Comments on: Control

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:27:30 +0000

your all making me blush, thanks for being so kind.

By: SallyF

SallyF — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:26:15 +0000

I had the same question recently Jim at some training on public engagement (ie don’t forget the public hang out online too) and likened it to being in a big room full of people, they can be talking about you anyway whether you’re there or not and you have no control over what’s being said. Or people can be talking about your museum down the pub and wouldn’t expect a CEO or PR Officer to pop their head in to put the facts straight. Conversations will happen that can’t be controlled. As you rightly observe here, and also v eloquently in the AMA AGM seminars which I was reading about the other day – the control you do have is to choose whether to be a part of that conversation or not.

Also as you say it gives chance to find out what’s being said – I use facebook, twitter, flickr, forums and google news in my evaluation work to capture the data that doesn’t come through on the day and the more off-the-cuff comments (which are more honest and insightful generally)

By: Kelly Garrow

Kelly Garrow — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:07:52 +0000

As someone new to the Museum industry, I was fortunate to have been hired for my overall level of PR expertise. In that honeymoon phase as a new hire (after an exhaustive and highly competitive search) I was allowed to “jump in” to social media by our director with virtually no restrictions.

The results have been spectacular. Our attendance is up 38% year to date. We get to interact with our supporters and know how they feel on issues and about the Museum in general.

I will say that the scary part of social media is putting a person with poor communications skills or a lack of understanding of the mediums in charge.

By: Samantha

Samantha — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:11:36 +0000

Brilliant!

Bang on as always. Thank you Jim.

By: Peer Lawther

Peer Lawther — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:09:37 +0000

Great argument and succinctly written – the perceived noise increases with social media, but there are more signals as a result. Both (pros and cons) are now more amplified.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:34:33 +0000

Wow!
I’ve been following your blog and on Twitter for a while and I must say that what you’re saying here is enlightening: like a good bucket of water in the face.
An organisation I work with recently approached me re: social networking, but they’re very concerned and the lawyers aren’t quite sure yet if it’s the way to go (ie: if they want to lose control).
What you say here is so obvious, I’m undoubtedly going to be using it in future argurments.
Thanks Jim!