Hi, this is Chris Abraham and I am an owner of Abraham Harrison and this post sucks. While this post was originally written on Jan 7, 2011 at 18:09 by our brand new blogger Geri, we do have editorial constraints and this not only breaks the editorial standards of Abraham Harrison, of Marketing Conversation, but also everything that is right and good in the world.
I am sorry.
We’re not going to use Geri any more and I don’t really trust my current editor to edit this blog anymore because it is obvious from the article that nobody actually read this article before transitioning it from Draft to Published.
There was a severe dereliction of duty that sort of made me, my company, and this blog pretty much a laughing stock and the target or derision.
My first reaction was to bring it down. Maybe nobody saw it. My second reaction was to keep it down. Maybe nobody saw it. By the time I saw it, Olivier Blanchard and four other folks had already commented and asked if the blogger was indeed drunk.
Everybody assumes the blog is written by me, even though the writer is very clear. I guess because I RT the articles and post them to my FB wall. I don’t think acerbic humor is always — or even often — the best way, but putting your head in the sand surely doesn’t work.
I am lucky that I had breakfast with someone who knows Olivier and knows the cool kids so I had some insight that there was major derision being perpetrated on my behalf in some group or another, so I needed to address it directly and do my best to disarm it. Address and disarm. Each one is very case-specific.
Because I like to think I have a sense of humor, I am going to openly mock this post as a way for me to process my intense shame and humiliation as both a man and a writer. To be honest, autoblogs and splogs do a better job using RSS and random algorithms.
If my editor wasn’t so amazing at so many other things in the company, his head would roll, that’s for sure. Instead, we’ll just have to sort something else out.
First of all, I personally commissioned this article, so my editor and the blogger should really have taken this task dead seriously. I never saw the article before it was posted.
Secondly, the article is supposed to paint both our CEO, Mark Harrison, and our company, services, and business model, in a most excellent light.
Finally, this article tangles with the social media old guard as well as one of the most respected members, a man I respect, appreciate and fear, Mr. Olivier Blanchard — this article would surely attract the attention of Olivier and all of our peers and colleagues.
What’s more, now that this blog has ascended to #112 on the AdAge Power 150, people are actually reading it and this isn’t just like sort of chatting to oneself in the in the mirror in the morning — people are actually paying attention.
Well, that said, I am going to mock this article right along with you…
OK, here’s the article, originally named Alice in NeverLand:
Obviously, there is something wrong with the title. Obviously, Alice doesn’t belong in Neverland; and with regards to using Social Media as a means to promote products and services, a Firm’s President, or a CEO establishing business relationships to his clients through actual and personal exchanges of online LOL’s and pokes is actually, well, obviously wrong.
That made my head hurt. I don’t even know what that means.
As a President or as the Chief Executive of any multimillion dollar enterprise who wishes to extend customer reach and consequently gain products and services promotion through the former, would you do this yourself when you can, and when you are very much able to trust a dedicated and a genuine Social Media and Digital PR expert like Abraham and Harisson to do this for you?
First-things-first, the blogger got our name wrong. Abraham Harrison LLC is the long form and Abraham Harrison is the short. Harrison is spelled with two-Rs and one S.
Secondly, one of the reasons why this blog, our promotional style, our blogger outreaches, our messaging, and our social media news releases (SMNRs) work is because we try to keep things open, honest, and editorial. Only the facts, ma’am. This entire post reeks of shameless self-promotion. We don’t allow used car salesmen in our client services team, we surely don’t need one writing for our blog.
Thirdly, That entire paragraph doesn’t mean anything either. It is simply a string of words, not unlike the sort of autobot and splog services offered by SEO and link propagation services. No wonder why, over breakfast the other day, a social media insider asked me if these posts were only for SEO. I wanted to say no, but how can I defend this stream of meaningless nouns, verbs, etc, that seem to me to be more like padding in a K-12 book report when you’re very low on your word count and need to get the work in before next period.
