Page 158 - Free the Idea Monkey

of things we are talking about

here.) Social media use words,

pictures, audio and video to

foster interaction.

It is that interaction that

makes some business people

nervous. We understand.

When you advertise in a publication or on radio or TV or even the

Internet, you decide on the words, the imagery and everything else.

When you use social media to get that message out, that ownership

is fleeting. While you maintain absolute control over the initial con-

tent, what happens afterward depends on the audience. Is there any

way to alter that? No.

But instead of worrying about “To swear off making mistakes
it, we think you should see it is very easy. All you have to
as an opportunity—one that you do is swear off having ideas.”
already have some (analogous) —Leo Burnett

experience with.

TIGHTLY VS. LOOSELY SCRIPTED
Many companies have call centers—places where they handle

orders and provide customer service over the phone. The people in
those centers are trained and given various “scripts” to follow, but
no interaction with a customer (or potential customer) goes exactly
as the company has drawn it up.

Still, just about every company finds call centers an effective
way to maintain service levels and boost sales. Why should social
media be any different?

“But suppose employees make a mistake and say or promise some-
thing they shouldn’t during these interactions?” we’re often asked.

The answer to that is simple: You handle it exactly the way you
would any other mistake or problem. You fix it and put steps in place
to minimize the chances it will happen again. And if you use that
worry as an excuse for not engaging in social media, you are putting
yourself at a huge disadvantage.

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