The Internet is filled to the brim with opinions. Whether you're on Facebook, Twitter, LindedIn or even Instagram, you'll see it. Yesterday, I saw a nasty comment on a woman's Instagram post. She has lost over 60 pounds, and still has a lot more she wants to accomplish. Someone had an opinion about her and her progress photos, and unfortunately, he shared. "That is disqusting why are you posting this keep it to yourself, nasty!" was what she got to read after clicking on the little comment popup on her Instagram.
Yeah, you can bet her heart sank.
Returning to those opinions. They're powerful. That one woman could have been overwhelmed with embarrassment and discouragement, and given up. But: countless followers replied to the comment, expressing their disapproval of it, and reporting it to be taken down. Weeks later, she's still going strong toward her own personal goals.
Why do people troll the Internet hurting others?
As much as it fascinates me, I don't have time or space to get into the why. I do, however, want to get into how you, as an individual and a business, can set the tone to stop it.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T
Excepting a few here and there, everyone is impacted by the Internet. You're out there, you're posting, liking, commenting. What if you set the tone that everyone deserves respect and kindness?
Wouldn't that be revolutionary
Now, what do I mean by everyone?
- fellow business owners
- coworkers
- competitors
- the guy who delivers the water cooler refills
- and the internet troll
Wait, what? He's the jerk who said all of those nasty things! What an ***!
Hey, quit it. Are you better than him if you respond like that? What if a competitor has this idea that they need to bash you up and down on the Internet. How you respond is what their customers see. It's what your customers see. It's what the world sees.
There's a practical ROI on Kindness
How do you implement kindness and respect in business, and how does it benefit you? Think on reviews as an example. Maybe an angry customer gives you an unwanted shoutout on Twitter. Respond immediately, and respond kindly. As another example, maybe there are sales people trying to get your attention on Twitter. That's super spammy, yes. I wouldn't use that tactic in a million years! But what if you give them the time of day by refusing respectfully? It may not be your one response that changes someone's mind. But what if it is? Imagine the reputation you're building, and the visibility you're gaining. And what if you being kind one time makes a ripple, and someone else decides to try it? That's some good ROI, in my opinion.