Can you really be “friends” with the magnitude of literally, a hundred thousand followers? No; of course not. You don’t have to really be friends with them. Business is not about that type of intimate friendship we know of. Business is business, so we say. Friendship in business means taking care of your current customers, and creating awareness to the uninformed ones about what you have to offer.
OK, this is where the story began and it actually makes me wonder what the previous paragraphs were for? This is the story. No, in social media, one doesn’t need to make friends.
Maybe with the elite but surely not with everyone. Additionally, most people who engage online with social networks and social media don’t want to date or to marry, they want something much more fleeting, much more transactional, and much more efficient — without the chance of feeling being hurt.
Plus, the way some social media managers gush, it can often blow back and result in embarrassment amongst some less chatty people and it can also end up feeling like all this chatting isn’t worth it in the end — that it might be better to just call the 800 numbers because at least those customer service people are rewarded, in most companies, for getting things done and getting off the phone and on to someone else (with the happy exception of Zappos).
From the comment of Mr. Mark Harrison himself to the post of Mr. Olivier Blanchard in his blog The Brand Bulider entitled Stating the Obvious:
The long and the short of it is that, actually, a company can successfully outsource the handling of client relationships in social media. We’ve got years of results and clear facts that show it. I know it offends your theory pretty directly, but the facts are facts, and it simply works – often better, and at lower cost than companies trying to handle the social media work in-house.
It’s good to draw up guidelines to help companies find their way in this new landscape, but when reality runs counter to the rules you make up, you have to adjust them accordingly. The fact is that the real world results show your rule #2 to be incorrect. so you should adjust that.
Here’s just one example of many I can provide – from a client who called us in originally because they were getting steamrolled with negativity in social media and needed to turn things around before it killed the public’s and their investors’ perceptions of them:
Here are some of the first year’s results:
- From an average of 5-10 strictly negative daily mentions on Twitter to 20-50 positive daily mentions and retweets reaching an average of over 122,000 people and making over 270,000 impressions a week
- More than 20,000% growth of Twitter followership: from 498 to over 100,000 followers
- From 3rd most followed company in their sector to 1st, with more Twitter followers than all of their competitors combined
- Over 45,000 Facebook Likes (starting from 0) and over 37,000 active users. From an average of 5-10 daily interactions on Facebook to over 175 daily interactions, and over 55,000 impressions a day (and all of this growing on a hockey-stick curve)
- Tripled blogosphere mentions in 10 months time
This is the premise that gave birth to Social Media Marketing, and outsourcing this to an experienced and a true blue expert like Abraham and Harisson is the best thing any dreamer can do.
Again, “Abraham and Harisson?” Seriously?
You can do in-house Social Media Marketing yourself; you can also be good in it, too. But there are people who are already better in doing this stuff, and the experts in Abraham and Harisson are some of (if not already) the best among them.
Again, shamefully self-promotional, heavy-handed, salesy, and, to be honest, very poorly-written. I am having a rare experience of giggling uncontrollably (nervous laughter or unbridled glee from amusement, I cannot tell) while grimacing and feeling my blood pressure spike. I am very confused and scared. Someone, please hold me!
The stuff below is double-block-quoted and is Mark’s stuff, so I will just let it be — he is my CEO after all — a little respect and professional courtesy:
Yes, some companies should consider doing their social media in-house. They should consider doing the search and hiring process, finding the techies, communications people, creatives, project managers, researchers, division executives, and perhaps foreign-language specialists to do the all the work. They should consider what it will take to train up all these folks and build out the infrastructure to support them. They should consider the timeline for all this to take place before they have a complete, coherent, effectively-functioning team in place, and the budget that build will take. They should consider the opportunity cost of the opps they are missing while they are pulling themselves together, and the risk that even with all this budget and effort, they don’t really know if the team they assemble is actually going to be knocking it out of the park when they finally get to work.
And, as an alternative, they should consider simply hiring an agency like ours for probably less than the cost of the one top exec they’re going to hire to spend all this budget to build up a new team. Then they know they have a team with a well-proven track record.
