Grow My Company

Hazards of Social Media, Part 2: Online reputation management - protecting yourself when someone puts you in a awkward position

You have likely worked hard your whole life to be perceived a certain way, and this has likely transferred from your offline to online life. You're probably careful about how you speak to people and the things that you say, so they are not misconstrued. You likely have your own personally acceptable code of conduct.

But what if somebody else threatens the reputation that you so carefully guard? What if someone asks you to do something that makes you uncomfortable and could possibly threaten your reputation?

I recently encountered a situation on LinkedIn where a connection of mine wanted to be connected to an author who was connected to someone that I am connected to. So the request had to follow this track:

My friend > Me > My connection > His connection

This is a relatively common request on LinkedIn, and in the spirit of the community, I didn't think twice about forwarding it to my connection, who was a LION (LinkedIn Open Networker.) Such people connect to as many people as possible on LinkedIn for the purported reason of being a resource to the LinkedIn community.

But it quickly became clear to me that this particular LION wasn't interested in doing a good deed without payment. He asked that I write a recommendation on his LinkedIn profile commending his willingness to forward the introduction request.

Huh? This guy wanted me to commend him for doing something that probably happens 10s of thousands of times daily on LinkedIn by people who are just acting in a decent human fashion, doing a favor? After all, this only requires the click of a button, not much effort.

I was uncomfortable with this request because if I recommend someone who treats others this way, then my reputation is tarnished by association.

I tweeted about his request, and once reinforced that indeed, this was an unreasonable request, I messaged him via the LinkedIn network that I only recommend people that I have worked with extensively and know well. But he wouldn't let go without two return emails.

In the first he mentioned that he has 2,500 recommendations from people like me that he has helped. And he's very busy running his own business, yet he still makes time to help others. "Okay," I'm thinking, "Just like all the rest of the LinkedIn community." And I didn't bother to respond.

A couple days went by, and a received a follow up email from him, stating that I must have misunderstood his request. "I was not asking you to recommend me as a person you know or trust, but "my service" as pay-it-forward advocate who helps others."

I still didn't respond. He apparently has a different view of courtesy than I do, and there was noting to be gained by pointing that out.

In another circumstance, one of my clients had one of his LinkedIn connections request that he pass along a introduction to one of my client's connections. His connection was in the professional services field and he wanted to position himself as a resource. The problem was that my client didn't think very highly of this person's skills, and he didn't want to forward the introduction, thereby associating himself as an inferred reference. I told my client that his instincts were probably right, and he should trust them.

In both of these scenarios above, requests were made that could have potentially damaged someone's reputation simply by association. The people making the requests didn't seem to have a problem doing so, and they obviously had the confidence to do so, but they had not successfully impressed those to whom they made their requests.

The message here is to not allow anyone to bully you into doing something that makes you uncomfortable online any more than you would allow it to happen face-to-face. Like it or not, your reputation is affected by those you associate with, and a false recommendation can certainly come back to bite you.

by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
On LinkedIn
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On Facebook

Hazards of Social Media, Part 1: The Anti-Guy

I've teamed up with fellow social media marketer, Erica Friedman, for this two-part series about problems that you may encounter within your social media experience and suggestions about how you may handle them. Erica will tackle part one below: The Anti-Guy, and tomorrow I'll discuss Online reputation management - protecting yourself when someone puts you in a awkward position.


Part 1: The Anti Guy

Clearly, I am a huge advocate of Social Media for research, for communication, for promotion and  for fun. I have built a global organization through Social Media platforms (long before there were Facebook and Twitter)and have administrated, moderated and owned dozens of online communities in one form or another.

I don't want to say "I've seen it all," but I sure have seen a lot. And so, while I unabashedly support and promote Social Media as the way to go for any business, I think that it is important to talk about the dark side of the Social Media equation:

Using Social Media means you're in the public eye.

This can lead to complications, for both business and individuals. There any number of ways you can damage your business with Social Media - from mixing business and pleasure to being rude to anyone for any reason anywhere.

This post is going to look at one of the downsides to Social Media, something I call the "Anti-Guy"

Let's start at the Beginning. You have a product or service. You build a website to promote it.  Maybe you start to blog, or a Facebook or MySpace page or Twitter about it. Maybe you wander the smaller spaces of the Internet, the forums and discussion boards, the mailing lists. In every case, you are out there promoting your product, your service...yourself.

