Socially Networked Employees Are Influential and Create Valuable Audiences

A strong impression from an employee can change someone’s mind about your company in a good way. Let’s say your company has image problems, such as Exxon or BP had after their oil spills. If you meet someone who works for the company and they’re likeable and can explain in a reasonable and humble manner what the company has done to clean up the oil, you may change your mind about the brand. The next time someone else says something bad about the company, you might even tell the story of the employee you met and liked.

Employees can impress and affect more people if they’re socially networked. When employees help people online, are kind and courteous, and share or blog useful information, people like them more and may even feel obligated to them. By extension, customers are more likely to like or be open to that positive employee’s company. If your employee is remarkable (for example, if he is a thought leader), prospects might even talk about him in a social media environment. People might quote an employee. Media people might want to interview them. Event planners might want them to speak at their conferences.