Why You Never Had Control

  • August 26th, 2009 | Written By: Jay Baer
  • | View Comments

Do you have control issues?

juggling knivesEven now, with social media being hotter than the brow of a teppanyaki chef, companies of all sizes and descriptions are still using “loss of control” as a reason to not get involved.

Sure, there’s a possibility that your brand will have to use your social media crisis plan eventually. But, it’s critically important to recognize that social media isn’t a match, it’s a log.

Every major social media “disaster” in recent times has stemmed from offline, operational mishaps, not a cabal of angry customers armed with iphones and a pitchfork app. United broke the guitar in the real world. The guy at Domino’s put pizza in his real nose, not a virtual one. The Whole Foods CEO wrote a letter in a publication made from trees, not bits and bytes.

If you think social media is going to cause your company more problems than it will solve, you’ve lost before the coin toss. Social media doesn’t create problems for your company, it finds the ones that are already there.

And really, the size of the magnifying glass is the real difference between brand/customer relations BSM (before social media) and ASM (after social media).

This “control” you think you’ll lose if you engage with your customers in social media? You never had it. It’s a myth. A unicorn. A Cubs World Series. Customers have been talking shit about you since the day your company started, they just didn’t have the audience that social media now provides.

When it comes to being personal and authentic, and delivering a customer experience that exceeds expectations, the game hasn’t changed. There’s just more spectators.

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View Comments to “Why You Never Had Control”

  1. Twitter Comment


    Why You Never Had Control [link to post]

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  2. Twitter Comment


    Reading: Why You Never Had Control [link to post] Social media doesn’t create disasters, people do

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  3. Twitter Comment


    RT @tweetmeme Why You Never Had Control | Social Media Marketing | Social Media Consulting – Convince & Convert [link to post]

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  4. Twitter Comment


    Why You Never Had Control | Social Media Marketing | Social Media Consulting – Convince & Convert [link to post]

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  5. Twitter Comment


    Social media doesn’t create problems. It finds the ones already there RT @kristen_okla: Why You Never Had Control [link to post]

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  6. Twitter Comment


    RT @greggvm: “If U think social media is going 2 cause yr co mo problems than it will solve, you’ve lost B4 coin toss” [link to post]

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  7. Twitter Comment


    RT @tweetmeme Social media’s not the problem. Why You Never Had Control [link to post]

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  8. Twitter Comment


    Nice one, sir. RT @jaybaer You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  9. Twitter Comment


    dead on! RT @jaybaer: You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  10. Twitter Comment


    RT @jaybaer You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  11. Twitter Comment


    You had no control to start with. RT@jaybaer You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? [link to post]

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  12. Twitter Comment


    RT @jaybaer: You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  13. Twitter Comment


    Good read: RT @jaybaer: You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  14. Twitter Comment


    RT You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post] (via @jaybaer)

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  15. Twitter Comment


    Embrace it. RT @jaybaer: You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  16. Twitter Comment


    Amen. RT @jaybaer: You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  17. Twitter Comment


    True! RT @d_toland @jaybaer: You know why #SM doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  18. Twitter Comment


    Finding problems already there RT @jaybaer: why soc. media doesn’t threaten your control over brand-you never had control [link to post]

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  19. Twitter Comment


    RT @SalesCooke: “Social media doesn’t create problems 4 your company, it finds the ones that r already there.” — @jaybaer [link to post]

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  20. This goes back to the ‘who manages your social strategy’ debate – and reinforces that it really needs to be a mix of marketing/PR/customer service talent all working together to get maximum effectiveness. It’s all about connecting with your customer and not about shameless self-promotion or ass-covering. And I’ve seen more than one corporate account of those sorts laying fallow lately.
    .-= Jeff Stolarcyk´s last blog ..Rampant Misspellings =-.

  21. Twitter Comment


    Genius: RT @jaybaer: You know why social media doesn’t threaten your control over your brand? You never had control. [link to post]

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  22. Great Post,
    I wish U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell had read this before he planned his telephone town hall. It feels like he is trying to control the market and its voice.
    I discuss it in my blog today. http://nosmokeandmirrors.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/2009-health-care-reform-initiative-lesson-7-askingand-not-listening-to-your-market-is-worst-than-not-asking-at-all/

    Mark Allen Roberts
    .-= Mark Allen Roberts´s last blog ..2009 Health Care Reform Initiative Lesson #7: Asking…and not listening to your market, is worst than not asking at all… =-.

