Coliseum Mentailty and the Small Business: A Survival Guide

We’ve all seen it happen- an angry client or poorly executed strategy can sink a small business online.

Social Media is a double edged sword- wielded effectively, it can be a wonderful marketing tool for us to connect on a whole new level with those who love our product and brand.  

But it can also turn ugly very quickly, undoing years of hard work and branding.  

To err is human, and all business owners are just that- human. This is usually forgotten among the general public as compulsive shares, knee jerk reactions and attention spans are eroded.  It’s created what I call “Coliseum Mentality”. 

In ancient roman times, folks would gather in the coliseum for entertainment, watching folks battle it out. The crowd felt secure knowing that although they may be at the bottom of the social ladder, they were above those who were fighting or being killed in the arena. 

Today’s social media climate is incredibly similar. When things go wrong - especially with a small business or local celebrity the response is immediate. Psychologically, the spectators have a sense of power from joining together in mob mentality. A strange community forms, all united in a common frantic goal. 

Much like the coliseum days when the fights ended when one contestant was exhausted These things quickly fizzle out when we remove attention from it, but business owners don’t always have that luxury.

So what should you do if you find yourself and your business in the Coliseum?

Stay Calm and Close the Computer.

Knee jerk reactions never end up well.  You need time to step away from this situation and reflect.  Have a tea and call a friend, fellow owner or business coach to vent your angry thoughts.  Getting your anger and frustration out early on will help you handle this in a calm and measured fashion. 

Put yourself in Their Shoes.

Vitriol online is usually not meant for specifically you.  I’ve said this before in an earlier post, but it’s worth mentioning again- when folks strike out publicly on social media it’s usually for two reasons.  Firstly, it’s because they usually have other things happening in their life that are making them angry. Secondly, it’s because something made them feel powerless. Something about your business, service or post has triggered them.  Their first reaction is to fight. Keep this in mind when planning your business combat strategy.

Flies N’ Honey.

When you acknowledge a nasty situation online, you must watch your tone. Folks are here for a good show after all, and as long as the fight is on the seats will fill and the crowd will jeer.  Ensure you’re calm and are thinking logically before you hop in.

Diffusing folks with empathy and kindness is incredibly effective and is win win.  Show them the behavior they’re not showing you. They’re obviously upset.  

That being said, don’t think that you must simply lay down and die either.  You can defend your business and maintain a professional demeanor like this business owner did perfectly right here.   No one can hold your business hostage unless you let them. 

Plan First, Type Later.

Now that you’re calm and have spoken to some support networks, it’s time for you to make your own plan. Get a notebook and a pen (no screens right now, you’re going through enough) and write out different strategic responses you could use and the potential outcomes, from good to bad. Weigh them out and decide what looks best on your business.  Draft a statement and even a few replies to challengers.  

Jump In.

Head back online and begin implementing your strategy.  Release a statement on your page and use your replies. Stay calm and measured, and take breaks if need be.  Our natural compulsions are to obsess and check notifications, but trust me when I say from experience it helps nothing. If necessary, ban or block folks from your page, especially if their comments are of a threatening nature*.  

*Please remember that no one is *ever* allowed to threaten you or your business with violence or worse. (This sounds obvious, but I’ve had to explain this to a few business owners in the past.  Don’t be a hero, you’re entitled to safety. If you do get some scary threats, document them carefully and report them to the authorities.)

Exhaustion.

Much like toddlers having a tantrum, these things eventually burn out and go away- there’s always a new fight to go and watch.  In the coliseum when the Gladiators became exhausted, the show was over. They went back to their accommodations, cleaned up, got their wounds patched and talked to their Coach about what could be done better next time.  Do the same for yourself. Rest, reflect, evaluate. Be with people you love and treat yourself to some down time. You’ve been through a lot, and if you don’t rest now it will catch up with you later. 

Good preventative measures to stay out of the coliseum are having a social media policy and strategy in place, limiting who has access to your channels on your staff, and taking care of yourself so you’re rested and making good decisions and are on top of things. 

My favorite Prof in business school -Ron Knowles- taught us early on how to weigh what’s ethical as a business owner.  His said that if you wouldn’t want to read it about yourself in the paper, then it’s an unethical and poor business decision.  

And making measured choices keeps you out of the coliseum. 

Join me at 7pm EST at this link as I go live.  You may ask me anything you like about the food and beverage industry, and we’ll discuss this post. I look forward to chatting with all of you!