We spend a lot of time telling people how to do social media for their brands in broad, sweeping generalizations. One of the top things on the list is the PR issue. The how-to guide for dealing with negative comments often reads like a militant manual of steps to disarm a bomb or the procedural instructions for operating the red phone. "You must respond quickly. You must take even the smallest comment seriously and attend to it."
And I agree with both statements. But, I fear that in our attempt to convince brands of the need to take responding to negative comments so seriously, that we will neglect the nuance necessary in every instance and cause them to miss golden opportunities that often come when one of my favorite words in the English language is allowed to exist: play.
Depending on the reference you consult, you'll generally find close to 100 definitions of the word play, but here's my very favorite and the one most relevant here:
Freedom for action, or scope for activity: full play of the mind.
I like this definition because it reminds me (daily) to turn words over in my head and remind myself of the given play in every exchange between two people (or on the social frontier, between a person and a brand). The distance between what is said and what is meant is boundless. And don't even get me started on what is heard versus what is intended.
But rather than throw my hands up at the inevitable gaps in communication, I tend to find freedom and endless opportunity in that very play. When I sit down to help a client who is staring at a negative tweet with that white-knuckled, deer-in-the-headlights countenance, the first thing I like to do is help them turn the words over in their head and explore the opportunities rather than the risks at stake.
When somebody tweets about how ungodly expensive your product is, does this mean they don't like you? Does it mean they want to tell other people you're not worth it? Does it even mean they don't have your product in their cupboard right now? No, no and no. Which means, in my humble opinion, there's no need to shift into PR voice in responding. As a matter of fact, I'd argue that by switching into that mode when it's unnecessary, you do more damage than good by escalating the situation and giving credence to an accusation that was only a casual talking point for the sender. Why can't we begin by assuming it's just that—a way to say hello?
Please understand that when I suggest that a client incorporate play into their responses, I'm in no way devaluing the importance of a speedy and thoughtful response. The play I'm suggesting is in their content, not their intent. Big difference. And there are also times (again, see the reference to case-by-case nuance above) when the alarm should be sounded. But I do think it's OK not to grab for the red phone every time you respond to a negative comment.
My favorite brand stories involve a negative comment that, when handled shrewdly, yields stronger brand loyalty by all, often even the person who sent out the initial comment. What are your favorites?
Jen Wright, Social Media Strategist at Play
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