November 16, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Should nonprofit groups worry about the potential for bad mouthing if they offer an online option for people to post comments? Not at all, says Jeff Brooks, creative director for an advertising agency serving nonprofit groups, at Donor Power Blog
Mr. Brooks points out that the retailing giant Amazon freely allows people to post reviews, pro or con, on all the products they sell. “They’ve discovered that giving people a place to talk helps sell stuff,” Mr. Brooks says. “More than that, the bad reviews often stir up passionate counter-reviews.”
Mr. Brooks figures it’s time to acknowledge that we don’t “live in a bubble” anymore. And the best way to defend your group against negative comments might be to stay quiet and let someone else “leap to your defense,” he says.
“Why not encourage conversation, and brave the inevitable negatives?” Mr. Brooks concludes. “Make it easy, fun, and rewarding for people to talk about you. You have nothing to lose but your isolation.”
What are your experiences with message boards, blogs, and other online avenues for people to pan or praise you? Are bad comments met with good ones?
