Who influences the influencers?

There is quite possibly a bunch of people out there in the digital space who have an opinion about your product/service company/brand. They either love or loath you, but either way they feel they can say what they want. You cannot stop this, unless you take stong action (e.g. legal) and this should only be a final recourse as it can send a very strong message .


So what are your choices?


1. Do nothing
The recourse of the apathetic or bewildered and usually what people do hoping "the whole thing will blow over soon enough". However, in digital land, bad news hangs around for ages and even exacerbates over time . Infamy is never a becoming feature of any company (Infamy, infamy..... etc.)


2. Manage the situation
The only thing potentially worse than doing nothing, is doing the wrong thing and inflaming a situation or chasing after a lost cause can cause further issues. However, keep your friends close and your enemies closer, as a resolved complaint provides the ideal opportunity to create an advocate.



So to answer the question "Who influences the influencers?"... the answer should be "you" (dear corporate reader). You have the chance to:

a. Identify your influencers (both positive & negative)
b. Understand the level and types of influence they have
c. Assess those that are right for you to have an interaction with
d. Start to engage with a dialogue with some of them

Just tread carefully as you go....