The Number 1 reason Jamaican companies are scared of Social Media

Social Media and all its multiple touch points (Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, social networks,share buttons and f=Forums) scares some Jamaican companies. They are afraid to put their company and its products and services up to public scrutiny. “What do we do with all the negative comments ?” -This is the most popular response I’ve heard over the last year from some company executives as they’ve assumed that is all they will get . The two other typical responses have been “Why do we have to be so directly connected to people online ? ” , and “Ok ok so if we are really going to place ourselves out there who is going to manage it ?”

Let me address the # 1 reason Jamaican companies are scared of going online and using Social Media.

What do we do with all those negative comments?
This is just fear right ? or is it that the company realises that their products and services, are not where they should be and they are just afraid of people telling it to their social media faces on twitter, in forums and on Facebook. As we now know, consumers are always talking about your brand, company, products and services anyway, offline and online. It’s just that what they are saying, negative or positive, now spreads faster and to more people than ever before, because they are spending more time online and using all those share it tools they have at their fingertips.

The point companies need to understand howeve,r is that consumers are not doing anything new, they are just doing it in a different space, faster, better and sharing it with alot more people. And yes and that’s scary isn’t it? So I get it, companies feel out of control.

They are so used to building a product, getting a focus group to agree with it, putting it out there and then swamping the market with buy-it-now advertising on television, radio and in the newspapers and magazines. That’s called PUSH marketing. The company rationale was,the more we PUSH it into their faces, the more they’ll remember and then eventually they will go buy it.

Consumers are now in control, they get to cherry pick.

Now because consumers have greater access to information, have a wider range of choices available to them, they can now research your company, product or services, get details, seek recommendations from friends, and if your product or service is in di runnings, is part of that social mind share you win, if not , well your goose is cooked.

Consumers are now in control, they get to cherry pick, PULL to them what they like, what their friends say they like, so it’s up to companies to provide the brightest, sweetest cherry possible so they get selected and bought. So the back patting and I-have no-other-choice-but-to-buy-this kind of sale days have ended for the smug, non-evolving and average company. Yippee for consumers. Boohoo for some companies.

So What?!
And again I argue, so what if you get negative comments, how about the adage of constructive criticism makes your stronger. Negative comments can also be seen as great feedback, like free market research, consumers sharing with you what they don’t like and also what they do want, who knows you could get a great product or service idea from a negative comment.

Unsolicited Advice
So my unsolicited advice to Jamaican companies tentative about going online and jumping into social media marketing and online advertising is:

1. Get over yourselves this is the way of the new world, this global digital marketplace and yes you are out of control, the consumers have the reigns now, so get used to it and love it up as I told my CARIMAC PR and Marketing Manager students a month ago. Smart companies listen and let the consumers lead them to the new promise land.

2. Know Before You Go. Approach going online and going into the social media space as you would anything else-Know Before You Go-do your research before you spend a dime. Go to Facebook and Twitter and use the Search facility generously. Set up Google Alerts. Consult with Google Trends. Go to local, regional directories, forums, blogs and just listen and observe initially.

3. Seek professionals, not some el cheapo negro, someone with an accent and the glossy gift of gab or worse your 16 year old son or niece…unless of course you would allow them to run your company.

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