Ernst Designs, LLC

As some of you may be aware, I manage the Facebook page, Google+ account, Twitter feed, Foursquare profile and Pinterest accounts for Jackson Coffee Co.  Recently, I was interviewed by Aweber email marketing solutions for their email tips blog.  The full text can be found here: http://www.aweber.com/blog/email-marketing/jackson-coffee.htm

The main points I want to re-iterate and highlight are in the frame of responding to your customers/fans:

Staying positive is a great way to build loyalty to your business. Gut reactions and impulse responses are oftentimes not well planned, and can offend your customers.

Staying positive not only pertains to your reaction to customers, but also to how you script your email blasts and status updates. Always be thinking whose inbox the email is going to before sending it. It may be funny to you to make a joke about “those California hippie surfers”, since you may be located in another state, but if you have some subscribers that are native Californians, they may take offense to your innocent attempt at humor.

Aweber allows you a search feature, so that you can search your database to keep your responses to customer comments private, and off your Social Media feeds. If you have a complaint on a social media, checking your email database for that person’s email, and contacting them directly is the most mature and least damaging way to handle comments. Once the issue has been resolved in private, you can ask the individual to remove their comment. This is one of the best forms of damage control!

So whenever you hop onto the WWW to market your business, remember your manners- the way your mommy taught you.  Always say “thank you” when people compliment your business, and always treat complaints seriously with AAA quality service: (Accept that there is a problem, Adapt your way of thinking to understand the customer, and Act on what needs to change to ensure customer satisfaction!)

Recently, I finished setting up a website for the 2012 season of storytelling workshops, including events and registration options with checkout.  The checkout options are supported by PayPal, and donations can be made as well.  This is the first time I have ever really set up these options on a private website, but they were tested yesterday and work rather smoothly.  If you want to check it out, visit www.jacksonstoryfest.com and make a donation!

When discussing Christina Aguillera’s Super Bowl mistake in singing the National Anthem incorrectly, I stumbled upon this Facebook post.  It was buried under a mountain of posts on how “she is an American and can’t sing it right”, “she should know the words”, and “she should not be forgiven for a mistake of such proportions”:

Someone on facebook said:

“Here goes, where are all u patriots at during everday crises. Not just media covered ones. Where are u when there veterans living on the streets and homeless shelters cause the government wont give them there va benefits. Where are u when young men and women cant acclimate back into society because of mental trauma caused in war. How many take there own lives. How many turn to drugs and alcohol for an escape from a lack of support. Where are u when a kid goes hungry cause theres no work and the families food benefits were cut of with no warning. Support the nation by all means, but support it all not just the pretty honorable parts. There great things about it yes, but there are so many that are wrong as well.”

A Homeless Veteran

My response:

“Let me start by saying, YES.  You are right.  We as a nation do need to support our country in as many ways as possible.  You ask where the patriotism is?

We, the patriots, are here. Living in this country, struggling to help the veterans as we ourselves try to keep from living on the street. We speak up when possible to support our country with our voices and comments, when we cannot afford to live on our own without assistance from family members or our wonderful government. We sign petitions, vote in our elections, and support our troops.

Patriotism is not dead. You just need to know where to look. Some of us bleed RED WHITE AND BLUE, and even though you never take a minute to look past a simple Facebook comment, we do everything humanly possible to support our country. Yes, things go awry, but don’t the best laid plans? Even when we cannot afford little luxuries ourselves, some of us still give to Local charities and “the unpublished” stories the few free cents we have.

Before lambasting people on facebook, why not get to know them first?  If you had gotten to know me, you would know that I have MANY relatives who are veterans of foreign wars, and each time I see them, I am reminded of those who gave their lives, limbs, and minds to protect this country.  I am eternally grateful for their sacrifices.  Just because you are bitter about the treatment of veterans, it doesn’t make you the only one.  You are preaching to the choir with your views on unfair treatment of veterans, but others can have the same viewpoint, and when they are sacrificing their valuable time, money, and energy to protect the same things you wish to protect, you are only hurting your cause.

Besides, by posting our frustrations here about Ms. Aguilera, we are simply exercising our freedom of speech. Who are you to quash it? That, sir, is more anti-patriotic and hypocritical than anything.”

Then an interesting thing happened.  The individual I posted to responded:

“That makes, sence. U are right i dont know people on here personally and how they live. And for jumping to assumptions i appologize. I can relate, as i am aware of all the problems with the system. And do take the time to stand up and be counted by voting sighning potitions for the better future. And yes the best most well thought out plans go wrong. I guess im just used to dealing with people who are all talk and know not of what they speak. So again i apologize for just throwing others into that same category. Thank for today u have shown me humility wich is an essential ingrediant for a better brighter future. I will keep this in mind and try to remain openminded.”

So I responded:

“This is how I think facebook should be used. I, too, have learned something today.

I think that Ms. Aguillera’s mistake, although frustrating has helped us to have this conversation, and Both of us have walked away considering something new. And so, even if it does offend myself or others, something good has come from it.”

All is well in the world.  Thanks to people who love their country.  Thanks to the Vets that fought and died for us.  Thanks to the ones who survived with mental or physical injuries.  This country is great because of who we are and our ability to have these discussions in a public forum like Facebook!