One day, you get a *very* angry response/comment/email from someone who is *very* angry with you. This person may be angry at an opinion you posted, or with a detail of your service or product. You reply as mollifyingly as you can, without selling yourself out. And suddenly...the deluge starts. This person is not satisfied. You *upset* them. A *lot*. Any justification on your part just makes them angrier. And any offer to resend/fix/change the service or product is met with increasing mania.

It doesn't stop there. That person not only fills your blog comments or email box with righteous indignation, but hunts you down on any public platform you post on. Worse, s/he maligns you in spaces you don't have any presence in. You have just met the Anti-Guy.

What do you do to counter the Anti-Guy?

Obviously, at first you must calmly reply. Offer a reasonable refund or replacement - or even an apology. Be real, be upfront, be honest. Then stop.

If the Anti-Guy is typical, this will not be enough. S/he in not just angry now - you've made an enemy for life. The Anti-Guy has seemingly limitless time and energy. The fire of righteousness drives them to rant endlessly on what you said or did or didn't say or didn't do. And it seems like it will never stop.

Do NOT reply to the Anti-Guy. Everything you say will be misconstrued or parsed for insult or other delusional behavior. All you will be doing at this point is to feed the fire

If you have a good reputation, people will come to your defense. Sadly, this will not actually help, as the Anti-Guy is now lost in a maze of cognitive dissonance. S/he will actually convince themselves that you acted (did not act) out of malice towards *them* and will often, at this point, insult you personally. You can't change that. There is only one thing you can do.

Don't listen to it.

Don't follow the forum, read the opinion letter in the newspaper or let your friends tell you the story of the online rant. It won't provide you with any constructive criticism and you'll lose confidence in yourself and your business. Work to your strengths for a while and solicit positive - and loud - feedback from satisfied customers. After a while the good will drown out the bad.

That positive, calm, reasonable reply will stand as *your* response to what will become an increasingly unstable rant. People will look at it and think, "I don't get the problem - you offered a refund...what's this person complaining about?"

And then the Anti-Guy will move on. S/he will, because it's not fun to play with boring toys. And by then you will have long moved on and not even noticed whether the Anti-Guy was still around

The ironic thing about the Anti-Guy is that his/her outrage will have provided you with a lot of publicity. And sure, some of those people came to your site ready to be angry, but if you really do your best to engage and communicate, more than a few of them will become your allies.

Keep your cool, stand your ground, then turn away and let the Anti-Guy beat his/her head on a wall of their own making. You've got way more important stuff to do than dealing with the Anti-guy.

Erica Friedman is the President of Yurikon LLC, a social media promotion company focusing on small and "micro" niches. She is also the President and Founder of Yuricon & ALC Publishing.

10 ways to get fired fast via social media flubs

The social media world is not as private as many people think. Even if you strictly utilize privacy protocols, you're at the mercy of those who are your friends. It's good practice to always think carefully before posting something. Consider who might read it and how it will be perceived by your boss, co-workers, friends, family, and clients. If you would be uncomfortable with any of these people reading the post, don't do it.

Here are a few things that I have seen through my years involved with social media. Good grief, what were they thinking? Again, don't...

1. Tweet about how boring your job is
2. Tell all your Facebook friends that you're playing Mafia Wars on company time
3. Update your LinkedIn status that you're actively pursuing alternative employment options
4. Tweet that your boss is a __________ (you fill in the blank)
5. Complain that you have too much/not enough work to do
6. Criticize your company in a blog post, tweet or status update
7. Publicly defend a customer with a defamatory attitude
8. Call in sick, then post pictures taken at the ballgame you went to
9. Post the recipe for the proprietary "special sauce"
10. Sit on social media all day and neglect your job

by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
On LinkedIn
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On Facebook

Building your brand by blogging

How to Build Your Brand by Blogging

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The art of a respectful social media connection request

When you send someone an invitation to connect on LinkedIn or Facebook and they think, "Who is this person?" you may be shooting yourself in the foot and missing out on connecting with a great resource. Some people have very loose connection standards, but many people are more careful about who they connect to. If you want people to be more receptive to connecting with you, be sure to give them a reason.

