As a Facility Manager, are you using social media in your role personally or for your profession? If not, why not take advantage of the free online medium? Sure it's a matter of time and perhaps a learning curve, but social networking can benefit your position, department or you professionally in the industry. Here's a quick recap on last week's roundtable held at Huntsman Architectural Group in San Francisco.
Facilities management means to effectively manage your facilities, promote employee productivity, comfort and safety while meeting budget goals, preserve corporate assets while adhering to local, state and federal regulations. Social networking is an excellent information forum to consume and communicate information to departmental and company employees. When used as a research tool, promote your department's service, improve internal communications or even find your next career.
Recommended social media platforms for Facility Managers and suggested uses are:
Blogs - Showcase your expertise in your field. Blog about useful and educational content that other FMs, service providers and partners can relate to. Do's, Don'ts, How To's, Top 10 ____, Trends, Special Events, Announcements or provide a Checklist. For an example of IFMA San Francisco's blog, click here.
Linkedin - Optimize your profile with keywords. Use as a research tool. Join relevant groups, seek out other FMs and connect, share best practices, ideas, information etc. To join IFMA San Francisco's group, click here.
Video - Ranks highly for SEO and engages users/readers more than text. Use video to map out an emergency evacuation route. Take a photo of your company's ER kit location, etc.
Twitter - Another powerful research tool. Research industry events using a hashtag (#) and follow event updates. For example, USGBC's Greenbuild Conference coming to San Francisco in November's hashtag is #Greenbuild. Click here to follow IFMA National or Infuse Marketing.
Honest Buildings - Newcomer to the social media sphere. A hybrid of Yelp and Linkedin. Sound research tool to seek out a building's information on sustainability, walk-ability, building owner, etc. Once an account is established, users that occupy space in a building can review their space. Engage with building owners and operators to ensure that they maintain best practices in cleaning and maintaining their buildings.
Final takeaways for social media for Facility Managers is to listen, monitor online conversations and respond appropriately, provide useful information to consume and be transparent. Should you follow this rule, you will be thought of as an authority in your field!
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| PR Chair for IFMA SF, Carmina of Infuse Marketing (in red) presents social media benefits to chapter members. |
How have you used social media in your role as a Facility Manager? Let's hear your comments below.
Carmina Bacani
PR/Communications Chair
Owner, Infuse Marketing
