modern day graffiti

i have been bleating on for years that your website is your piece of real estate, online. it's been the best way for me to explain it. these are the highways we all travel along, hoping the road also brings a customer to our door.

this is still true - but it's far more complex.

social websites have created more highways, more ways and you are far more visible. and that makes you far more vulnerable.

if we consider the giants for a moment - telstra, macdonalds, bonds, and vegemite recently to name a few... if these guys ever step out of line with their public, the public soon let it be known to them (think major brand having to pull a product off a shelf because of public backlash). therefore customer service is premium however they would still regularly take a battering. the response from the public comes in via word of mouth, letters to the editor and more recently via social media. the power of the community voice is only just being realised and unleashed (ie we have just begun).

so, when this translates to a small business, what does it mean to them? well, - you are right, the same can happen. a small business may not have been the target of a letter to the editor previously, however they may have had their retail shop front vandalised, a window broken, a paint smattering because someone has taken offense and the law into their own hands or simply been the subject of malicious gossip (WOM).

the modern day graffiti is of course a combination of malicious gossip, comments via our facebook statuses (that only friends see sure... however...), talking (word of mouth is still the almighty powerful), to setting up facebook groups, blogging, etc etc etc.

so, be careful, if you are online in business remember you are at all times vulnerable.

why do you think politicians dont allow you to write on their wall? i disagree with this by the way? is it because they are afraid of the questions that may be raised? or simply they are too lazy to answer?

why do you think there is a facebook group called "Real men don't cheat on, lie to, or abuse woman" that you cant write, contact, upload a foto or do anything with? It has over 604,000 fans so its name alone has inspired something (i dont mind that you cant interact with that one... it's purpose is there as a statement only).

so, think about what your business is. consider when setting up a facebook group that you allow access as appropriate. interaction is not just about the good... its the whole picture, good with the bad, honest with the not-so and you should be willing to respond and answer everything. otherwise - why do you have that wall open for business?

happy to interact...