And… when it’s outsourced to an agency like ours, the risk is vastly lower. You know you have an effective team from the first day, and if one day the company decides they want to bring it in-house, they can call up and say, “Hey, it’s been great… we’re not re-upping the contract.” and they are free.
Outsourcing your Social Media to agencies is just about the best option there is. If you are sailing your way through the murky flood of competition, adding additional passengers to your Ark will just put you at the risk of sinking to abysmal depths.
So, from the J. M. Barrie Peter Pan analogy directly to the Old Testament Bible story of Noah. I am really confused here. The article should have been rejected for rework and then, after that was done, should have been edited for consistency and so forth. And, of course, since I requested it and because it reflects on the reputation of our CEO, it should have been vetted by someone in the C-Suite, right?
Mind you, we would really prefer being an open space. We have 35 people and we encourage them all to blog; however, isn’t it interesting how important it is, one grows and expands as a company, to vet, to edit, and to do QA? To quote Swingers, “Our baby’s all grown up.”
Social Media outsourcing agencies like Abraham and Harisson are the lifelines that save you when you call SOS. They make your customers happy. Happiness means satisfaction. Happiness and satisfaction means trust, and trust leads to loyalty. Yes, these can be attained in the hands of outsourced social media firms; and look, the fireworks spell R-O-I.
All true. Except the whole “Abraham and Harisson” tragedy. And that fact that it is also meaningless hyperbole and tripe. Aside from that, I really loved that one. More Mark:
And ROI?
- Unique Monthly Visitors for the client’s site went from 50 MM/month to 129 MM/month
- Client’s membership base grew from 500,000 to over 2 million
This is just one of our clients for whom we handle social media efforts – and not even the most impressive example, just the one I happened to have all the stats on hand for right this instant.
You see, Alice wears a blue dress, not a tattered green shirt and a pair of green pants. She fell down a hole when she was walking though the forest; she wasn’t the one who flew to Never Land and played with Wendy and Tinkerbell.
What? WTF? Huh? Best line ever since devil in a blue dress: “Alice wears a blue dress, not a tattered green shirt and a pair of green pants” — I don’t know what it means, but I know I am going to have it tattooed in cursive down my flank once I get to Las Vegas after I get really, really, drunk.
Your Social Media Presence is better when it is outsourced to legitimate and trusted agencies like Abraham and Harisson. It’s all about fitting the right figures in the shape sorter of Social Media Marketing. Not unless you want Peter Pan to save Alice from the Queen of Hearts and then live happily ever after- now that would be another seriously messed up story.
Wow, I guess the writer of this blog was committed to the analogy. To the point of a runaway train. Without every realizing that the man that was being featured was not Mr. Harisson but Mr. Harrison, the Chief Operating Officer.
I might be being really hard on the editor of Marketing Conversation and on the writer of this post; however, at the end of the day, the buck stops here with me. And it is my reputation on the line. So, it is I who must throw myself on my sword here. No blame game. I should have been more careful and more responsible about what was happening — and maybe I should make sure all of the posts should at least be passed through me via email so that I can at least give a final approval. At least for a little while. So, that’s what I will do.
From now on, there is more of a process. Our favorite MC blogger, Robin Pangilinan, will work with our editor to make sure the first round of edits are complete; then, I am going to make sure that each post goes through Priya, Ann, and/or me, via email — at least for now.
How does that sound? How do you do it? What do you do? What would you do in a situation like this?
Do you guys outsource blog writing too?
Do you guys outsource blog writing too?
Damn, I came here from Google looking for Tim Burton movies…
Damn, I came here from Google looking for Tim Burton movies…
Did you change the title or something? The first two sentences make no sense otherwise. Actually, that whole first paragraph is a bit of a mess. I’ve read it five times and I’m still not sure what you were trying to get at.
It would seem that you’re trying to say that relationships can be outsourced along with (as Olivier put it) ‘Research and intelligence, creative, implementing technologies, strategy, marketing, PR and advertising’.
