Everyone online is susceptible to trolling.
But as marketers, our livelihood is one of the most prominently displayed industries online, making us targets for a lot of hate.
So rather than return the hate, we opted to appreciate.
Playing off the wildly popular Mean Tweets segment from The Jimmy Kimmel Show, we pulled together a handful of B2B Marketing Forum speakers to read mean tweets about marketing, marketers, or themselves!
Take a look:
And, of course, when dealing with online hate and trolls, you should observe some best-practices...
1. Don't feed the trolls
If it's not a legitimate concern, don't play into the trap. It's not worth your time and only legitimizes the efforts of someone who will never add value to your brand, or your life in general. Just. Don't. Do it.
2. Respond calmly and professionally
If it is a legitimate concern, take the time to breathe. Even if that means taking a walk away from your desk, don't let loose a gut reaction. Online screaming matches never end well. For anyone. A simple Google search can show you the outcomes of brands and marketers that have tried. You're not as clever as you think you are when you're angry.
3. Bounce your response off an objective party
When responding to something that just spiked your blood pressure a bit, never fire off a response without letting someone else read it first. Sure, you may have thought it was a calculated and unassailable response, but it might actually make you look bad.
4. Consider the perceptions of onlookers
Though it does happen on occasion, people will not typically take the side of a brand in an online battle. A reasoned and cordial response to someone can make a world of a difference to someone else who might be stumbling upon your brand for the first time. Be the bigger person.
5. Don't take it personally
You would honestly be surprised how often something just catches someone on a bad day/week/month/life. Be empathetic. You may not only turn a situation around but also end up strengthening the relationship with complainers once they've calmed down themselves. I've seen it happen on numerous occasions, especially in online reviews.
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As fellow marketers, we get you. We know what your day-to-day is like. And so do the other attendees at the B2B Marketing Forum this year. Come hang out in Boston with awesome people. Your people. And trade success stories over a drink at our B2B After Dark event at House of Blues Boston!
Keep doing the good work.
