Endorsed by global leaders in PR, Corporate Affairs and Crisis Communications, The #Social Survival Manifesto is an ex-activist's tell-all guide to what makes companies and institutions vulnerable to online reputation attacks.
Presented within are five Principles of Survival and five Principles of Success designed to help companies and institutions mitigate risk, avoid crisis and winning back the hearts and minds of their stakeholders. Here is the full text of the first Principle, shared exclusively with Social Media Today readers.
Principle of Survival #1: HIDING IS NOT AN OPTION!
The first Principle of Survival is essentially a warning that keeping a low profile, or no profile, is a tactical risk when it comes to reputation management in the 21st century. If you work with corporate or institutional decision makers, I am sure you have come across the 'If we ignore it, it will go away' philosophy. In the age of social media, this is equivalent to the 2 year old who covers his or her eyes to 'hide' from others. Having seen first-hand how this head-in-the-sand-ism can disadvantage corporations when crisis hits, decision makers would be well-advised to heed the warnings below. Just tell them you got the inside scoop from an ex-activist and that should get their attention!
Whether you like it or not, people out there on social media are talking about you, reading about you and making up their minds about you. In fact, your brand or industry will soon become a very hot topic, if crisis arises, entirely without your input.
If you are not part of those conversations, guess who's in charge of public perception and brand reputation? The consumers you have angered, your competitors and the activists that hate you.
Trust me, those with a bone to pick are those who will speak the most. Continue to hide and you will most definitely be a ripe target with all the odds stacked against you. Begin participating in the conversation and you may just have a chance to influence the many stories being told about you.