Mercury Grove

Is Your Company "doing" Social Media? Don’t Be Inappropriate & Creepy

By: Scott Annan

Companies are flocking to social media in droves trying to figure out how to “get in on the action” of what’s happening online.  Some are finding a good balance, but most are (literally) very socially awkward.  Consider the following scenarios – I hope your company isn’t involved in this kind of “social networking”

Inappropriate Party Guy

I announce that I’m having an open house party on Friday.  You show up at my front door where I welcome you and offer you a beer.  As we walk towards the kitchen, through the living room, you notice “the guy” in the corner who has setup a display and is handing out glossy brochures promoting his business.

You find this odd.

You may ask “hey – what’s with that guy in the corner?”.  And I respond “oh, I don’t know.  It’s an open party and I guess that’s what that guy does at parties”.

Should companies even BE on facebook?  It’s a social network, and I understand you want to be everywhere your potential customers are, but they just may not want you there.  I don’t do keg stands in your boardroom, don’t sell to me on Facebook.

Now, If you have a genuine social cause you’re promoting, I might be interested, but don’t drape a thin veil over your marketing to try to trick me into buying stuff (or I might oust you on Twitter, Quora, or GetSatisfaction and keep your shiny new social media consultant busy for weeks trying to bury my comments on Google).

Creepy Connection

Five years ago I didn’t think it would be possible for CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to get a worse reputation.  Turns out I was wrong.  The new breed of “social CRM” applications border on spying and are a serious invasion of privacy.  My facebook updates, tweets, and other social activities are the way that I connect with other human beings… socially.  That companies are turning what I say into sales prospects is undermining and inappropriate – I wasn’t talking to you.

CRM applications have always had standard inputs for a customer’s birthday and spouse & kids names.  It’s not cool to call me and ask me how my wife “Lisa” is doing and whether my son “Jimmy” is in little league unless you’ve met Lisa and Jimmy or we have the type of relationship that you don’t need to look it up.  That’s crappy.  But asking me how my trip to Miami was last week and if I ended up going to that cool new restaurant downtown on the weekend (because you read it on twitter) is worse.  It’s creepy.

The Bottom Line

I know the CEO is reading all about Facebook and Twitter and is pushing to get the company out there.  But don’t show up to the party with the wrong intentions, be transparent, and don’t use my personal information to pretend we’re closer than we really are.

Disclaimer: Some organizations ARE being transparent, offering social value, and legitimately participating in people’s social life.  They’re focusing on the social part and most were involved in “social causes” before Facebook was invented.

• Posted: March 30, 2011
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