While I think there’s something to Mr. Harisson’s claim that conversations & customer service can be outsourced, relationships are another matter.
To put it simply: if a client stops employing Harisson Abraham, who owns the community? The relationships that community managers (and other public-facing roles) built – would they go with Harisson Abrahams? or the individuals who built them? or the client? Would Harisson Abraham pass over all of the knowledge that forms the basis of a business relationship? or would the client be expected to have to ‘rediscover’ everything? Until you can tell me who “owns” a relationship, it’s hard to believe that you can transfer it.
As a customer? I want to know who I’m investing my time, effort, and energy in. Who “owns” the relationship with me?
Did you change the title or something? The first two sentences make no sense otherwise. Actually, that whole first paragraph is a bit of a mess. I’ve read it five times and I’m still not sure what you were trying to get at.
It would seem that you’re trying to say that relationships can be outsourced along with (as Olivier put it) ‘Research and intelligence, creative, implementing technologies, strategy, marketing, PR and advertising’.
While I think there’s something to Mr. Harisson’s claim that conversations & customer service can be outsourced, relationships are another matter.
To put it simply: if a client stops employing Harisson Abraham, who owns the community? The relationships that community managers (and other public-facing roles) built – would they go with Harisson Abrahams? or the individuals who built them? or the client? Would Harisson Abraham pass over all of the knowledge that forms the basis of a business relationship? or would the client be expected to have to ‘rediscover’ everything? Until you can tell me who “owns” a relationship, it’s hard to believe that you can transfer it.
As a customer? I want to know who I’m investing my time, effort, and energy in. Who “owns” the relationship with me?
This post has me lost. Are you being a proponent for customers to outsource everything? I ask because if you think about it, you probably hate when your customer service calls get shifted to an out of country place that is outsourced. So turn that to social media or content and relationship building. How would that come across. As a customer I would be pretty pissed and think that it is not sustainable for a company to build meaningful relationships.
This post has me lost. Are you being a proponent for customers to outsource everything? I ask because if you think about it, you probably hate when your customer service calls get shifted to an out of country place that is outsourced. So turn that to social media or content and relationship building. How would that come across. As a customer I would be pretty pissed and think that it is not sustainable for a company to build meaningful relationships.
Were you drinking when you wrote this? You might want to get the name of the company you’re pimping right. LMAO!!
Luckily, I didn’t write it, thank God. But that it got through what I though was an editorial firewall sort of makes me sick. So, I went ahead and went to work on the article. No editing or deleting but some serious commentary. Maybe I should start drinking.
Were you drinking when you wrote this? You might want to get the name of the company you’re pimping right. LMAO!!
Luckily, I didn’t write it, thank God. But that it got through what I though was an editorial firewall sort of makes me sick. So, I went ahead and went to work on the article. No editing or deleting but some serious commentary. Maybe I should start drinking.
I know it took me a while to respond but to be honest I was whatever was ten-times more than beside myself. So, I took the bull by the horns after meeting with the lovely and wise Kami Watson Huyse for breakfast and recognizing the level of derision I was getting way behind my back wherever the cool kids deride. So, instead of running and hiding, I thought I would take my medicine and get into the pillory stocks and encourage the rotten tomatoes and cabbage from the villagers. I hope this even approached mea maxima culpa; or, if not, then I hope it amuses just a little.
I know it took me a while to respond but to be honest I was whatever was ten-times more than beside myself. So, I took the bull by the horns after meeting with the lovely and wise Kami Watson Huyse for breakfast and recognizing the level of derision I was getting way behind my back wherever the cool kids deride. So, instead of running and hiding, I thought I would take my medicine and get into the pillory stocks and encourage the rotten tomatoes and cabbage from the villagers. I hope this even approached mea maxima culpa; or, if not, then I hope it amuses just a little.
