Respond to two (2) Colleagues D2W4

Running head: Communication Portfolio

2

Communication Portfolio

Communication Portfolio – Short Business Report

Natasha Mills

Professor Perry

MMSL - 6115

July 20th, 2021

Abstract

Communication is one of the core foundations of organizational excellence. This is because communication is always at the center of the interpersonal relationships within an organization, and thereby the determinant of positive work cultures that lead to company success. Therefore, it is critical for members of an organization, particularly leaders, to consider communication and all its components as an avenue towards the creation of economic value and attainment of the desired results. This paper explores the various dynamics of the usage of social media as a communication channel, including the upside of the channel, as well as the risks involved within the context of Anthony’s Orchard.

Communication Portfolio – Short Business Report

Why Anthony’s Orchard Should Consider a Social Media Page

Communication channels present one of the four primary domains of modern organizational research due to its growing importance in organizational communication and effectiveness (Hahn et al., n.d). Social media is a communication channel whose usage by organizations has been on a dramatic rise in the contemporary workplace. Hence, it is logical to conclude that social media is a fundamental communication channel in today’s organizations. From this perspective, the reason why Anthony’s Orchard should consider a social media page is apparent.

Consequently, today’s generation has significantly shifted to the internet space. In other words, social media harbors a large audience with which any organization intending to expand its brand image can engage. Statistics show that at least 80% of young adults use social media in a single day (Klassen et al., 2018). With such numbers, Anthony’s Orchard stands a chance of expanding its brand image by promoting its products, messages, and programs to a broader audience and target customers. This is another reason why the company should consider a social media page.

Benefits of this Type of social media

The Director of Marketing and Anthony’s Orchard as a company can benefit from this type of social media by converting it into a platform for engaging a wider customer base regarding its products, services, and programs (Joo & Teng, 2017). This means that the Director of Marketing and Anthony’s Orchard as a whole will be able to realize its mission of enhancing consumer’s awareness of apples and apple orchards to a greater extent than they already are doing.

Further, owning and using a social media page will help the company achieve its vision of generating returns for its shareholders while enhancing the wellbeing of the community through its products. Simply, this type of social media will substantially help the Director of Marketing and Anthony’s Orchard as a company reinforce its mission and vision statements. Therefore, the Director of Marketing and Anthony’s Orchard will accomplish the crucial business communication objectives of persuasion, as well as formulation and execution of plans using social media (“The purposes of business communication objectives,” 2018). As a result, the company will create more economic value and achieve more than its desired results.

Issues that could Arise with a Social Media Page

Whereas social media is a useful communication and marketing tool in contemporary organizations, it has its own share of risks that could jeopardize the brand image of Anthony’s Orchard. For instance, a social media page has the benefit of creating new pathways of social cohesion between the company and its customers (Joo & Teng, 2017). On the one hand, this social cohesion could have a positive impact on the brand reputation of Anthony’s Orchard, especially through positive feedback provided on the social media page. On the other hand, the social cohesion tenet could lead to an increased risk of a negative brand image for Anthony’s Orchard stemming from even a single negative feedback posted by a customer on the social media page.

In many cases, negative feedback on a company’s social media page is inevitable. Nonetheless, the Director of Marketing could prevent the negative feedback from ruining the brand reputation of Anthony’s Orchard through effective customer engagement on the social media page, such as responding to the feedback immediately and avoiding the use of automated messages when responding. The Director of Marketing could also practice high levels of user engagement by relying on different strategies. The strategies include integrating photographs and texts in product promotion messages, links to more detailed information, and real-world tie-ins to set the foundation of the company’s brand that will make it difficult to ruin its reputation (Klassen et al., 2018).

How to Successfully Communicate the Importance of Social Media within a Business Report

A business report is defined as a summary of research and assessment findings, in the form of written communication, with the intention of informing managers about the importance of the business issue being addressed (Quintanilla & Wahl, 2020). In this case, the business issue that will be included in the business report will be the importance of social media. To successfully communicate the importance of the business report will include numbers, surveys, statistics, percentages, and recommendations regarding social media usage and its subsequent benefits. Simply, the business report will include qualitative and quantitative data about the need and competitive advantages of social media. These factors will be tailored to suit the context of Anthony’s Orchard.

Additional Strategies to Build Trust with the Director of Marketing through the Business Report

Building trust with the Director of Marketing through the written business report will require the inclusion of a section that addresses how the social media page will be used to market Anthony’s Orchard’s products and services. However, this will not be a challenge as social media is widely known as a powerful marketing tool in contemporary organizations based on scientific evidence. For instance, scholars argue that consumers who are fans of various social media pages often use such spaces to explore available offers, seek new products, and purchase preferred products (Klassen et al., 2017). Therefore, the written business report will include such information as a strategy for building trust with the Director of Marketing. Also, it will be essential to outline how the use of social media as a communication tool will transform the Director of Marketing into a champion of communication skills (Van & Caldeira, 2006).

References

Hahn, L. K., Lippert, L., & Paynton, S. T. (n.d.). Chapter 11: Organizational communication. In Survey of Communication Study (pp. 144–161). Retrieved from https://www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/COMM001_Wikibooks_-Survey-of-Communication-Study_Chapter-11_5.11.2012.pdf

Joo, T. M., & Teng, C. E. (2017). Impacts of social media (Facebook) on human communication and relationships: A view on behavioral change and social unity. International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology, 7(4), 27-50.

Klassen, K. M., Borleis, E. S., Brennan, L., Reid, M., McCaffrey, T. A., & Lim, M. S. (2018). What people “like”: Analysis of social media strategies used by food industry brands, lifestyle brands, and health promotion organizations on Facebook and Instagram. Journal of medical Internet research, 20(6), e10227.

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015). Sample corporate website: Anthony’s Orchard. Retrieved from https://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/MMSL/6115/02/anthonys_orchard_website/index.html

The purposes of business communication objectives. (2018, June 1). Business Communication. Retrieved from https://bizcommunicationcoach.com/the-purposes-of-business-communication-objectives/

Van, D. D., & Caldeira, S. J. (2006). Effective leaders champion communication skills. Nation's Restaurant News, 40(13), 20–20, 28.