If the wind blows is your "Social Platform" prepared for a Social Crisis?

It often feels that the tendency for a crisis to occur varies in proportion to how well a business is prepared for it. But the fact is, no matter how unlikely you think it is to happen, social media marketing can have a huge impact on your reputation if you are not prepared.  2015 is almost over and in 2016, burying your head in the sand and ignoring social media is simply not an option.

Social media is the current hype, especially Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. However, without proper preparation and organization of your digital marketing presence, social media marketing can lead to disaster. Don’t look at social media marketing as an isolated “channel”, but as a crucial component that integrates with your overall business marketing strategy.

A few important tasks for social media setup are:

·         Set up social media sites

·         Set up reasonable automations

·         Set up analysis to support performance measurements

·         Definition of responsibilities and communication guidelines for you and your employees

·         Technical integration of your social media communication into your customer support service

You want to be available when your customers contact you, wherever they are!

This reminds me of a story I was once shared about being prepared and it has stuck with me throughout my career. 

Here is how it was told:

Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man. Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work.

Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows." Enraged by the old man's response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

MORAL of the Story: When you're prepared mentally you have nothing to fear….things will happen but you can’t sit back and wait…you have to deliver!

Can you sleep when the wind blows when you end each day?

The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm.  He was planned and prepared…are you?  Better yet, is your "Social Media Marketing"?