If you need good writers who spell your company name properly, let me know. We’re out there if you really must outsource. :)
If you need good writers who spell your company name properly, let me know. We’re out there if you really must outsource. :)
Hey there Chris,
Kudos to you for MTFU (I have no idea what the verb option of that would be!) and realizing someone had made your company look less than stellar. Extra kudos for doing it with great humour – not many would, and that says a lot about you and the rest of your company.
Cheers, sir, for a Saturday evening chuckle. :)
Hey there Chris,
Kudos to you for MTFU (I have no idea what the verb option of that would be!) and realizing someone had made your company look less than stellar. Extra kudos for doing it with great humour – not many would, and that says a lot about you and the rest of your company.
Cheers, sir, for a Saturday evening chuckle. :)
Umm, agreed?
Love you Chris, but your new title – “This is the by far the worst blog post ever” (isn’t that its third rev?) – has one too many uses of “the” in it.
Well, at least you get to hang out with smarties like Kami and me on occasion ;)
Umm, agreed?
Love you Chris, but your new title – “This is the by far the worst blog post ever” (isn’t that its third rev?) – has one too many uses of “the” in it.
Well, at least you get to hang out with smarties like Kami and me on occasion ;)
“Harrison is spelled with two-Rs and one S”
Okay, see, I went back and changed all of mine to the alter-ego Harisson and thought “what an unusual spelling.” Then I double checked after hitting submit and thought “well, at least I committed to one.” So we will have to give Geri this, at least she committed to one as well.
And you, Chris, have made my day with your deft handling of your own ‘brand crisis.’ Humor is good. Please don’t tattoo that fashion-metaphor-gone-horribly-wrong anywhere, ever!
At some point though? I’m so going to make you answer that question about who owns the community! ;)
Kudos to (as Danny put it) ‘manning the f’up’ with this.
“Harrison is spelled with two-Rs and one S”
Okay, see, I went back and changed all of mine to the alter-ego Harisson and thought “what an unusual spelling.” Then I double checked after hitting submit and thought “well, at least I committed to one.” So we will have to give Geri this, at least she committed to one as well.
And you, Chris, have made my day with your deft handling of your own ‘brand crisis.’ Humor is good. Please don’t tattoo that fashion-metaphor-gone-horribly-wrong anywhere, ever!
At some point though? I’m so going to make you answer that question about who owns the community! ;)
Kudos to (as Danny put it) ‘manning the f’up’ with this.
Great way to handle a challenge head-on. Many a company could benefit from this PR and marketing lesson! I appreciate the humor as well.
Great way to handle a challenge head-on. Many a company could benefit from this PR and marketing lesson! I appreciate the humor as well.
Well played sir. Thanks for taking my gentle chiding (in person no less) in stride.
I appreciate that you don’t get defensive. And breakfast was fun. Live and learn, as they say…
Kami
Well played sir. Thanks for taking my gentle chiding (in person no less) in stride.
I appreciate that you don’t get defensive. And breakfast was fun. Live and learn, as they say…
Kami
I have to give you credit for handling this well, quickly, and with a great sense of humour.
I read the original post after Olivier Tweeted it and I can assure you that I was confused by it and wrote it off as being written by someone who forgot to take their medicine.
Know that I have an understanding of what happened and that it will be fixed, I won’t hesitate to write off your blog next time I see someone post it.
I have to give you credit for handling this well, quickly, and with a great sense of humour.
I read the original post after Olivier Tweeted it and I can assure you that I was confused by it and wrote it off as being written by someone who forgot to take their medicine.
Know that I have an understanding of what happened and that it will be fixed, I won’t hesitate to write off your blog next time I see someone post it.
I have to hand it to you. You couldn’t have picked a better title for this post!
I have to hand it to you. You couldn’t have picked a better title for this post!
Thanks guys.
Thanks guys.
Pingback: Would I have done this? | Yahooey's Blog
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Yeah, really, the worst part that you didn’t even mention is that the writer really just seemed to stick to Disney renditions of such characters like Alice and Peter. For realz?!?
