Employees: The Buzz Starts Here

By Jonathan Paisner

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- What is a fan worth? Or a "like" or a Digg or a follower? Does it matter? These are viable and interesting questions, for sure -- but are we losing sight of the forest in the process?

The impact of third-party voices on a brand's reputation has never been greater. Our brand valuation data tells us this. And we've all used the online opinions of strangers to guide purchase decisions. We live in a social world -- no news here.

Marketers continue to debate how best to track and measure social media within the marketing mix. Meanwhile, here's the answer for maximizing social media impact: Deliver on the promise of your brand. Everyday. With every interaction. Throughout every product. In every service or support engagement. And make sure that every employee understands his or her role in building and maintaining the strength of your brand.

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The rationale for having a brand that inspires, excites and guides your employees has never been stronger. And it is up to you provide the tools and the training and the passion. Every employee can drive a brand positive experience -- whatever their role. Employees are your most potent assets in a social world.

Every employee can drive a positive brand experience.