When a client expresses their fears at extending themselves in social media, I tell them not to be. The number one concern is negative user generated content, whether true, untrue, or just a misunderstanding.
To which I say…
1) If you get negative content from a user, and its unwarranted, other users will comment & respond on your behalf. This kind of brand evangelism actually strengthens the brand, because it is content in your favor that would not have been posted otherwise.
2) If the negative comment does have some merit, then it gives you a chance to address the issue in a public forum. You can reply in the same venue, and while you are ostensibly responding one-to-one, it’s actually one-to-many. The chances are good you’re answering a question that many people want to hear an answer for, and its a question or issue there wasn’t an answer for elsewhere.
This is a response opportunity because it’s a chance to show how much your brand listens to its customers. Its a chance to publicly address concerns and resolve problems. Its a chance to find out how you can make yourself better, as a company, as a brand. It’s not a crisis, or even a cris-a-tunity. It’s a real opportunity, and should bring hope, not fear, to an informed client.