As always, listening to wise, trusted advisers like Ms Kami and speaking up to clear the air is just the best thing. You rock.
Yeah, really, the worst part that you didn’t even mention is that the writer really just seemed to stick to Disney renditions of such characters like Alice and Peter. For realz?!?
As always, listening to wise, trusted advisers like Ms Kami and speaking up to clear the air is just the best thing. You rock.
Sometimes if it is a personal thinking that we are sharing then best is that you write it yourself. There is no one better to express your thinking than you for yourself.
I would agree on your step Chris – you do need to clarify ; more so on our Social Media landscape. …
Has there been a response from the writer of the infamous post?
Thanks for this am going to share this on my Business Page.
Sometimes if it is a personal thinking that we are sharing then best is that you write it yourself. There is no one better to express your thinking than you for yourself.
I would agree on your step Chris – you do need to clarify ; more so on our Social Media landscape. …
Has there been a response from the writer of the infamous post?
Thanks for this am going to share this on my Business Page.
I’ll be honest, I had to read this article twice to grasp what was happening. The first time I read it I thought it was all made up (I missed Olivier’s Tweet about the original) and laughed hysterically the whole way through it. Then I read the comments and had to re-read it through a different filter. I still laughed, but I understood what was going on.
I agree with the above-mentioned comments and think this approach was quite brave. We all talk about tackling social media issues head on and that’s just what you did. Kudos.
(BTW, if this by any chance way an elaborate ruse, starting with a purposely, poorly written post and then this follow-up, I applaud you.)
I’ll be honest, I had to read this article twice to grasp what was happening. The first time I read it I thought it was all made up (I missed Olivier’s Tweet about the original) and laughed hysterically the whole way through it. Then I read the comments and had to re-read it through a different filter. I still laughed, but I understood what was going on.
I agree with the above-mentioned comments and think this approach was quite brave. We all talk about tackling social media issues head on and that’s just what you did. Kudos.
(BTW, if this by any chance way an elaborate ruse, starting with a purposely, poorly written post and then this follow-up, I applaud you.)
I think owning the mistake and being this up front about it is the best way to go. Save the original post though because it makes a fantastic example of writing missteps in general.
I think owning the mistake and being this up front about it is the best way to go. Save the original post though because it makes a fantastic example of writing missteps in general.
Not sure why you are getting props, to be honest. It was terrible that the original post went up (seen here http://imgur.com/EIw9I) but even worse was you blaming your writer, editor, and distancing yourself from it. Honestly, not sure what to think, except that this is sloppy and Olivier was right.
Not sure why you are getting props, to be honest. It was terrible that the original post went up (seen here http://imgur.com/EIw9I) but even worse was you blaming your writer, editor, and distancing yourself from it. Honestly, not sure what to think, except that this is sloppy and Olivier was right.
http://imgur.com/EIw9I
http://imgur.com/EIw9I
Thanks, Ted. The article is exactly intact, I just added lots and lots of editorialization — not one line was removed.
Thanks, Ted. The article is exactly intact, I just added lots and lots of editorialization — not one line was removed.
Well, Ted, you’re not being 100% transparent now are you? Not 100% clear with who you and all that lovely stuff, mate. That would actually put you in a much more fine position.
Well, Ted, you’re not being 100% transparent now are you? Not 100% clear with who you and all that lovely stuff, mate. That would actually put you in a much more fine position.
Ha ha, even better, you’re buzzing along with tedWilliams@gmail.com — Mr. Goldenvoice himself. Brill. Very brave. So courageous, mate! :)
Ha ha, even better, you’re buzzing along with tedWilliams@gmail.com — Mr. Goldenvoice himself. Brill. Very brave. So courageous, mate! :)
Oh, and PS — this whole thing was a fiasco. It was 100% messy. Instead of bringing the post down — which I did — I took the lemon and tried to make some semblance of amusing lemonade. So, why not blame the blogger and blame the editor? Neither of them have done anything as mea culpa. At the end of the day, I took responsibility of it, took it by the horns, had a bit of a laugh, got to continue to flirt with Mr. Blanchard, addressed the derision that was happening in back channels, and quite amused myself all in the end. At the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Someone’s laughing, my Lord, cumbaya; someone’s crying, my Lord, cumbayah; oh Lord, kumbaya.
