For those of you who recall this line from the cult classic, Carrie from the 70’s, there’s a modern-day parallel, it’s called: “If we start using social media, people are going to say bad things about us.” Let’s just get the obligatory responses out of the way:
- “Gasp! You don’t say?!”
- “They already are. What’s next?”
I’m left to wonder where all this intense paranoia comes from? Is this to say that companies weren’t concerned when people talked PRIVATELY amongst themselves about how horrible their products were? That was OK, but just don’t put it in writing! Oh, no! I once had a completely rational person ask me, “Now that we’re using social media, what are we going to do when our rivals say bad things about us?” She really used that word: rivals. What is this, West Side Story? Grease? Saving Private Ryan? Gangs of New York? Lockup Raw? A small thing to remember – everything that happens online is public. Any person or organization that’s going to “go on the attack” (she used that phrase, too) has to do so publicly. And, in order for them to do that, they’ll kinda make themselves look like a fool in the process, no? (Note: anonymous attacks hold virtually no weight.) I could describe just how BADLY someone can make themselves look when they attack other people online, but sometimes it’s best to see it in action (strong language alert). After reading the comments at that link, what is your opinion of the author? Exactly. Point made? Great.
Lena L. West is the leading expert on how women entrepreneurs can monetize social media. She is also the founder of the Influence Expansion Academy, the only social media mastermind program created EXCLUSIVELY for women entrepreneurs.
