Involuntary Engagement

The Domino's Effect

Any of my coaching clients, marketing prospects or speaking audiences have heard me say this: "If you have a business with customers, you're engaged in social media whether you want to be or not." Of course, if you have a business without customers, you have no business.


For any skeptics or those who find the statement to be ambiguous, please take a moment to review this week's activity on YouTube and Twitter regarding Domino's Pizza. This USA Today article gives a mercifully brief summary of the affair and some fine strategy points: http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2009-04-15-kitchen-pr-dominos-pizza_N.htm.




You are not immune.
This week, I had a LinkedIn exchange with a former colleague who now works in the PR department for a major US airport. Within current leadership, there exists some debate on the wisdom of maintaining a social media presence. Within 30 seconds of being alerted this debate existed, I learned that two people at that airport were tired of waiting to board a plane, another thought it was too hot in the shuttle bus and there was a ticket counter line in which at least one customer was behaving in a "volatile" fashion.

The next day, we had a spring snowstorm here in Denver. The online rumor mill was alive and well with road closings, snowfall estimates and, yes, postings about planes. Even if the rumors were true, they weren't newsworthy--at this writing, Denver International Airport has announced no flight cancellations associated with the storm--but that doesn't mean people don't attach validity to them, or that all "twits" with large numbers of "followers" care about truth before "retweeting."

All of us are now a click away from providing CNN, FoxNews and virtually every other media outlet with filler fodder. Think you can depend on the media to check facts before reporting a story? Think again. If it ever actually worked like that, it doesn't now. Social media as an entity has never even attempted to act like it wants to bear that burden. We can safely assume it won't in the future. (Want proof? Do a search for "Groups" on Facebook and take a look at some of the garbage passing for "common interests." "Soldiers are not Heroes?" Please.)

Want another example? Thursday night, I met a gentleman who works for Wells Fargo. He wasn't sure if his company was exposed in this regard. Know what I just found at the top of a Twitter stream? This: "Looks like my assumption that #wellsfargo will screw my fiancee out of her severance is probably going to be correct. Any pro bono lawyers?" Let's assume this is an empty threat and that the claim is unfounded. Does that mean that Wells Fargo has no risk, or that it has something to gain by not engaging in this now-public conversation?



The Medium is the Message
Nothing is less accountable or more dangerous than a mob. One of the downsides of social media is its capacity to degenerate into a mob mentality. The message--any message--is bound to find people with a proclivity to pour gasoline on a fire. If it's your fire, you'll want to know immediately.

Perception is reality. Don't let the mob decide how your business is perceived. Form and execute your social media strategy before someone sticks your cheese in his nose and swiftly kicks you where it hurts.