From time to time I hear talk of bad bloggers – bloggers who coerce money or favors from business. This is nothing new. These rumors crop from time to time and to be honest such storied does not only cover bloggers but goes across the whole section of media – digital, print, radi and television. This is one of the reasons Code of Ethics and Good Practices have been set-up and codified. Still as sure as the Sun will rise and fall tomorrow, one often hear of a person or business that has been abused, bullied or coerced by such and such persons.
In this post let us concentrate on bloggers.
Let us say one has a business, a restaurant, a coffee shop, a laundry shop or factory. How do you bullet-proof yourself against such persons or practices?
1. BULLET-PROOF YOUR BUSINESS, BRAND WITH A GOOD PRODUCT AND GOOD PRACTICES.
(i) Make sure you have a good product;
(ii)Make sure you provide good service before and after sales;
(iii) If you have a store or restaurant or an office make sure you have adequate, neat and clean facilities for your patrons;
and (iv) Always keep a cool demeanor.
2. KNOW THE BLOGGER
(i) Not all bloggers are alike. Not all are in it for the money and business.
(ii)The Different Type of Bloggers who deal with Business:
(a) Consumer and Prosumer Bloggers
There are bloggers who will go to your business to sample the service or to test a product and they would be satisfied with that. They may or may not write about your product.
There are some bloggers that have this sense of self-entitlement. A bad habit picked up from past encounters with other business and some pr companies. Such bloggers often demand things above and beyond what is called for any business. A gentle No would be best way to deal with such demands.
(b) Bloggers invited by PR and Marketing Firms
There are bloggers who will be tapped by pr and marketing firms to sample your products or services. Again, whatever the pr or marketing firm says, they may or may not write about your product/services.
Note that PR and Marketing companies tap all types of bloggers.
(c) The Pay-Per-Post Blogger
There are bloggers who will be writing posts about your product/services for a fee. The effectiveness of this is often the source of contention and debates. Personally, I think it may be somewhat effective in spreading the word about news and promotions but it is ineffective and more so damaaging when it comes to reviews, editorial or opinion pieces about your business. A paid opinion piece and more so an undiclosed paid opinion piece can do damage to your business.
(d)The Attack-Collect and Defend-Collect AC/DC Blogger
Then there are said to be bloggers or their agents who ask for money or freebies or else they wpuld write something negative about your business. I use the word said to be since as of this time, at least in the Philippine Blogosphere, no one has been exposed as doing this. There are only whispers in the shadows, vague references to such practices and victims only alluded to. SUch invidivuals might not even exist – like a vampire or a werewolf.
(iii)If you are approached with an offer always make a 101 percent sure what is being offered on the table.
(a) Is it a marketing or a public relation offer?
(b) Is it an offer to write a favorable post?
(c) It is an offer to write a favorable post instead of a negative one?
For those bloggers who offer option A, the business should think carefully and look over their proposal. An actual written proposal that would itemized services being offered would be better. As for bloggers who offer option B or C – A polite No would be advised. First, Your not guaranteed of a genuine post and Second, it exposes your business to further abuse by the person who offered such a deal.
3. SAYING NO
Always say NO when the situation calls for it or if you feel your business is being abused. Say No in a cool and gentle manner. It would also help to say why your business has a poligy against such practices.
How to protect your Business after saying NO:
First, A good product. a good service and a good relationship with your costumers in place will always protect you against negative posts or comments. A business protected by a good product, good service and good relationship will discover that it can stand up against comments or criticisms that are ill-willed.
Second, You know how to handle criticism
Third, You make use of the Internet and Social Media. A Blog is not the only social media channel on the Net, And most of these resources are free like Twitter and Facebook. You can also set-up a blog for your business.
Soon: How to Handle Criticism in Digital and Social Media