Take A Deep Breath
This week offers another look at lost opportunities. When social media turns against you, it’s good to avoid the wrong response.
Case in point :
Wanted: Lean In editorial intern, to work with our editor (me) in New York. Part-time, unpaid, must be HIGHLY organised with editorial and social chops and able to commit to a regular schedule through end of year. Design and web skills a plus! HIT ME UP.
Jessica Bennett – Editor, Lean In
When Sheryl Sandberg, COO – Facebook, sought out an intern through her Lean In foundation, the response on social media was instant.
Hiring an intern is good. Asking for social chops for free is not.
Sheryl Sandberg: Pay Your Interns! | New York Unpaid Commissions Lawyer
Social media skills provide value to a brand. The skills go way beyond the words written in a post. It involves knowing social platforms with their quirks and flaws. It means knowing how to protect a brand image. Social skills extend the user experience in a positive direction that ultimately enhances the bottom line.
Rather than listening to the outrage though and leaping on an opportunity to further the brand image, Bennet chose a different route.
Jessica Bennett – Dear What Appears to Be My Entire Facebook Feed
She explains that she was looking for an i̶n̶t̶e̶r̶n̶ volunteer.
As you can see from the comments to her Facebook post, no one was buying it.
Telling the offended to “take a deep breath” is not a good social media strategy either.
There’s nothing wrong with seeking volunteers, but to try and spin a response such as this, just kicks an opportunity for repair down the street for someone else to fix.
Obviously, this organization is in need of damage control and paid-for social chops.
The take home lesson for everyone else is …
Take a breath and reach for the checkbook, because the right response is better than free negative sentiment.
