I find awards shows and even more so – guilty pleasure revealed! - the E! red carpet coverage entertaining. Whether or not this is your thing, one can appreciate E!'s creative use of social media for the Golden Globes Red Carpet Show and hopefully take away from it a bit of creative inspiration.

Hollywood
E! was interactive with viewers via social media to capture and retain our attention. A ticker across the bottom of the screen shared celebrity tweets as the stars prepped for the awards ceremony. The audience was invited to send tweets to the live broadcast to help determine who was shown in the special 360-view GlamCam. Some stars kept it straight striking a pose while others had fun with action shots like “Chuck” star (love that show!) Zachary Levi.

The belief of a number of CEOs, particularly those leading business to business (B2B) companies, is that this type of social media creativity is reserved for Hollywood or applicable only to business to consumer companies. As a result, large companies have been among the slowest arrivals to the social media scene. Understandably.

1) the use is not as obvious,
2) many more hurdles exist with large numbers of diverse, multi-level and multi-purpose employees, board of directors and shareholders,
3) strict legal departments raise concern,
4) much more is at stake including brand value, politics and market impact, and
5) state and federal regulatory restrictions make it more tricky for some.

There is a place for large companies, the key is to strike a balance between being creative, being true to the company mission, reaching the target audience and staying within the rules. Start with what you know and what you have.

Successful CEOs are true leaders. There is a star-like quality and natural draw to them from business professionals on all levels. Donald Trump, Cathie Black, Boone Pickens and Steve Jobs are just a few of the many great leaders who are closely followed by business leaders and the media. Their ability to lead with great success has landed them book deals and national radio and TV appearances and global paid speaking engagements. CEOs are a face for the company, the voice and drive behind the vision a wonderful asset for the company. Not unlike the E! Network utilized the value of the Hollywood star, companies can tap into the value and following of the CEO and other C-level leaders.

People are often surprised when I share how many C-level executives I’ve worked with online via social media. There are several studies that demonstrate the growing number of business leaders using social media and more are coming on the scene daily.

Always begin with a plan and goals. Review the mission to help the company ensure consistency off- and online and remain true to its brand.

The mission is the vision of the CEO intended to inspire thousands of employees, shareholders and customers. As stated well in the Japanese proverb, “Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” Avoid a social media disaster by including the company’s vision.

A CEO authored blog on the company’s website to share general leadership philosophy can build an online following of the leadership of the company that with time will translate to increased profit. Offer time with the CEO with Twitter interviews, Facebookconversations, candid video and regular tweets.

Other business leaders, the target audience of the B2B company, follow other CEOs offline through the media. Social media provides another more personal way to connect with the CEO. As a result stronger connection to the company will develop leaving them more likely to become and remain a loyal customer.

I use Hollywood a lot as a verb - Hollywood it!