07 Feb Executive Spotlight: Anand Mahindra

Posted on February 7, 2020 in Executive Spotlight by

When executives join social media, one of the biggest decisions they face is selecting which social media platform(s) to join.The most popular apps for executives are LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For executives who are not familiar with these platforms, a common mistake they make is thinking that all social media platforms are the same. However, as we have seen in our previous Executive Spotlight articles, successful executives on social media are the ones that truly understand the unique benefits each social media platform has. This week, our article focuses on the chairman of Mahindra Group, Anand Mahindra, and his Twitter content. While he also has a LinkedIn and Facebook account, both are inactive with no posts. However, through our analysis, we find that Twitter is the most effective social media platform for Mahindra’s content.

In our analysis, we will take a closer look at why choosing the right social media platform is so important for executives and give our own tips on how executives and marketers can select the right one.

 

 

Twitter: Content Diversity

 

With 7.4 million followers on Twitter, it is clear Mahindra’s content resonates with a lot of users. What makes him stand out is his authentic persona. Whether he is making jokes and sharing funny content or showing his excitement when sharing his employees’ accomplishments, Mahindra comes across as a relatable, genuine individual.

First, let us take a closer look at his Twitter profile section. His company, Mahindra Group, is not known for any one product, but has an established presence in a variety of industries ranging from automotive and energy to real estate and finance. Although there is no branding or logo on his Twitter header image, it features one of Jawa Motorcycles’ products, which is one of the brands his company is associated with. The high-quality image adds a modern aesthetic to his Twitter profile that not only catches a user’s attention, but informs them of Mahindra’s interests as well.

 

screenshot of anand machindra's twitter profile

 

Turning our attention to Mahindra’s content, we see him discuss a variety of different topics. A common hashtag he uses (and created) is #WhatsAppWonderbox, where he shares viral stories, funny images, and motivational content that have caught his attention on WhatsApp lately. This type of content makes more sense on Twitter than on a more business-oriented platform like LinkedIn.

 

 

While it is common for executives to share articles from trusted news sources, the WhatsApp content is much different. Because of how curated the content is and his own method of sharing it, users get more insight into Mahindra’s personality and what matters to him.

Mahindra does not just post entertaining content, but also offers his own insight on international markets and other business-related topics. He posted a series of six tweets about the stock market, as shown in the screenshot below. Interestingly, he posted the last tweet first (6/6) and worked his way backwards and posted the “first” tweet last (1/6). This makes the six tweets appear in the correct reading order when a user scrolls through his content.

 

screenshot of anand mahindra's tweets

 

The most common way users post multi-tweets is starting with the first tweet (e.g. 1/4) and then working their way through (2/4, 3/4, 4/4). What this means is when users see these tweets, they will have to scroll down to the first tweet and then scroll back up to read through the series of tweets. Mahindra clearly understands how the platform displays content and has taken this into account when creating his tweets.

While Mahindra does reference his company brand such as in this tweet, it is never done too frequently. He is not the type of executive to exclusively post about his brand but when he does, it is done with a professional, optimistic tone that sounds authentic.

Lastly, Mahindra shows he is an active part of the Twitter community by responding to other users and tweets. Instead of using the platform as a one-way tool to convey information or share content, he has taken that extra step to engage with his followers.

 

 

 

Influential Executive: Not Just a Company Spokesperson

 

Even if users are not familiar with the Mahindra Group as a company, Mahindra’s own content is entertaining and unique. He posts original content or shares relevant articles with his personal insight. Rather than act purely as a company spokesperson, he is using his Twitter account to share topics important to him, both as a chairman of a company and as an individual.

For example, in this tweet below, Mahindra has shared a funny screenshot of a player during a cricket match. This post has received a lot of attention and engagement, with almost 300 comments, 1,600 retweets, and over 21,600 likes so far.

 

 

Where appropriate, his content taps into his sense of humor, but Mahindra is able to switch his tone depending on the topic he is discussing. Whether he is sharing a funny story or is offering his congratulations to his team, he maintains an authentic voice. Consistency is one of the key factors that contribute to a successful executive social media strategy.

 

 

Another one of Mahindra’s strengths is making connections between his passions and business. For example, he posits that cricket players have a mindset that people in business should adopt. His business advice appears more authentic because it comes from a place that is meaningful for him. For executives who want to share more of their personal lives on social media, sharing hobbies and passion projects are effective ways to let users know what is important to them.

 

 

 

Improvements: Staying Up To Date

 

His current Twitter profile reads, “Chairman Mahindra Group.” While this certainly gets to the point, on social media Mahindra’s content is more than just his company or brand. We have seen many executives get creative with this section. Shopify CEO, Tobi Lutke, takes a more humorous approach, while Thrive Global founder, Ariana Huffington, has a mission-based bio. For Mahindra, the bio can be an effective way to promote #WhatsAppWonderbox.

In some posts, Mahindra does not tag relevant handles, such as Google. For the most part, he has maintained best practices when tagging other users. We recommend all executives maintain consistency when @ mentioning other accounts.

For time-specific content, Mahindra can tap into trending hashtags on Twitter, such as #MondayMotivation. Although in one of his tweets he mentions it, he does not use the hashtag and instead says “Monday Motivation.”

 

 

Conclusion: Choosing a Social Media Platform

 

For some executives, their strategy is adopting a narrower focus with their social media content. This is an effective way to be known in a specific industry or for discussing certain topics. For other executives, like Mahindra, a mixed-bag approach is more effective, especially for those who want to discuss a variety of topics. With Madrindra, he shares topics relating to his brand, world events, social issues, entertainment, and funny content. His content mix appeals to a wider variety of people, leading to an increased number of followers and more engagement with his posts.

Because of his content mix, Twitter makes more sense for Mahindra to use over other platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn. The tone on Twitter is more conversational and casual, which fits his own personality and tone. In some of his tweets, he reaches out to the wider community, such as in the example below. On LinkedIn, the user base is mostly industry professionals, whereas on other platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook tend to be used more by a wider demographic.

 

 

For marketers looking to get their executive on social media, the choice of social media platform(s) depends on the business goals. If driving business is the primary objective, LinkedIn and Facebook are generally preferred, whereas setting an executive up as a thought leader would point to platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter.

In many of his previous interviews, Anand Mahindra has stressed the fact of how CEOs and executives need to have a social media presence. By understanding the value of being on social media and the differences between each platform, executives can help their brand drive business goals, while positioning themselves on social as an authentic individual.

 

Is your marketing team ready to get your executive(s) on social media? Book a free consultation and learn more about why having execs on social can help your brand achieve its business goals. In the meantime, why not follow Influential Executive on Twitter for inspiring leadership quotes from today’s top executives, leadership tips, and more!

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