Yesterday I attended the Creativity and Technology Conference and got to see a ton of great panels/speakers. I’m convinced that CaT is the new (& better) SXSW. All the tweets you read were true 
One thing that particularly stuck out to me was a panel’s reference to the “lightning rod effect,” when people with large followings start talking about you/your brand, causing others to do the same. In some cases the chaos that comes from it can be good (”we had so many people visit our site that the server went down” isn’t such a bad problem to have), but more often than not people express their POV when they’re angry or have an issue with your brand. And in those instances, the mobs tend to attack.
So if the mobs attack, what can you do to come out on top?
- Thicken your skin. Sometimes the comments will be accurate, while others will be a bit silly. While it may feel personal, especially if you’re the founder or CEO of the brand, step back and toughen up.
- Acknowledge their comments. Even if you can’t fix the problem immediately, publicly recognize the fact that you’re getting an influx of comments and are looking into the situation or a possible solution.
- Don’t shut people out. Break down the communication barriers and really let your consumers and fans know what is going on. If the solution is taking longer than expected, acknowledge that. If you’re struggling to fix the problem, ask for input from your fans. While it may seem harder for bigger corporations, this is the most crucial bit.
- Be transparent. Now isn’t the time for marketing speak. Instead, pull them closer and appeal to human nature. Give consumers a reasonable and honest answer. If you can’t fix their problem, explain why to the best of your ability and recommend alternatives.
While it may seem like an uphill battle, it doesn’t have to end badly – In fact, this panel argued that often times, it may build an even tighter-knit community.