  23. Twitter Comment


    Great post about control and social media by @jaybaer. “Why you Never Had Control” [link to post]

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  24. Twitter Comment


    Why You Never Had Control #social media [link to post]

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  25. Twitter Comment


    RT jaybaer: Why social media control is a myth. A unicorn. A Cubs World Series. [link to post] (absolutely accurate!)

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  26. Twitter Comment


    Another simple, smart post from Jason. RT @jaybaer: Why social media control is a myth. A unicorn. A Cubs World Series. [link to post]

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  27. Twitter Comment


    RT @jaybaer: Why social media control is a myth. A unicorn. A Cubs World Series. [link to post] http://myloc.me/rIOU

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  28. Twitter Comment


    Love it – interesting & made me laugh! RT @jaybaer Why social media control is a myth. A unicorn. A Cubs World Series. [link to post]

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  29. Twitter Comment


    Social media control myth: SM doesn’t create problems for your company, it finds the 1s that are already there [link to post] by @jaybaer

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  30. Twitter Comment


    By far my fav title RT @jaybaer: Why social media control is a myth. A unicorn. A Cubs World Series. [link to post]

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  31. Twitter Comment


    RT @jaybaer: Why social media control is a myth. A unicorn. A Cubs World Series. [link to post]

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  32. Twitter Comment


    Hah!Customers alwys talked sh#% about co’s. Now they have an audience RT @jaybaer Why social media control is a myth. [link to post]

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  33. Twitter Comment


    Exceptional post on social media “control” by Jay Baer. [link to post]

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  34. Twitter Comment


    Why You Never Had Control | Social Media Marketing | Social Media … [link to post]

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  35. Twitter Comment


    Why You Never Had Control | Social Media Marketing | Social Media …: Social Media Strategy Blog Social Media C.. [link to post]

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  36. Twitter Comment


    Good one RT @tweetmeme Why You Never Had Control | Social Media Marketing | Social Media Consulting – Convince & Convert [link to post]

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  37. Twitter Comment


    RT @jaybaer Why You Never Had Control | Social Media Marketing | Social Media Consulting – Convince & Convert [link to post]

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  38. DinaGiovale says:

    Hah!Customers alwys talked sh#% about co’s. Now they have an audience RT @jaybaer Why social media control is a myth. http://ow.ly/lkPl

  39. Twitter Comment


    “Why You Never Had Control | Social Media Marketing | Social Media …” [link to post] #plugyourbook

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  40. [...] media because they can’t control the conversation about their brand. They’re missing the boat. Companies never had control of the conversation. Social media just gives the customer a bigger audience to be your brand advocate or air their [...]

  41. Twitter Comment


    RT @carolyndouglas: RT @azquad6 Exceptional post on social media “control” by Jay Baer [link to post] < -- Exactly!

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  42. Twitter Comment


    RT @azquad6 Exceptional post on social media “control” by Jay Baer [link to post]

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  43. Twitter Comment


    RT @carolyndouglas @azquad6 Exceptional post on social media “control” by Jay Baer [link to post]

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  44. Twitter Comment


    RT @carolyndouglas RT @azquad6 … Exceptional post on social media “control” [link to post] … same game, more spectators.

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  45. Twitter Comment


    RT @azquad6: Exceptional post on social media “control” by Jay Baer. [link to post]

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  46. Twitter Comment


    RT @joshwpolk Exceptional post on social media “control” and why you never had it by Jay Baer. [link to post]

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  47. Twitter Comment


    RT @joshwpolk: Social media doesn’t create problems for your company, it finds the ones that are already there. [link to post]

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  48. Twitter Comment


    Social media doesn’t create problems for your company, it finds the ones that are already there. [link to post]

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  49. Danielle says:

    RT @joshwpolk: Social media doesn’t create problems for your company, it finds the ones that are already there. http://is.gd/2Emb6

  50. Twitter Comment


    RT @joshwpolk Social media doesn’t create problems for your company, it finds the ones that are already there. [link to post]

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