Oh, and PS — this whole thing was a fiasco. It was 100% messy. Instead of bringing the post down — which I did — I took the lemon and tried to make some semblance of amusing lemonade. So, why not blame the blogger and blame the editor? Neither of them have done anything as mea culpa. At the end of the day, I took responsibility of it, took it by the horns, had a bit of a laugh, got to continue to flirt with Mr. Blanchard, addressed the derision that was happening in back channels, and quite amused myself all in the end. At the end of the day, isn’t that what it’s all about?
Someone’s laughing, my Lord, cumbaya; someone’s crying, my Lord, cumbayah; oh Lord, kumbaya.
“Instead of bringing the post down — which I did — I took the lemon and tried to make some semblance of amusing lemonade”
Instead of doing that one thing, I did that one thing … WTF are you talking about? This is the strangest situation I’ve ever seen unfold. How are you in the AdAge Power 150? Used to read this blog semi-regularly despite it being mostly regurgitations of other people’s content, now I just wonder about your quality control, or lack thereof.
“Instead of bringing the post down — which I did — I took the lemon and tried to make some semblance of amusing lemonade”
Instead of doing that one thing, I did that one thing … WTF are you talking about? This is the strangest situation I’ve ever seen unfold. How are you in the AdAge Power 150? Used to read this blog semi-regularly despite it being mostly regurgitations of other people’s content, now I just wonder about your quality control, or lack thereof.
What’s the saying, Chris? Don’t feed the trolls.
What’s the saying, Chris? Don’t feed the trolls.
Well, I hadn’t seen it, Ted-the-Troll, then I saw it. At first it was called “Alice in NeverLand” and then I am like, “that is a terrible name for a post!” So I renamed it “Why Outsourcing Social Media Marketing is the Right Choice” because I am trying to teach my team that having a short, pithy post title doesn’t work because sometimes a descriptive title is all I have — so the title needs to be descriptive and not “Alice in NeverLand.” Then, a couple days later, I saw all the comments and flipped. I finally read the post through and GAH! The very next day I had breakfast here in Houston with Kami and she was sharing the Majorly Exceptional but Behind-Closed-Doors feeding frenzy and hoping that maybe I could not only cut off the double-secret behind-my-back derision but also maybe have a good laugh as well.
PPS: You’re right, I did blame my writer, editor, and distanced myself from it but with a spring in my step and and joy in my heart.
Sort of a judo self-empowerment, taking control of the situation, and having a laugh sort of thing.
Sort of like the social media online reputation management version of reactive armor, “a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened long rod penetrators.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_armour
Having fun yet?
Well, I hadn’t seen it, Ted-the-Troll, then I saw it. At first it was called “Alice in NeverLand” and then I am like, “that is a terrible name for a post!” So I renamed it “Why Outsourcing Social Media Marketing is the Right Choice” because I am trying to teach my team that having a short, pithy post title doesn’t work because sometimes a descriptive title is all I have — so the title needs to be descriptive and not “Alice in NeverLand.” Then, a couple days later, I saw all the comments and flipped. I finally read the post through and GAH! The very next day I had breakfast here in Houston with Kami and she was sharing the Majorly Exceptional but Behind-Closed-Doors feeding frenzy and hoping that maybe I could not only cut off the double-secret behind-my-back derision but also maybe have a good laugh as well.
PPS: You’re right, I did blame my writer, editor, and distanced myself from it but with a spring in my step and and joy in my heart.
Sort of a judo self-empowerment, taking control of the situation, and having a laugh sort of thing.
