Since the soft-due date of the Facebook IPO was whispered, I've been stocking the office closet with non-perishable goods, water, classic movies, as well as my favorite nail polish and moisturizer (I plan on looking good if I have to wait out the Social Media Apocalypse, or the zombie invasion, whichever comes first). Since big talks happened yesterday in NYC with Mr. Z himself, I deemed now as the time to really start prepping my bunker (AKA cubicle), because things are starting to get more serious.
Most Digital Marketing firms are hoping for the onslaught of new clients, and preparing to deal with the imminent changes Mr. Z and the other Social Media Gods will be implementing to change the way business accounts operate on Facebook. I don't think any of us outside the pearly gates of Facebook really know what is going to happen on that day (other than the Facebook folks making serious bank) but we can make a fun plan should something really exciting happen, here we go:
Communicate to your clients: Most of them started filling your inbox long ago with mind boggling questions about how you were planning on re-attacking their digital marketing strategy - however, reaching out to those that live in their own little bubble and don't have time to watch the news is a good idea. Remember that your clients rely on you to not only provide a service for them, but also as a resource leader, and if you haven't communicated to them some idea of how you plan to deal with possible changes, you might want to start making those points of contact- don't be lazy.
Round up the Troops: In case you forgot; you hired a bunch of people that are all kinds of awesome. Talk to them about their ideas for change, and their predictions. Have a few think tanks with your creative team, talk to your analytic folks; pick the brains of the young people in your firm. Whether or not you realize it, or want to accept it, the younger you are, the more in tune you are with social media - it doesn't matter how much ring time you have. So stop thinking you know everything and go invite that 19 year-old intern in on some of these meetings, she is the future of social media after all.
Sit and Wait: Now I'm not saying to hole up in your office with a digital arsenal - but that would be funny. (Imagine sitting in your office surrounded by screens upon screens of laptops and a few smart-phones. Sitting there, bug-eyed and scouring the web for any serious info on how the Facebook IPO will affect us, and guzzling massive amounts of Redbull). I'm not saying this whole IPO thing will be the next Y2K, but I can't imagine that it won't affect us in some way, and I don't mind causing a little drama surrounding the issue. Drama is good for you.
How serious should you take preparing your business for the Facebook IPO? That's up to you, really. Just don't say I didn't warn you when you and your makeshift firm drop the ball and end up riding your "commuter bikes" to some fast food chain instead of your Mercedes-Benz to your previous Madison Avenue address. How's that for scare tactics?
'Cause we are living in a digital world and I'm a social media girl. XB