Seriously, these guy are a regular Larry, Moe and Curly when it comes to marketing (I'll let you figure out which one's Curly). I have had it up to here *raising hand to eye level* with listening to the advice and reading the books that these three spew out on a constant basis! Man, where do I begin!
Ok, I confess, this isn't going to be a rant about Chris Brogan, Paul Gillin or Seth Godin. These are actually people who I admire and consider leaders in the marketing and social media circle. There is a reason I picked them to start out this post though... but first...
Why am I posting this?
I had been ill the past few days and came back to my blog reader filled with hundreds of unread blog posts. I started at the top and worked my way through them only reading the ones that really interested me. I read a bunch of different posts, but guaranteed, if the post contained "this is f*@!ing lame!" or any other negative title, I would open it (the majority did have some form of censored F word in the title). By the time I was reading through the sixth post it got me thinking... Why am I reading this and I know I'm not the only one!
People love a good rant!
In human society, we work hard at controlling our emotions, specifically anger. We are told at an early age to "play nice." We are taught in most religious circles to be peaceful and slow to anger and in modern history, there have been social movements launched through passive resistance. It is no wonder that when some one completely loses it... people are so captivated. Just look at these videos that have received millions of views and been passed all over the internet!
If you can't say anything nice...
As kids we were taught to say please and thank you, don't talk with your mouth full and not to speak badly about someone else. As grown ups we are often faced with situations that challenge us to keep our mouths shut. Be it bad customer service, ignorant comments or just plain stupidity, the anger and frustration can push a person past their ability to be quiet and then the words just start to pour out.
Oh and how we love to watch a good rant. This evokes memories of the sadistic joy of watching mom and dad scold siblings. Phrases like "how could you" and "if I ever catch you doing this again..." filled the air while I huddled giggling in the other room, happy that it wasn't me (while, in all fairness, most of the time it was me). Here is a prime example of a rant on the rampage. (Chris Crocker, the guy in the video, has made several appearances on talk shows because of this video).
Complaining in the digital age.
The internet provides an excellent avenue to have your frustrations heard. Vincent Ferrari's dealings with canceling AOL and how he brought his experience online is a prime example of how quickly a public complaint can get traction. If you have a legitimate issue that has not been resolved and you can't seem to get a resolution elsewhere, the internet can be your soap box. But there is a right way to go about it...
A lesson in complaining.
Before Abraham Lincoln was president, he had written some letters under a pseudonym criticizing James Shields, a politician from the opposing political party. What started as witty and cutting remarks soon became personal attacks as Lincoln's letters motivated others to write. Feeling insulted and his honor at stake, James Shields challenged Lincoln to a duel to the death. Both the men survived since the duel never was fought (you can read the story here) but it left a profound impact on the future president of The United States.
Exploding in rage might make you feel good temporarily, but you'll end up looking the fool if you are not careful. In order to prevent being the one writing the apology, keep these things in mind.
- Don't attack the person, attack the event, decision or problem.
While the person might be a complete boob, incapable of any comprehensible thoughts, it is going to be in your best interest to take the high road and not stoop to name calling.
Note: I have done this at the beginning of my post to illustrate a point, while it may get attention, your reputation will suffer. Just watch those videos again and ask yourself, "what do I think of that person?" - Stick to the facts.
First take a moment to sort out the facts from the emotion. Why are you angry? What has made you angry? Try to get to the root of the problem. You didn't like the way the company bounced you around from call center to call center? The response in the e-mail was canned and did not address the main problem? - Provide a possible solution.
A lot of the time people complain, they feel they have been wronged but don't know how the situation can be righted. Think about what would help you feel better about the situation and be reasonable. You'll be surprised. I once rented a car from Hertz. I was in a hurry and drove off. The back seat was filthy and I promptly called them and complained. Not able to bring the car in, we both agreed to deal with it when I returned. What the manager said to me was surprising, "What do you think having a clean car would be worth to you?" I quoted a dollar amount and he took that amount off of my bill.
These simple steps will get you on your way to complaining like a champ.
And now... Why I Picked Those Guys for My Title.
There's an old saying in PR that there is no such thing as bad press. While I read many blogs and books about marketing and social media, these three guys have been the most influential to my way of thinking, so I wanted to bring attention to them. "I love these guys" is not as appealing to read as "These guys really PISS ME OFF!"
If you are not familiar with their work, check out their websites
Paul Gillin
http://paulgillin.com/
Chris Brogan
http://www.chrisbrogan.com/
Seth Godin
http://www.sethgodin.com/sg/
Tomorrow I will be writing on what to do when people complain about you!
To get you started here is a post by Paul Gillin on dealing with online negativity.
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A look into Social Media Marketing as it applies to business and self-promotion. The discussions are geared towards companies, entrepenuers, artistic and creative types, written to inspire a new way at marketing. It is about connection rather than sales.