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Representing the BVTMB Brand

Wednesday, April 1

Ambassador Handbook

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Who we are

Mission

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Why we do what we do. !We seek to create a community of moms that support and encourage one another through the journey of motherhood. !We strive to create a community that: *supports *connects *informs *encourages *inspires

Target AudienceWho we are speaking to. !Moms in all stages of parenting !Our readers are mostly moms who are in different stages of parenting; from expectant moms up to grandmothers. They also come from all walks of life; differing incomes, marital status, age, etc. We do also have a few dads that read our blog as well as other community members who are interested in what we are writing about.

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Brand VoiceThe tone we want to convey.

!We always want to communicate with a tone of encouragement and respectfulness, even when we disagree. !We want to do whatever we can to end the “mommy wars” and provide an environment that is encouraging and uplifting. This doesn’t mean that we can’t boldly communicate our opinions, things we are passionate about, etc. It does mean that we need to always be mindful that our words have power, and we want to carefully think through how we are communicating something.

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Our positionWhat makes us different.

!We are a group of REAL moms communicating our real and authentic experiences in motherhood. !We are not a corporation looking to attract moms solely for profit. We strive to have a team of diverse writers who can write about their authentic experiences in motherhood and encourage our readership on their personal journey through motherhood.

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Our footprintThe promise we make to our audience. !Support. !We strive to have our content leaving our readers feeling encouraged and supported while being transparent and authentic. We know motherhood can be difficult and often feel isolating, so we aim to create a community that supports and encourages ALL moms in their journey.

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What we look like

Color palette

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Fonts

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Typography guidelines

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How we work together

Organizational flow

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Writer  posts  due  the  15th  &  30th  of  each  month

BVTMB  editorial  team  reviews  &  schedules

BVTMB  social  media  manager  schedules  &  monitors  posts Writers  notified  by  email  of  

comments  on  postsBVTMB  social  media  manager  

responds  to  comments

Writers  reply  to  comments  keeping  in  mind  the  Brand  Standards  &  Protocol,  &  consult  with  editorial  team  when  necessary

Team Protocol

CLIENT

Team ProtocolHow we manage comments.

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“People are not looking for perfection online. What they’re really looking for is humanity and a genuine response, so a negative review can be a great opportunity to respond in a positive and transparent manner. And that has a good impact on all your customers.”

--Forbes.com

One of our objectives is to facilitate a positive dialogue about parenting and what it means to be raising children in the 21st century. Who the brand is, described on the previous pages, works towards this end. When BVTMB ambassadors use these guidelines it helps position BVTMB in a way that leaves less room for negativity.

However, we must expect negative comments from time-to-time. Representatives of BVTMB can be active in this dialogue and look for ways to defuse anger and promote constructive – and more positive – conversations. To reduce the impact of negative feedback, the following pages outline recommended practices.

BVTMB is all about sharing our authentic experiences, thoughts, and opinions. That should never change. Even (especially!) controversial topics further important conversations and open the door to thoughtful dialogue. When writing, take some time to think about the following questions, which will help you be prepared in the event that your post does spark a conversation—which is great!

Pre-publication

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Have I verified any information I’m presenting as fact with a reputable source?

Do I understand the environment around this topic?

Does my post proactively acknowledge any anticipated reaction(s)?

What are any potential risks with this topic?  

How will I respond to those risks?

While writing, ask these questions:

Practices to stay positive

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Commenter Your  reply Commenter

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Use the Rule of 3s to avoid arguments in a negative situation.

Your wonderful blog post

Practices to stay positiveInfluencers we can call on.

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Per the “Rule of 3s,” it generally does not make sense to continually engage the same person in the same line of questioning or complaining. Often, this approach is a purposeful attack or act of vandalism. However, because BVTMB is a team of supportive moms, it makes sense to engage each other when needed. Also, given the nature of the information being shared—and perhaps sometimes questioned—other moms in our lives are well equipped to also participate in a dialogue. Reach out to the BVTMB team via the Group Facebook page and to other moms you know who may be able to relate to the topic at hand. If you’re comfortable, ask them to participate in the conversation. Likewise, if you know of other influencers, perhaps experts on the topic under scrutiny, who may be able and willing to contribute—either through commenting or even guest blogging—contact the BVTMB editorial team to discuss. It could be the gateway to another interesting article.

Practices to stay positiveEngagement roadmap.

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Is the comment negative or positive?

Positive  “You guys are awesome!”

Thank the commenter for sharing their opinion or story.

Negative

Broad question  “How could you _______?”

Respectfully provide counter view, support by experience or facts (with reputable link)

If commenter replies negatively in the same thread on the same topic, do not further engage

Broad complaint

Valid. “This is the 5th article about ____.” Acknowledge frustration, respectfully provide a rationale.If commenter replies negatively in the same thread on the same topic, do not further engage

Contact influencers (BVTMB team, other moms) for participation

If the complaint is “vandalism”…

But does not violate the comment policy (e.g. You’re never right”), then ignore

And violates the comment policy – “__ is @*$%@” – contact editor to remove & acknowledge policy

Practices to stay positiveMore best practices to stay positive in a negative situation.

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• Remember that the attack is not personal—this person likely doesn’t know you at all! • Respond in a timely manner, but give yourself time to process the comment before firing off a

response • Converse in a pleasant, informal tone. Avoid snarkiness and personal attacks at all costs. In other

words, kill them with authentic kindness. • Focus on your experience and what you know, rather than what the commenter doesn’t know. • If the disagreement is over whether a fact is right or wrong, remember this: it’s rarely—if ever—

about the fact itself, but rather what that piece of information represents to the person commenting. This is particularly true when it comes to charged topics such as vaccines, breast vs. bottle feeding, fluoride, etc. Respectfully offer links and supportive facts from reputable sources in reply, but then observe the Rule of 3s.

• Learn from the experience, which will help you anticipate and plan for next time

• If in doubt, don’t reply.

Practices to stay positiveA note on reputable sources.

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A few times we’ve mentioned referencing ‘reputable’ sources. What does that mean? A few things to keep in mind when choosing a source to back up your facts, which can help nip any backlash in the bud: • Is the organization providing the information reliable? • Is the report based on a scientific study or a personal anecdote?

– If the report is about a scientific study, follow the CDC guidelines for deciding whether a source is reliable: http://www.cdc.gov/des/consumers/research/understanding_deciding.html.

– While it is sometimes good to hear from people who are personally affected by the topic, it is important to distinguish between an opinion based on someone’s experiences or biases and a scientific evaluation of the strengths and limitations of the study.

• Who is interviewed or quoted? Is the person an expert? How much information is provided about the person being interviewed?

• Consider the size and expertise of the group supporting each side of a story. Which position is supported by scientific bodies or other researchers in the field?

Source: Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, http://bit.ly/reputablesources

Thank you

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