Whatever their size and nature may be, all organizations need to differentiate themselves from their competition and this is a question their leaders are asking…or should be asking — as another New Year begins.

Here are brief descriptions of three of the best ways I know of to gain a competitive advantage with differentiation, using appropriate social media. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me by clicking here.

First, determine which social media are most appropriate. These are the “Top Ten” in terms of number of accounts:

1. Facebook (750,000,000)
2. Twitter (250,000,000)
3. LinkedIn (110,000,000)
4. MySpace (70,500,000)
5. Google Plus+ (65,000,000)
6. DeviantArt (25,500,000)
7. LiveJournal (20,500,000)
8. Tagged (19,500,000)
9. Orkut (17,500,000)
10. Pinterest (15,500,000)

Now here are the three initiatives I recommend.

Profiles of VIP Client Companies

Determine the criteria by which to identify your most important customers and rank them accordingly. Post one profile every-other week or monthly, one that cites the key circumstances of company’s founding, its major product(s) and/or service(s), and defining characteristics. If possible, include an archival photo.

Benefit: All organizations welcome and cherish positive attention. What you post will almost certainly be reposted by the company.

Interviews of their CEO
(or perhaps someone else below the C-level who is highly-valued, a peak performer, “always goes the extra mile,” etc.)

Select 5-10 questions in a Q&A format. Post responses. Include head shot and brief (2-3 sentence) bio.

My suggestions re schedule: If the profile is posted every other week, post the interview the week following; if the profile is posted monthly, post the interview two weeks later.

Benefit: All organizations welcome and appreciate opportunities to recognize and celebrate their people. They’ll love you for doing that!

The “60-Minute Business Bookshelf”

Many busy executives have the attention span that resembles a Strobe blink. Weekly bi-weekly, or monthly, add five (5) mini-reviews of business bestsellers. Each mini-review takes about a minute to read.

Benefit: Over time, this will become an indispensable destination source for brief but essential information about current bestsellers and/or  “clsssics.”

Some of the organizations I work with post a weekly email alert via social media that directs people to a dedicated website. There is no shortage of options. These are only three possibilities.

To repeat, If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me by clicking here.