Social media is our conduit to the global conversation. For businesses, the inclusion of a social media strategy into a company’s marketing strategy is essential but setting up a company Facebook Fan Page or getting Twitter followers can be daunting in the beginning, especially if your company doesn’t already possess a strong online brand.

So how do you get your name out there? How do you get other people to follow what you’re saying and join in the conversation? How do you get people in the door?

There isn’t a simple solution but there is an often-overlooked weapon in every business’ arsenal: your employees. Hopefully your employees have friends. If they don’t, well, that’s a whole other blog.

There are many companies that don’t allow their employees to have personal social media accounts. The obvious benefit for the company is the protection of their online brand. I give credit to these businesses for understanding the importance of what is being said about them online, however, that same company is damaging it’s image with it’s employees by limiting an employee’s action outside of the office.

An employee is your ambassador to the world. They represent you beyond the walls of your business. The main concern for a business should not be what your employees are saying but why they say what they say. Deciding the outlet for their frustration is not the best way to manage their opinions.

If your employee is unhappy and they aren’t able to tweet about it, you can be sure they are talking about it to everyone they know. Which is just as detrimental to your business.

Your company’s social media strategy is a great way to include your employees. Inclusion is a great way to build employer/employee relationships:

• Simply ask your employees for help building your networks. If an employee feels needed they will respond positively.
• Build a team through competition. Encourage employees to complete a task, whether it be refer a hundred fans or participate in a weight loss competition within the office. Showcase the winners on your networks.
• Offer rewards for referrals. If an employee brings in a new customer, reward them. Give gift certificates, cash bonuses, or anything else that will encourage referrals.

If you follow these simple ideas you’ll be able to show the world and your employees their value to your business’ success. Consumers are more likely to respond to companies with happy employees.

What are some other ways of including employees?