Last week I was leading a training session to an eclectic group on damage control in the social sphere where I was talking to the attendees about the importance of formulating a plan and getting management buy-in before troubles happen. If not, the risk of a knee-jerk response, especially by non-internet savvy types, or a heavy handed approach on open, 3rd party social media platforms could lead to some embarrassing repercussions. Like what happened with Nestle where they got in a shouting match with the internet, and lost. It happened last spring, but it was covered a bit this month over on the Perception People blog.
A good example of a  series of pre-planned responses is in the form of a triage flow chart prepared by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which was highlighted in a post on SOCIALFish blog. Author Maddie Grant also listed 5 valid points she gleaned from the chart, but I suggest you add get buy in from the highest levels so when you have to put it in action folks don’t lose their nerve. This is a good write up on a timely topic, “what do I do when….” discussions always come up when I am addressing management about to undertake a concentrated social media effort. As Maddie mentions, this is a good visual, and is useful if tailored for each organization.
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