Let's start with LinkedIn. No matter how well you know someone, it's impersonal to just use the stock invitation, "I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn." Adding a bit of personalization is always a classy touch. Even something as simple as, "It was fun running into you this morning. Let's connect here," shows that you're thinking of them as a person rather than just as a connection.

Personalization is especially important if the person doesn't know you. It's a good idea to let that person know why you want to connect with them. "Hi, Joe. We both belong to the Social Media Mavens group, and I liked your response to... I've been reading your blog, and I like... I'd like to connect with you here now. You never know when our connection might become useful."

Few people would receive the preceding request and not accept. You have stated how that person came onto your radar, expressed interest in their work, and gave them a reason to connect with you.

On the other hand, if you receive a LinkedIn connection request from a stranger, you don't have to just archive it or accept it blindly. You might want to message the person something simple like, "I received your connection request, but please forgive my faded memory. I can't remember how we know each other." This provides the person with an opportunity to clarify the connection request. You can then accept or archive the request with better judgment.

It's also a good idea to handle Facebook friend requests similarly. Since Facebook is a "finding ground" for old friends and acquaintances, it's especially important to remind your new/old friend of your connection. Even something as simple as this works, "Hi, Lisa. Remember me from _____ High School? We were in Algebra 2 together. I'd love to reconnect and know what you're up to these days."

Facebook makes it more difficult to clarify a connection request from a supposed stranger however, because by messaging someone, you allow them access to some of your personal profile information for 30-days. That may make you uncomfortable enough to just ignore the friend request. On the bright side though, once you ignore a friend request, that person has the opportunity to send a new friend request, and perhaps this time, they'll send you a message to let you know who they are and why they want to connect.

Not everybody remembers everyone they ever encountered, so if you want the best possible chance of having your social media connection request accepted, make sure you refresh one's memory or give them a reason to get to know you now.


by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
On LinkedIn
On Twitter
On Facebook

When your own employees sabotage your company's brand

I know I've said it many times before, but I have to repeat it again: your brand isn't your logo or stationery, although they may be physical representations of it. Your brand is the way you are perceived. It's about how people feel when they hear your name or see any physical element of it. It is built entirely from one's experience with your product or service and is the sum total of all touch points that they have ever been exposed to.

So, have you thought about the potential damage your employees can inflict on that brand?

One of the most critical elements of any brand is in setting up expectations of behavior. Think of Wal-Mart. You expect to be greeted in a friendly manner by a smiling someone at the door. Consider McDonalds. You expect those fries to be perfectly cooked and piping hot. Think of the receptionist at your doctor's office. You expect her to be helpful and polite.

But what if the Wal-Mart greeter scowls, the fries are brown and cold, and the receptionist is rude? In an instant, your expectations aren't met, and you feel uncomfortable or perhaps a bit cheated or angry. Your experience doesn't match the perception that you have created about that product of service, and the brand begins to erode in your mind.

Now think about your own business. Are all of your employees on the same page? Do they all deliver a consistent experience to your clients at every touch point?

Your employees are your brand's champions or the undoing of it. They must always present a professional, tactful, classy front. Clients are affected by their tone, attitude, and even the way employees dress, so be careful of who is on your front-line. For example, your accounting person may be terrific with numbers, but if his people skills are poor, he shouldn't handle clients' inquiries. Even if an employee is having a bad day, that's not an excuse to inflict a rotten attitude on the public.

Also consider how toxic a bad attitude is internally. Can one bad apple spoil the whole bunch? I have seen a few organizations that were turned into glum, depressing places by people who made it their mission in life to spread their own misery. If you've got such an employee on your staff, think about addressing him or removing her.

Your brand and your reputation are wrapped up very tightly together. Make sure you protect them by employing the right people.

by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
On LinkedIn
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On Facebook

Social media etiquette - some basic principles

A friend asked me yesterday, if she unfriended someone, would they be notified? Our subsequent conversation revealed that this rather casual acquaintance of hers was often confrontational and rude on Facebook, and that got me thinking, what is and is not acceptable behavior on social media channels?

Social media is the online version of working the room, and basically, all the social graces and standards that you apply to your every day interactions in face-to-face situations apply online as well.

