Crazy Little Thing Called Love: If You Can't Say Something Nice… Well, Shout It

People call it going negative. Others understand that people don't forward a boring email or promote a vanilla Pinterest PIN. Well, think about it, do you?

My motto has been, if you aren't failing you aren't learning. If you don't lose followers on a regular basis, then they are not paying attention and you are not making yourself clear. I am not for everyone, call it an acquired taste; Like a David Letterman (the 80s – 90s version, before he got bitter and regretful) or the Onion, either you get me or you don't. And if you don't follow, that's cool.

But… And here's where the kid gloves come off: If you attack me (long form {comment} or short form {tweet}) be prepared to defend yourself. My weapons are facts, figures, references, documents, historical participation on social media sites like LINKEDIN, and mainly your own content. Like where you put your attention? What is it that you are constantly going on about?

I've done a bunch of posts on sentiment, or how negative am I really. And this past summer, I had a moment (five weeks) of silence where I contemplated exactly what I was going on about here. (and on facebook and twitter and google plus) And what I decided, and am aspiring to, is remaining exclusively on the positive side of the discussion. If I dish out criticism (Losing My Way on Dell.com) then I try also to offer the solution. (How To Fix Dell.com – And Dell's Branding Crisis) That's my plan.

In general I am an up and happy person who shows up on the sunny side of things. Until I'm down. Then I see dark clouds overhead, I rant a bit, and I go dark myself and don't surface for days.

THE BIG A-HA: in social media it doesn't really matter if your right. Nuance and subtle humor do not translate to 95% of the people. And most of those who think they are getting it, are probably taking it the wrong way. So… Stop the sarcasm, never use cynicism, and if you go negative then close with the solution.

Now I am not saying I'm right, or that my techniques and linguistic dexterity is always ON or appropriate. What I am saying, is that if you say something back it up with Passion AND Facts. If you attack, be prepared to meet the ninja in me.

Don't take the easy road. If you're going to criticize, do the extra work and offer a solution. Make it fiery. Nobody "promotes" or shares boring content. (Oh, if you can help it, don't drop the f-bomb.)

@jmacofearth (also seen on Google+: jmacofearth)
permalink: http://uber.la/2010/01/shout-it/

Check out these other posts about kicking ass in social media:

• Sh*t Social Media Strategists Say (the viral version)
• Another SXSW – Another Dollar; Unless Somebody Else Is Paying, I'm Not Going
• Mental Jujitsu: Nothing Ever Works Out, Get Over It and Get to Work
• Fixing Pinterest in One Slide – Improving the Usability of the Fastest Growing Site in Social Media
• Love, Valentine's Day Marketing, and Computers: Dell vs. Apple Marketing
• Social Media MBA – The Reading List
• Critical Path Strategies: How Are You Getting Things Done? What Are You Cutting Out?
• What You Capture and What You Share Is What You ARE (Do You Listen to the Sound of Your Own Voice?)
• Pinterest and the Power of Social Bookmarking: Tag Yourself (Web Design is Dead)
• The ROI of Social Media – It’s Easy, Right? (return on investment)

Sharing is nice for everyone.

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