Sort of like the social media online reputation management version of reactive armor, “a type of vehicle armour that reacts in some way to the impact of a weapon to reduce the damage done to the vehicle being protected. It is most effective in protecting against shaped charges and specially hardened long rod penetrators.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_armour
Having fun yet?
Don’t sweat it Chris. No one is infallible and you’ve turned this into an interesting case study. Soldier on.
Don’t sweat it Chris. No one is infallible and you’ve turned this into an interesting case study. Soldier on.
Thanks, Frank.
Thanks, Frank.
Chris – A lot of people would have pulled the “delete and deny” technique but you showed some bravery and owned it. Plus, I think you’re taking it too hard on yourself. Stuff happens, man. This is a landscape with no map and no road signs. In other news, it looks like your Power150 ranking has increased during this sequence of events, so, like, the marketing gods have your back. (You mentioned you were at #112 in your post and now your sidebar badge shows #111.) Keep on keeping on, my friend.
Chris – A lot of people would have pulled the “delete and deny” technique but you showed some bravery and owned it. Plus, I think you’re taking it too hard on yourself. Stuff happens, man. This is a landscape with no map and no road signs. In other news, it looks like your Power150 ranking has increased during this sequence of events, so, like, the marketing gods have your back. (You mentioned you were at #112 in your post and now your sidebar badge shows #111.) Keep on keeping on, my friend.
This has to be one of the best straw men advertising posts I’ve seen in ages, well done! The technique is simple, apparently quasi-believable, yet effective.
Step 1. Make a bogus post which drives home all your major USP’s, sprinkled with ‘errors’, written/approved by a fictional author/editor.
Step 2. Sacrifice the fictional character, burning them at the stake as your shred their errors.
Step 3. Be sure to emphasize the USP’s again, while you appear to be targeting the ‘errors’.
Step 4. Make fun of yourself, your company, your staff. We all know that self-derision and admitting mistakes is a great way to build loyalty, if done right.
Definitely a home-run post. Pity I don’t believe anything of the kind actually happened, but do believe the 4 step straw man you built and tore down was done very well, kudos!
This has to be one of the best straw men advertising posts I’ve seen in ages, well done! The technique is simple, apparently quasi-believable, yet effective.
Step 1. Make a bogus post which drives home all your major USP’s, sprinkled with ‘errors’, written/approved by a fictional author/editor.
Step 2. Sacrifice the fictional character, burning them at the stake as your shred their errors.
Step 3. Be sure to emphasize the USP’s again, while you appear to be targeting the ‘errors’.
Step 4. Make fun of yourself, your company, your staff. We all know that self-derision and admitting mistakes is a great way to build loyalty, if done right.
Definitely a home-run post. Pity I don’t believe anything of the kind actually happened, but do believe the 4 step straw man you built and tore down was done very well, kudos!
I am happy you don’t believe that Geri’s post is authentic because that means that you fancy me super-savvy — an Evil Genius of sorts. And for that, I will indulge any conspiracy that makes this blog, my writer, my editor, and me appear much more intentional. Cheers!
I am happy you don’t believe that Geri’s post is authentic because that means that you fancy me super-savvy — an Evil Genius of sorts. And for that, I will indulge any conspiracy that makes this blog, my writer, my editor, and me appear much more intentional. Cheers!
there is a reason why people hire professional writers and pay them a decent wage (well, some do). given how most blogs pay, however, it’s amazing they’re even written in english.
funny response, btw. but the best way to avoid this sort of thing happening again is to hire someone who does this for a living and pay them well. and yes I am one. for enough money I’ll even use proper capitalization. ;)
cheers
dt
there is a reason why people hire professional writers and pay them a decent wage (well, some do). given how most blogs pay, however, it’s amazing they’re even written in english.
funny response, btw. but the best way to avoid this sort of thing happening again is to hire someone who does this for a living and pay them well. and yes I am one. for enough money I’ll even use proper capitalization. ;)
cheers
dt
You failed the interview, Dan, with your ee cummings schtick. Next?
You failed the interview, Dan, with your ee cummings schtick. Next?