• Be polite and respectful
• Don't swear or be rude
• Resist the temptation to argue
• Don't be confrontational
• Help others with advice and answers to their questions
• Say please and thank you
• Extend the courtesy of responding when someone writes on your wall, @s or DMs you, or messages you
• Don't blatantly push/sell your product or service

The professional goal of social media is to build relationships that may one day turn into business opportunities. You would never walk into a restaurant, interrupt everyone's dinner, pass out your business cards, then leave. So why would you think this is acceptable online?

People do business with people they like, and the way to earn respect is to be authentic and genuine in your interactions with social media friends and acquaintances. Treat people the way that you like to be treated, and always remember that once online, it's there for good. Draft, review, and reconsider before posting. Protect your reputation.


by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
On LinkedIn
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Glamour magazine's "real woman" photo - a lesson in positioning

Glamour magazine's September 2009 issue ran a nude photo of a model that caught the attention of millions of women...not because of it's racy nature, but because she doesn't have a flat belly. Instantly, millions of women saw someone who looked just like them. It struck a chord, and the praise started flowing.

Hooray! Finally, a real woman appeared in a magazine looking beautiful. Finally, millions of women saw themselves in a magazine and maybe felt a little less disappointed the next time they looked in the mirror.

This is what positioning is all about. Positioning is identifying your target audience, determining what they want, and giving it to them by becoming a reflection of what they want. Perhaps indeliberately, Glamour magazine learned a valuable lesson about what their readers relate to, how they view themselves and what they want. The question now is, "Does Glamour have the guts to seize this golden opportunity?"

The photo was small and buried on page 194, so it is unlikely that Glamour intended this as a turning point, redefining the direction of their magazine. It is unlikely that they will get rid of the airbrushed, half-starved, 6 ft. models that grace their covers and content, replacing them with "real women."

But perhaps the women's magazine world will now take notice and recognize that the general female population doesn't relate to the fashion world's definition of beauty. Perhaps, when presented with an alternative, they would actually gravitate toward something familiar and comforting, something that makes them feel good about themselves rather than inadequate and second-rate.

Glamour magazine learned that there is a market segment that is hungry for something that they can relate to. They learned this segment's position without expensive research and focus groups. They now know what "real women" want.

Now who will give America's "real women" what we want?


by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
On LinkedIn
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Who is your brand cop?

I recently read Tom Kane's blog post "Does Your Firm Have a Marketing Cop?" and it got me thinking about brand protection. Do you have someone in-house who is thoroughly versed in all aspects of your company's brand and in possession of the authority to reprimand internal offenders? In my experience, many companies do not.

Your brand is the feeling that people have when they hear your name, see your logo, or come in contact with any of your company's, product's or service's touch points. It is the sum total of their experience with these things. It is entirely about their perception of you, not necessarily the image that you want or intend to project.

So what happens when someone within your organization puts out something that is disharmonious or in conflict with your brand? Confusion, discomfort and perhaps a feeling of distrust may occur. Is this something you want? Can you afford to risk it?

It's surprisingly easy to undermine a brand though inconsistency. One department might develop materials that don't conform to your corporate ID manual, so they look and feel different. An employee might slap a logo that is oversized, out of proportion, altered, against a forbidden background, etc. on something. Your receptionist might be unfriendly or rude. A client might be put on hold for too long. Phone calls might not be promptly returned. All of these things damage a brand by delivering a customer experience that is outside of expected treatment. And when you start delivering an inconsistent experience, your brand becomes a lie, trust evaporates, and you start losing clients.

It is very important to empower someone within your organization with the authority to control your customers' experience through careful management of all client touch points. This person must thoroughly understand your brand strategy, respect your ID manual, and have the guts to stand up to anybody who abuses your brand in any way.

So who fills this capacity within your organization? If your answer is "nobody," what damage is being done to your brand through the delivery of an inconsistent customer experience? How much more business could you earn and retain if your brand was rock-solid?


by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
On LinkedIn
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Ensuring Your Private Info Remains Private on Facebook

On July 1, 2009 Facebook revealed their plans to change the accessibility of your personal information. You may assume that your information is private, but it's best to make sure. This video offers a few suggestions about how you can find peace of mind.

by: Christine Pilch
Christine@GrowMyCo.com
On LinkedIn
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