Page 109 - Social Media Marketing for Dummies

across the social web. Before you know it, your CEO — or maybe The New York
Times — is calling your desk, so respond quickly.
» Respond honestly and clearly.

Be sure to use your own name when you respond. Just as you have to be
authentic with your campaign, so you have to be with your response. Be clear
about your rationale for why the campaign is designed the way it is, admit
mistakes when the fault is yours, and be inclusive in your responses.
» Be prepared to change based on the feedback.
It’s easier to be stubborn and not to change your SMM campaign. But if
criticism about the campaign is valid, whether it’s of the structure, the creative
aspect, or the rules regarding the type of conversation, you should incorpo-
rate the feedback and make the appropriate changes. You’ll win back trust
quickly.

» Don’t hesitate to bring humor to the situation.
Some of the best responses have been those that included a touch of
self-effacing humor. Brands aren’t above people, and neither is yours. Humor
goes a long way in the social web, and sometimes the response becomes the
new SMM campaign.
» Use the same channels for the response.
This may seem obvious, but it really isn’t. Respond to people in the way
they’ve criticized you. Don’t go on national television to respond to a YouTube
outburst. You’ll become the laughingstock of the social web.

CHAPTER 4 Launching SMM Campaigns 93