4. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Online Interactions
• Positive
– Learn new things (fb groups, wiki, hashtags)
– Find common ground (forums, Reddit)
– Be inspired (TED.com, Pinterest, Youtube)
• And some not so much…
6. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Remember…
• No one wins the internet. No one.
• Your job is not to make sure everyone on
the internet agrees
• Your job is not to make sure everyone on
the internet agrees with you
8. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Being a Human
• Be honest in your reactions
• Allow others to be honest in theirs
• Understand the voice behind the voice
• Consider the source
11. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Communicating During a Crisis
• You can cry, but it doesn’t help that much
• You can kick and scream but that really
doesn’t help
• Best bet: Remain calm
• Eat a cupcake
14. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Most Important Advice
• Don’t do anything that will get you:
• Fired
– Lying, Swearing, Outbursts
• Broken up with
– Lying, Swearing, Outbursts, Wearing Socks with Sandals
16. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Don’t Get Fired/Broken Up With
• Party animal skipped out on work
• Corrections worker job description
• Tone: In person vs online
17. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Don’t Get Fired/Broken Up With
• When you put things on a public forum,
expect the public to see it
• Anything on your profile that could get you
fired or broken up with?
• Anything embarrassing/offensive?
22. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Be Genuine
• Be honest about yourself/your company
• Find solutions for others using your
expertise
• Read the Room
• Be “Fun at Parties”
23. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Be Engaging
• Ask Questions
• Offer advice, solutions, or temporary
distractions
• Tell stories, link ideas in a way that makes
sense
24. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Be Real
• Throw in a few non business posts or
tweets now and again
• People love animal pictures
• Any recipes involving bacon
• Current Events
• Well wishes
• Funny personal stories
• Be Relatable
25. @KMadCookie @ReginaPolice
Fall, Stand Up, High Five
• You will mess up, your employees will
mess up
• Good communications can fix a lot
• Answer the question, answer it well, stop
talking
• Move on
• Get a cupcake
Social Media is truly just a relationship. It is a form of interacting with other human beings. If you are not interested in interacting with other people, do not get social media.
Keep in mind that your opinion may not always be the popular or accepted one. You don’t need to convince people that you are right or even that your opinion is the most valid. You are there to give info and to facilitate the respectful exchange of information. Let people vent, let them get it out. Listen first, talk second. Always remember rule #1: Be a Human!
Be honest in your reactions, and allow others to be honest in theirs. Understand the voice behind the voice so to speak. What is the person really saying, what is driving the interaction? Is it hurt? Fear? Frustration? Truth or Rumour? What baggage or preconceived notions is the person bringing to the interaction? Why are they reaching out to you now at this moment? Have they tried every other avenue or is this their first contact with you?
People who are hurting lash out at others and hurt them in order to ease their pain. If they can make someone else feel the misery they feel, it may relieve them a bit or at the very least give them some company. Take the time to stop and listen and hear what the person is really saying. How would you feel in their circumstances? Are there any gaps in knowledge or info this person is missing or has misinterpreted?
Part of being awesome online is keeping your cool in a crisis. This is especially important for corporations because this could mean your profits or your reputation tanking. Or both. Which would be devastating!
Specifically talking about the world of Social Media: Decide on a comprehensive and complete code of conduct for yourself and terms of service for your audience. It doesn’t have to be pages and pages of technical terms but it should be something that anyone anywhere can look at and implement. I like to morbidly call it the “hit by a bus” book. If I get hit by a bus, you should be able to pluck the book out of my cold or twitching hands and carry on. These documents are fluid, living documents. Amend them and adjust them as you go through experiences, find new examples, learn new information, talk to people, etc.
It’s never too late to have good crisis communications. Even in the middle of the crisis. Hope is not lost. Remember crying=now, Calm eating a cupcake=yes. Grab a pen and paper and make a plan. Talk to others who have gone through similar situations, research other companies outside your industry, talk to the accounts you admire and see how they do it. Ask tons of questions! Decide on what the worst problems were or the root causes of the crisis and make a plan to deal with those. Keep in mind that you may not be able to own or control these factors but you can still plan for them. Create terms of service that will prevent these from getting out of hand again. Remember there is a difference between negative and inappropriate. It’s ok for people not to like you or agree with the way you do business, as long as you can have an open discussion as to why. Example might be: They think they should get to keep the drugs you found in their stolen backpack = um no. They don’t like that drugs are illegal=ok, talk to your govt rep.
Remember you are responsible for everything you say, both with your corporate account and your personal account. That may not feel fair but it is what it is. If you are going to be a spokesperson for your company, look through your personal social media accounts and remove anything you feel could be perceived as inappropriate or embarassing. Also have a look at your security settings and make them as high as possible. Restrict to friends only or delete your account. The safest social media account is one that doesn’t exist.
Guy who said he was sick on a Friday, pictures turned up Saturday morning of him back in his hometown a few states away, drunk at a halloween party. Corrections worker whose job description was “Human Waste Disposal” and profile was a pic of him shoving an inmate into a vehicle. Some things should be said in person, where everyone can hear the words, determine tone and hear the context. Online is too big of a place to keep tone and context secure.
If you are putting info on a public forum, don’t be surprised when it is accessed. Remember the internet is forever. Even after you think you have deleted something, it may have been archived.
Go through your pages, check your posts, checks your pics. Find anything that may cause you embarrassment or grief later on and remove it.
Take a look through your friend list, and do the 2 second friend test. Look at each friend and picture yourself on your worst day, beaten down. Would this friend help you back up, or kick you when you are down? If the answer is kick, or even if you have to think and hesitate a bit longer, delete them. It’s not worth it to find out if you are right or wrong. If they are your real friends, they will talk face to face. If not, then who cares anyway. Did you really need to see their update about eating spaghetti? Didn’t think so. If it is an ex in any way. Ex girlfriend, ex brother in law, ex whatever, delete them. Some recommend against having your coworkers (former or current) or bosses as friends on social media. That is entirely up to you. I personally pick and choose. Some I declined, some I accepted. My current boss and coworker are on my facebook. I have never been called on this, but if someone came up to me in person and asked why we aren’t friend on facebook I would tell them I prefer to interact in person… and then never speak to that person again.
