[Welcome back to the You Can Be a Word of Mouth Marketing Supergenius! newsletter. This is text from the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]
Bad things happen to good companies. Sometimes it’s your fault, sometimes it’s bad luck. But it’s how you respond that matters. A few tips:
1. Never underestimate the power of a sincere apology
2. Point to independent sources
3. Fix problems publicly
1. Never underestimate the power of a sincere apology
An honest, genuine apology can cut through the hysteria and calm even the harshest critics. It’s not always easy for a brand to do — it requires humility and candor. But not only can it defuse the current situation, it can also help you build credibility for the next time an issue comes up. To see how this can be done well, see how Amazon’s Jeff Bezos apologized for his company’s removal of certain copies of George Orwell books from Kindles.
2. Point to independent sources
It’s common for negative word of mouth to involve a lot of misunderstanding and misinterpretation from customers and critics. A great tool to use here is third-party sources that can explain the full story. This strategy of redirecting the conversation to outside experts was a key part of UPS’ response when a competitor launched an attack campaign over new industry legislation.
3. Fix problems publicly
When you solve problems in public forums, more people get to experience what a great company you are. Your options will vary depending on your industry, but even the most regulated brands have options here. Take H&R Block, for example. They take conversations offline to exchange sensitive customer information and then invite them back online when the problems are resolved.
The afternoon will feature practical, how-to case studies from 8 great brands, including Scholastic, GE, H&R Block, Walmart, and more.
BlogWell is one awesome, idea-filled afternoon focused on social media at big brands. There are no agencies and no startups (though they’re welcome to join and learn along with us!) – just smart executives from big companies sharing what they’ve learned.
Register and learn more about BlogWell: Click here
P.S. Have you been to a BlogWell yet? If not, here’s a peek at what to expect:
“The discussions were thought-provoking and inspirational.”
— Jim Lein, Oracle
“I came away inspired, energized, and with a nice bundle of new best practices to apply.”
— Ed Nicholson, Tyson Foods
“An amazing amount of useful material was presented in a timely, efficient way.”
— Donna Speigel, Crate and Barrel
“A well organized and well executed conference. Great job!”
— Todd Blecher, Boeing
“One of the best seminars of this type that I’ve seen in a long time.”
— Sandra Buettner, Johnson Controls
“A great forum for social media professionals to collaborate and learn from each other’s lessons and successes.”
— Jennie Ecclestone, General Motors
“The most valuable source for staying current on B2C and B2B social marketing techniques in Fortune 500 companies.”
— Paul Dunay, Avaya
“One of the most organized and informative events all year.”
— Jackie Bona, Google
As we gear up for BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media in Minneapolis — hosted by General Mills — on August 13 featuring case studies from Walmart, McDonald’s, H&R Block, Mayo Clinic, General Mills, Ford, CME Group, and Progressive, we’re sharing case studies from our latest BlogWell event in San Francisco.
At BlogWell, you’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal — in one afternoon, for just $250. You’ll get practical, how-to advice on creating great content, getting management buy-in, educating employees, keeping lawyers and regulators happy, simple and ethical disclosure, and engaging fans. You’ll ask questions, discover new ideas, and get answers from people who have been there, done that — all in four hours.
Special thanks to our lead sponsor, Globalpark, for help making BlogWell possible.
In his BlogWell San Francisco case study presentation, “Blending Community and E-Commerce,” Dell’s Chief Blogger, Lionel Menchaca, explains how the company is working to share its community and forum content with more of Dell’s online audience.
In his presentation, Lionel shares how Dell is moving toward using single user ID’s across its many sites, how they’re looking to syndicate content across multiple channels, and how Dell is merging all blogs, forums, wikis, and media galleries onto a single platform.
As we’re nearing the final preparation stages for BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media in Minneapolis — hosted by General Mills — next Thursday on August 13, we’re excited to announce that we’re almost sold out!
While you can still currently register online, we’re expecting to close it soon. And because the event is nearing capacity, we won’t be accepting walk-in registrations.
We hope you’re able to make it! Here are a few of the brands joining us to hear case studies from Walmart, McDonald’s, H&R Block, Mayo Clinic, General Mills, Ford, CME Group, and Progressive:
3M, AccuQuote, Alberto-Culver, Ameriprise Financial, Avaya, Avery Dennison, Best Buy, Boeing, Cargill, Carlson, Clorox, ConAgra, Deluxe, The Home Depot, Honeywell, Hormel Foods, Hospira, Land O’Lakes, Manpower, Medtronic, National Association of Realtors, Orange Business Services, Plum Creek Timber Company, POET, Progressive, The J.M. Smucker Company, State Farm, Target, Thomson Reuters, and Xcel Energy.
This is GasPedal's blog about all things word of mouth marketing. We cover everything from the best word of mouth case studies to the latest research, focusing on the practical ideas you can use to get your fans talking about you.
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