.  In a world of instant gratification social media demands an instant response. Journalist Robert Jordan from Forbes gives the brilliant example of those pesky 'Tamagotchi' virtual alien pets that you HAD to feed and water, or they died. That's just like social media.

Mistake 3
Companies have no voice.  They are politically correct and inoffensive like a BBC Local radio phone-in.  Social media demands that your company has a voice.  Have fun, visualise and engage with your customer.

Mistake 4
They are nameless and faceless.  When a customer @yourcompany do they actually become part of a dialogue or are they just sending their @ into a virtual void? Be human and be polite - reply and engage.

Mistake 5
Companies try to reduce everything to a process and that includes social media.  You just can't do that, social media is a living breathing organism that you nurture and form a relationship with.