Ask Silver Bullet: January 2016

The first point I would make to not only yourself but to ALL organisations using or considering using social media is to fully understand what you’re getting into and seek advice if you’re not sure whether it’s for you. The digital revolution has brought us many opportunities but social media, like any other form of publicity, is a double edged sword - utilised properly it can be fantastically successful at little or no cost, but mishandled or started and then ignored, it can destroy reputations and brands just as easily.

In essence, social media enables consumer experiences to be shared publicly on a global scale rather than the traditional relationship between just the individual and the organisation. Previously, a strongly worded letter was the normal means of having a complaint heard by a retailer but using social media, especially Twitter and Facebook, consumers can document their poor experiences, good and bad, enjoyed or endured in shops, bars, restaurants or any other retail outlet.

Disgruntled customers’ comments on personal experiences, whether positive or negative can also go viral (redistributed by viewers to their own audiences) creating a width of exposure that is incredibly hard to control. Their purpose is to thank or publicly shame but they may also want to receive a faster and more meaningful response than previous channels allowed.

A great example of this is the Morrisons social media viral of June 2015. 37 year old David Walker took to Facebook and targeted Morrisons over the purchase of an unevenly sliced loaf of bread he had purchased at the Killingworth store with a distinctly tongue-in-cheek rant. The Facebook outburst, with accompanying photo attracted 10,000 shares and over 23,000 likes.

A situation that could have easily gone so wrong was then turned to the retailer’s advantage by their Social Media staff who responded with an equally tongue-in cheek answer, whilst also sending him a direct message and two new perfect loaves of bread delivered to his door. The conversation continued with David Walker thanking the company and Morrisons coming over as responsive, human and customer-focused whilst the ensuing national media coverage alone was worth thousand of pounds.

The Morrisons staff had played a perfect innings here, mirroring the tone of the complaint, one individual dealing with it from start to finish and supplying a replacement that more than placated the customer – in other words, they listened and they responded. But, imagine what would have happened had the complaint been ignored or worse still, treated high-handedly as many of some big companies’ legal departments would advise (eg the Thomas Cook affair also of June 2015)?

And herein lies the dilemma of social media - if you’re going to use it, you need to have the resources, both staff and knowledge, to manage it. Comments and posts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and other platforms, whether true or false, can be hugely damaging if they’re not answered quickly and effectively. When review platforms are also considered, the potential for damage or falsification is increased even more, so much that the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into false reviews on platforms such as Amazon, Tripadvisor, Expedia and Checkatrade.

So the decision to use or ignore social media will ultimately depend on the resources you’re prepared to invest. Used properly you can post relevant content that attracts potential customers and increases brand visibility, respond instantly to industry/local developments to become a voice of authority, increase SEO and  boost website traffic, improve customer service and feedback response. 

The downside is that you need to commit resources - these should be trained senior staff who have the authority to respond instantly rather than await permission - and failure to respond or poor response can damage your brand – bad news can go viral just as easily as good…  

So do you need to some assistance with your social media? Do you need to review your strategy or do you have another marketing question we can help with? Talk to us. Email your questions anonymously to us today hello@silverbulletmarketing.co.uk or Tweet us (not so anonymously) @SilverBulletPR and use the hash tag #AskSB