Point Proven? (Updated)

A big tip of the cap to Thomas Cott for bringing us this story about how the Brooklyn Museum of Art has a chief of technology on their staff.

Her job is to use Facebook, blogging and whatever other social media tools she can get her hands on to interact with the museums patrons.

When I read it, I thought about my recent post on how people should carefully select the social media tools they use.

I think this article sort of proves my point.

Yes, the Museum is using every social media tool possible.

But they have a paid person on staff who by her own admission is working with these tools on nights, weekends, whatever it takes.

In other words, interacting with social media is now a full time job.

Or at least it could be.

So again, choose your social media weapons wisely.

You only have so much time, resources, etc.

But if we really feel like you have to be all over these types of things, here's a way you could pull it off:

1.  Develop a relationship with a few local universities, particularly their career services departments

2.  Work with them to arrange an internship program with your theatre (this is actually easier then you may imagine, most colleges are always looking for ways to get their students real world experience). 

You can offer potential interns money, an opportunity to get school credits, or both.

3.  Hire an intern and make working with your social media tools their one and only responsibility.

So you get a person who can invest time in your social media, that student gets money/credits  for doing what they probably do already . . . and your organizations resources aren't shot to hell in the process.

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Updated:

The Chief of Technology from the Brooklyn Museum of Art weighs in.  Take it away Shelley:

I should clarify - my position here at the museum is the Chief of Technology, meaning I supervise a department that runs not only our web presence, but our computer network, computer security and help desk. This is not, by any means a full time position that deals with social networking. On the contrary, it is about 5% of what I do at the museum and often I fit it in by working on it off hours. I hope that clarifies a bit.

It does.  It also means that I'm an idiot.  Shelley adds in on my intern idea:

For the record, as a strategy I don't believe allowing interns to do the social networking is good practice. Rather, you need someone who is consistently around and has a sound understanding of the workings of the organization and can communicate that on the front lines. Often, that is very difficult to accomplish with interns who are in and out the door all too quickly.

Thanks for checking in Shelley.  I'm going to go into the corner and slap on the dunce cap now. :)

Update 2:  I'm back.  The only counter point that I'll provide to Shelley is that while having a person on staff doing your blogging is absolutely the perferable point, I think the intern approach is perfectly acceptable with those who have limited staff.

Comments

[Paul]

And you (usually) get a person who understands social media and how it is best used/not abused.

[Shelley]

I should clarify - my position here at the museum is the Chief of Technology, meaning I supervise a department that runs not only our web presence, but our computer network, computer security and help desk. This is not, by any means a full time position that deals with social networking. On the contrary, it is about 5% of what I do at the museum and often I fit it in by working on it off hours. I hope that clarifies a bit.

For the record, as a strategy I don't believe allowing interns to do the social networking is good practice. Rather, you need someone who is consistently around and has a sound understanding of the workings of the organization and can communicate that on the front lines. Often, that is very difficult to accomplish with interns who are in and out the door all too quickly.

[Ryan]

I have to agree with Shelley here. As a company that works a lot in the social media world at The House Theatre of Chicago, we have a full-time Community Manager. Her job is to manage the box office and all of our grassroots marketing efforts. This includes Facebook, our own social network for our Members, Twitter and our Blog. Having a majority of our audience between 18 and 35 is why we reach into all these areas. It's also easy because she's on the front lines - AND - she is knowledgeable about social media. There's no learning curve for her, and our patrons are getting an enhanced experience from The House because of her.