Does the name Tony Hsieh sound familiar? Maybe not. What about www.zappos.com ? If you’re like me, you’ve probably spent just a little too much money ordering the latest sneakers or the cutest sparkled stilettos (even though I have no idea what I’ll wear them with). While the zappos.com site is widely popular for its unique offerings of footwear and accessories, the leadership behind the brand has taken less of the spotlight. But that’s all changing thanks to social media.
Let’s face it. CEOs are usually associated with suits, long meetings, market share and earnings reports. They often get a bad rep for being untouchable, or unattainable.
However, Tony Hsieh breaks that mold. He has found a way to market his company’s brand, Zappos, through his own personal, witty, and sometimes extremely sarcastic sense of humor via his @Zappos twitter handle. He now has over 1.8 million followers. And if I were a betting woman I’d say it’s because he’s allowed the public to see the man behind the executive title, and give us eager ‘tweeters’ a glimpse into the life of a Zappos employee. Which apparently are filled with days of homemade office videos via a Flip Video™ (may it RIP) and awesome happy hours.
The genius behind this strategy is that while one day he’s giving Thanksgiving tips of “Letting the turkey rest for 20 min after you take it out of the oven, because it’s had a long day” there are other days where he’s sharing little nuggets of wisdom on how to be an effective entrepreneur and a CEO. Most importantly and notably through all of the fun and often useful banter the Zappos brand is integrated into every tweet. You’ll also notice that Mr. Hsieh’s twitter page also serves as a mini-media room- offering contact information should credentialed media want an interview. There’s also customer service information if you’ve recently purchased an order from Zappos and need a new size.
There are a few lessons that any CEO can learn from Mr. Hsieh:
- Don’t take yourself too personally. Everyone loves to laugh-it’s the universal language.
- It is okay to show your human side…. A “business all the time” approach makes you seem untouchable.
- If you decide to take on social media, update frequently and often. The quickest way to expand your audience is to frequently engage them.
- Include the team that supports you in your social media conversation. People want to learn not just about you, but about the machine that turns each day into a successful one.
- CEO’s can tweet. I promise its okay. It’s legal. And… wait for it…its fun!
Top 5 Favorite @Zappos tweets
- Vision + Values + Velocity of Adaptation is a great formula for business and for life.
- Email I sent to Zappos employees about our secret downtown Las Vegas project (plus cool video) - http://bit.ly/idvNcK
- What's life like 6 months after Zappos customers get married at Zappos Las Vegas headquarters? Video: http://bit.ly/9U50pf
- Note to self: Don't leave sodas in car during summer. Cans might explode while driving & scare the living daylights out of you.
- I feel naked without my phone. That's why when I give speeches, I pretend everyone in the audience doesn't have a phone.
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