I almost did it. It was really, REALLY hard to resist. I was going to show him who I was. How dare he try to malign my client’s reputation. I crafted the PERFECT comeback.…for a troll. I was perched precariously on the Facebook cliff, editing, reworking, rethinking and editing some more.
I got lured into thinking I could take him down and my response would go viral like AMC Theatres or Taco Bell. That’s my problem…I’m jealous of these people who write these AWESOME responses. I just want to be that witty.
So there it was. The perfectly sarcastic, in a light and humorous way, comment. All I had to do was hit “Share” and it would appear. Something stopped me. I wanted to find an even better comeback (contrary to popular belief, I have to work really hard at being witty. I’m one of those people who, three hours later, says “Oh. That’s what I needed to say. Why didn’t I think of that at the time?”) I erased the reply so I could noodle on it for a while.
I sought help to craft the perfect reply. I asked my husband who has been known to deadpan more than a few zingers. Then I posted a query in a private forum where some of the best and wittiest community managers I know could help. That’s when it happened.
That group of social medialites talked me down off the cliff. They reminded me of the cardinal rule of community management “Don’t Feed the Trolls.” How could I forget? How did I not see this for what it was? How could I even consider replying with like sarcasm?
It just goes to show that a good troll can get to anyone…even a seasoned pro. So, today, my message to you is twofold
- Don’t Feed the Trolls, no matter how tempting;
- Find someone to be your sober second thought, your conscience, your lifesaver, your safety net…and take advantage of that if you’re not sure of what you are about to post.
If you don’t have a lifeline…call me, text me, Facebook or tweet me. I’m much better at seeing trolls for who they are when I’m not involved.
Excellent article! It’s that urge to have the last word. It eats me up when I can’t put that poor soul who disagreed with me in their place. Among my family and close friends I’m famous for it – or should I say infamous? I totally get it and will call you when I’m about to fall into that trap online.
Let’s hear it for the voices of reason! It’s difficult, I know, but you can’t reason with an unreasonable person whose only aim is to incite chaos. I’m so glad you had friends who could talk you down.