When Newtown happened you could feel the shock and sadness slowly rippling through the social media world. A tweet here, a link to a story there, posts of prayers and disbelief came flooding across news feeds. Here's when a community really can become a community one in which there is support and shared emotion.I have to admit, I was disappointed to see page after page put out a statement about Newtown. I may like tequila but I didn't need my brand of tequila telling me how bad they felt during that moment. It was just odd.
As marketers we want to believe that our brands represent so much more to the consumer than a tasty drink, a good meal, a fast car. But when it comes to tragedy, all that brand positioning kind of goes out the window. Instead, you should remain silent, let people talk to people. Don't try to capitalize on a tragedy even if that isn't your initial intention. There's a time and a place to jump in on the conversation. Part of being a good community manager is to know when it's your turn.