Matching content with a face helps brands gain consumer trust.

As advertisers continue to bombard consumers across platforms like Twitch, Facebook, television, billboards and more, consumers are trying to get away, signing up for ad blockers and subscription services.

Change is driven by leadership mindset. 

Recent history has proven that clinging to a legacy thinking mindset 'we can't change because of' type of excuses, or 'do as I say, not as I  do', 

I get lots of feedback from retail employees (every level) saying 'our leaders don't do what they ask us to do' as such these are the most common 'blockers' of any change.

I have been reading an ongoing article from 'Drapers' where they have interviewed several of the UK's brightest and best retail CEO's about their predictions and business strategies for 2022.

I find it an interesting read along with providing some insights into the mindsets that's not only dealing with the same plate spinning Covid conundrum as the rest of the world but also how they all view the retail outlook.

To be honest I found nothing earth shattering other than the worrying trend for many ho are still intent on building out their core business with 'partner' brands - so is the 'digital department store' the only future and salvation of retail for many?.

Websites are a thing of the past, yes still important but nowhere near the first port of destination for consumers. 

Those 'partner brands' you think will lure them into your funnel are today easily accessible via all manner of social platforms where the consumer doesn't even have to figure out how your 'funnel' works - even if you offer BNPL!!

So, yes what did worry me slightly is the lack of mention around their vision for embracing and leveraging a cohesive strategy for the social media landscape. 

With over 60% of the world's population now on one social media platform or other combined with the ever-growing digitisation of retail, social media shopping is expected to reach $1.2 trillion USD by 2025, according to a new report from Irish consulting firm Accenture. 

The figure will account for 16.7% of all e-commerce spending. 

When I look at these leaders on social media including LinkedIn what I see is the same old issue which is 'do as I say, not as I do' because their social footprint is passive and far from 'active'.

When we look to benchmark strong 'social leaders' they all seem to adopt five key behaviours. 

They are…

1) Authentic – They are “real”; in other words, genuine, believable human beings that you warm to. It’s one of the reasons why leaders are increasingly outperforming brand social media channels.

2) Conversational – They get involved in the conversation, by replying to comments and questions. “Likes” aren’t enough. And, it’s not just a broadcast all about them. Connected leaders listen.

3) Have a purpose that inspires – Connected leaders’ content isn’t just there for the sake of it, rehashing posts from the PR team. It has a purpose that relates to their core beliefsand mission.

4) Share insights – Leaders haven’t got there by accident – it’s because of a lot of hard work, commercial acumen and talent. People want to know how they got there. So their insights and opinions are invaluable.

5) Present – This is both about having a regular cadence of posts and activity (no drive-by Likes) and thinking holistically about their digital footprint and public profile. For top leaders it’s not enough just to be on LinkedIn. They need to think bigger and more broadly.

So, how does your leadership team stack up?