Letting go of control
Sometimes, those of us who habitually spread ourselves too thin over too many things have to let go.
We like to feel like we are in control in business, life, and relationships. We micro manage the details to the extreme. And because of this dedication to detail we seem to be successful.
It’s an illusion
The ‘control’ we think we have is an illusion. We think we are on the right path with our life and career, that we have the reigns of destiny.
One drunk driver, one heart attack, one stray bullet can bring our well crafted, well intended futures crumbling down around us. Often it’s not until then, when we are left to sift through the rubble, that we realize we never had control in the first place.
I have control of my brand, and my business
No you don’t. With the wide-spread acceptance of social media as a means of communication, a business can no longer hide behind the illusion that it’s in control of its brand by choosing to moderate comments or by choosing not be on social media at all.
Deleting negative posts
When a brand decides to maintain brand reputation by deleting negative feedback, let’s say for example on their Facebook fan page, they assume they are controlling the conversation. The problem is that the conversation stops between the brand and the consumer and continues consumer to consumer.
People will continue to speak about good and bad service that your brand has provided even if you are not willing to participate.
5 things to consider before you decide
to promote your brand online:
- Are you willing to give up control?
- Are you prepared to deal with negative feedback?
- Do you have a purpose?
- What are your goals?
- What are you willing to risk?
If you’ve not thought through your goals and laid out a plan that fits your purpose, then you’d better be willing to risk it all.