What I Learned About Social Business From MacGyver

The 80s and 90s were filled with quality, educational television programming. You could hardly turn on the tube and not learn something valuable.

Like how to pester an attractive neighbor and her family with your nerdy ways and talk of cheese until she dates you, or how to pretend to be twins so you can date two girls at the same, or how to get away with throwing a party while your parents are out of town and then get caught and learn a life lesson about it making you a better person.

But most importantly, we learned how to create and diffuse bombs with everyday items like paper clips and chewing gum.

Well, today we’re going to learn about Social Business and our guest professor is the one and only MacGyver!

Strap in.

Lesson 1: Be Clear in Your Goals

MacGyver always had a mission and directives. His goals were clear cut and he always kept them forefront in his mind, even when things got hectic. Social Businesses don’t simply dive into using social networks and channels. They create well-defined KPIs and measurable goals.

The beginning of every Social Business strategy should begin with a planning session where goals and objectives are mapped out and defined, then you can move on to talking about technology and systems to put in place.

Lesson 2: Define Your Personas

MacGyver is a world-class secret agent, meaning he can fit in anywhere.

Not only is he confident in the knowledge of the profiles of his targets, he is well-prepared to enter into any situation and fit right in. His bag of tricks is almost endless with his different wigs, hats, mustaches and accents. MacGyver belongs everywhere he is at any time. Know your targets and audiences well enough that you can fit into their world seamlessly.

You are going to be using socia media channels, so seeming like an outsider to those you target can do more damage than that nuke MacGyver is trying to disarm. Define your target personas and understand your networks well so you can fit into any situation as well as MacGyver.

Hey, is that a cowboy? No, it’s just MacGyver. Boo-ya.

Lesson 3: Be Nice

MacGyver is a international spy, an unbelievable genius and very, very wealthy, yet he’s still a notable generous and nice guy. It’s a pretty simple concept for this lesson: you’ll be dealing head on with people, be nice to them and you’ll see the returns you want.

Lesson 4: Use The Right Tools

Okay, no more beating around the bush, MacGyver was a show popular for mainly one reason: he used crazy tools to get the job done and it was fun to watch him get out of binds using things normally found in junk drawers.

When your business decides to make the necessary alterations to be a Social Business, it’s important you use the right tools. If MacGyver teaches us anything, it’s that the right tools don’t have to be the flashiest or the ones that everyone else would choose. They just have to be the right ones used in the right way to achieve the desired results (see Lesson 1).

A lot of times you’ll hear companies tout, “Use our product because Company XYZ uses it and you could be like them!” The truth is, you’re not Company XYZ, you’re your company and you need to test and find out which system will work best for you and report the data that is helpful in understanding your standing in accordance with your previously set goals and KPIs.

I’m not going to tell you which tool set to use, but you do need to take your time with this decision.

Lesson 5: Just Do It

Nope, I’m not talking about the Nike slogan. Eventually you get to a point in your strategy where you have to shit or get off the pot. Analysis Paralysis is a very real thing and you’ve got to step out there or risk being left behind.

MacGyver was battling a countdown to certain explosion most times and you’ll be battling a clock too. So, you’ve got the tools and the strategy.

Now go DO something.

There you have it, your business lesson from MacGyver himself. Can you think of points that should be added to the list? Lessons that MacGyver left out? I’d love to hear them and add them.

Thoughts?

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