Social media ridicule to get new business?
Yes, you read my title correctly. I have seen people attempt to use social media ridicule to get new business!!! Now, I have no clue if its working, I hope and pray that it isn’t! But, when I see this occur it really makes me want to call out the bully by name and draw negative attention to the tweets, but I know that wont accomplish anything, its just more finger pointing.
I have been stewing about this for awhile as there is a company who does this quiet often on Twitter. After reading Ken Muellers recent post “Quit Yer Whinin’” about using our big stick responsibly I started festering about this more. Allow me to give an example of what I am seeing below. (All twitter handles have been changed)
GraphicDesignerMaster @xyzcompany We’ll redo your website; we tend to make things not shitty graphicdesingmaster.com
GraphicDesingerMaster I can’t believe @innocentcompany has such a horrible website. Can we help you guys out? Would love to pour some design magic to make this sell.
Now those are only two of the many appalling tweets I have seen from the same company. Targeting innocent companies who it appears they would like to do work for. Now, maybe it is just me, but I wouldn’t run out and hire someone to give me a new design image that publicly ridiculed me out of the blue.
I have had a specific conversation with GraphicDesignerMaster, and can tell you first hand that he believes he is holier than thou and that his design trumps all design. He has no problems hurling insults even when unprovoked. My conversation, mind you started on twitter and went to email. I immediately un-followed the company but it has been like a train wreck that I keep going back just to see what kind of appalling crap he is spewing now.
My question is this. When we witness this type of bullying on social media, what is the appropriate way to respond? Never in my gawking have a I witnessed the innocent firm that was being attacked take his bait and reply. However, I think that someone needs to call him on the carpet publicly. He is insulting companies without warrant or being provoked.
I get that it probably (hopefully) isnt winning him any new business, whether it be from his target or anyone just looking into his firm, but still. So, what are your thoughts? If you see social media bullying, how do you respond? If you havent seen it or responded to it, what is your opinion on handling it?
I've been tempted myself to tell companies they are doing it wrong, and offer my services. I've only done it in silly blog posts that don't name the guilty, but the temptation is there - to reach out to a brand socially and give examples of what I think I could do better. I'd just never do it this way.
It's one thing to @ mention someone and say, 'hey I see you're looking for X. whataya know, we do X.' It's quite another to sling crap like your CEO of the Asshat (or douchenozzle cc HowieSPM ) Factory. Now if I happened to notice one of these tweets in my stream, I'm not sure I'd give them the public attention (which part of me suspects is what they want, getting noticed no matter what). I'd probably block and report spam if I could but that's about it. FWIW.
3HatsComm I think every industry is the same. We all have shysters who steal money. We all have disingenous competitors or ones we feel do something wrong or not best in class. And it is buyer beware. But it also hurts the ones who do the right thing and it is hard to not go aggro when you see someone/company not do the right thing and not respond.
But it is how you respond that is important as you say. I might call out some Social Media agencies but never say things uncouth. I really like to say 'Make them show you the money' i.e. proof they are making you some. Because they aren't. I just have found in Marketing that marketers are bigger suckers than retired people sending money to Televangelists to be saved. Not sure why. But they are at both the agency and the brand side. Drives me crazy Davina!
Yuck. I think you need to get HowieSPM to send you a douchenozzle to give to them for Christmas. (LOVE that!).
My latest conversation: Happy Thanksgiving from Allison Development Group
EricaAllisonHowieSPM Or, maybe I can just send Howie a email with the Twitter handle and he can challenger their nonsense!!
Quickest way not to have new business is to slam the opposition like that. What a douchenozzle as the great George Parker likes to say.
That said I have occasionally taken to task Vitrue and Likeable who specialize in Facebook Brand Page Marketing for lots of slick work and no results to share. Usually when the blog their hot air.
In my years of B2B sales best to be tactful. Say you respect your competitor. But it is also ok to ask if they have had any problems or things they wish they wanted improved (quality, support, etc) to help with your sales pitch. Then of course you need a solution.
HowieSPM Douchenozzle!!! I love that word!!! LOL!
I would love to publicly take him to task, but wouldnt that be what he is doing? I took him to task via email when he said it was laughable that a "Mom from the suburbs was trying to tell him about technology". Then he said I "was douching up social media"!!!!
Oh man, I see this all the time, and a lot of time it happens on the phone. Some of the calls my clients get are horrendous. If someone comes to me and trashes another business, that reflects poorly on them and I refuse to do business with them. I see this in web design, seo, and social media, among other marketing fields.
My latest conversation: Care For Those You Lead
KenMueller Its amazing what people will pull when hiding behind a computer or a phone. I am sure they wouldnt be to happy to have this tactic used on them.
