Good Connections: How Social Media Are Changing The Way Architects Do Business

Remember when the Internet made its debut in the business world and faced criticism as a source of potential distraction for employees? It took awhile for the Web to be appreciated as an indispensable resource. Similarly, professional service firms have been hesitant to recognize the benefits of social media. The buzz can no longer be ignored, however, as the professional service industry, including architects, continues to hold seminars on social media marketing and practices.

The Marketing and Public Relations Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter has conducted numerous panel discussions on the subject, and “people are eager to learn more about social media and how to use them,” says Tami Hausman, head of the public relations sub-committee. “Firms are also very interested in incorporating social media programs into their marketing and outreach efforts, but many need help.” 

How a Social Media Maven Ranks on Her Own Turf

As public relations professionals, we are typically the silent surveyor during an interview, the nodding head of approval as the camera rolls, the invisible mouthpiece that guides communications. On the social media front we play the role of auditor, monitoring and sometimes engaging in conversations about the companies and brands that are under our auspices.

It is less common that we find ourselves in the spotlight, forced to evaluate our personal reputation and check in on our own public persona. Similarly, I suspect that most executives’ foremost concern is with the public sentiment of the brand they represent than the perception of themselves as individuals. However, leadership must also cultivate their online reputation with comparable prudence as invariably individuals reflect on the companies they keep.

This week I appraised the social media sentiment of Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, known for her savvy business skills as well as commitment to empowering female business leaders. Credited for building Facebook into a profitable enterprise, Sandberg is indelibly associated with the social network’s identity and success. But how does she stack up when she is the subject du jour on her own social media platform and the blogosphere?

The Writing on the Wall, A Good Thing After All?

It’s no secret that humans are social beings and have long developed communication systems to exchange ideas and information. Along with cave paintings and hieroglyphs came the roots of telecommunications, the transmission of messages and signals over a distance, in smoke, drums and pigeon post. After a few upgrades, we’ve arrived in the age of social media with myriad methods of contact across locales.  Are the latest tools a help or hindrance? Improvement or impediment? Worthwhile or worthless?

I recently caught up with Lyle Estanislao, a creative professional using an internal social network for colleagues to converse and collaborate. Here's how he weighed in on the clamor over Yammer.