Facebook and many other forms of Internet social media offer us a unique opportunity to enhance what should be a carefully crafted image for ourselves and our business. There is currently no cost for having a Facebook page.
Facebook offers an instant opportunity to communicate; your intended audience need not be sitting at computers to get the message. When a summer concert had to be canceled because or rain last year, we turned to Facebook to get the word out. We also used local print and broadcast media. It's certainly safe to say that online social media give us one more channel of communication.
So why do some people misuse this relatively new channel? I'm talking about the people who take personal beefs public by using Facebook. If you are perturbed with someone, call them, e-mail them, or write a letter. Keep it between the two of you. But don't put it out there for the whole world to see n Facebook.
When you do, the message you deliver is: "I'm so angry I can't see straight and I'm going to embarrass the person or persons I'm angry with by posting it on Facebook."
Few people would argue that this particular approach is just not professional.
Don't sabotage your career or your company image by letting your anger show. We still have other means of communication at our command. Use these to resolve problems and disputes. You only hurt yourself when you make it public.
Use Facebook to reinforce your company's brand and to communicate essential messages, including public thank you notes (do you still send written notes?). But it's not the place to argue with or embarrass someone.
Keep it businesslike!
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