Leverage Social Media Before It Is Too Late

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The Problem
There are two kinds of companies doing business online: 1) those that have had an online public relations problem; and 2) those about to have an online public relations problem.  Whether it is a disgruntled customer, a security breach or some other unintentional blunder, any public relations problem has the ability to snowball out of control. Ignoring or mishandling the problem often makes things worse. Once the problem reaches a critical mass, it may become too big for a small, or poorly positioned, company to recover.

The Solution
Social media is the perfect tool for not only identifying potential public relations issues early, but for turning them into a platform for showcasing your great customer service. Using social media as a radar to identify and address customer concerns early can save headaches down the road. Generating an evangelical social media following expands both your reach and message. If a catastrophic problem does occur, social media followers often come to a company’s rescue, solving problems hundreds of thousands of dollars and a courtroom of lawyers could not. Most importantly, transparent use of social media may cause a customer to contact you directly, before airing grievances online. Your social media solutions however, must be in place long before a problem arises. The key is in understanding social media, and implementing a coordinated social media initiative sooner, rather than later.

Brett Trout