Let My Zebra Go!
So, if you have any connection to RE.Net. you already know all about the the litigation involving one of the most popular figures in our space, Daniel Rothamel (@realestatezebra).
Modern-day digital Robin Hood and my good friend Jay Thompson (@phxREguy) has already weighed in with this excellent and heartfelt blog post.
In his usual inimitable style, Jay has dropped the proverbial hammer on what’s very likely right and what’s most likely wrong in this situation. I have little to add to what Jay has already stated so forcefully and so correctly.
Battle? Not Sure. War? Oops!
I’m not saying the plaintiff doesn’t have a case. And I’m certainly not saying that they do.
I am not an attorney, so what do I know?
I’m just a casual observer (and admitted friend of Daniel) who always tries to see the “big picture” in every action I take and every decision I make as a business owner and a brand builder and a protector of my own reputation.
And here’s the “big picture” I see in this situation: Everyone who’s anyone in the real estate space reads what Jay Thompson writes. Just read the comments that follow Jay’s post. Last I looked, he had 360 Facebook “Likes” and 158 comments on that post, and he posted it one day ago!
And now even Social Media monster Chris Brogan (@ChrisBrogan) has written about the situation.
This thing has gone completely viral.
How do you calculate the impact of an event like this? I wouldn’t even know where to begin…
The Power of the Tribe
That being said, this whole thing just confirms yet again – albeit in an entirely different and unique manner – the power of Social Media.
Literally HUNDREDS of people rising up in an amazing show of solidarity to support an upstanding, honest guy who we know, trust and respect.
The plaintiff should have anticipated this backlash.
And the backlash is, conservatively speaking, worse than the proposed “damages” caused by Daniel, as Jay already stated.
I cannot imagine what it must be like, if you are the plaintiff, to read Jay’s post, and all the comments that follow, from the EXACT GROUP OF PEOPLE leading the dialogue and the thinking in the very industry that the plaintiff seeks to serve!
How to Fix This
How can the plaintiff undo all of this?
Here’s what I would do:
- Retract the lawsuit IMMEDIATELY
- Issue a public apology to Daniel
- Hope that these acts of apology and contrition cause all this to evaporate as quickly as it has exploded (which is entirely possible, if they act to diffuse this soon)
If they were to take these simple steps, I’m *guessing* Daniel would forgive them, because I know him and his belief system.
Do the Right Thing!
My interest in this is NOT to harm the plaintiff, but simply to defend Daniel, whom I consider a personal friend, because he IS a great guy who has made a name for himself by, among other things, speaking all over the country on the issue of “LOVE” (not kidding!).
Not only that, but if I were to list the people that I know in RE.Net who I think are good, honest, decent, God-fearing, never-hurt-anyone people, Daniel would be at the VERY TOP of that list.
And I am NOT saying these things for effect; it is what I really know to be true from direct personal interaction with him.
Dear Plaintiff: Drop the lawsuit. Daniel doesn’t have a malicious bone in his body. Let this go and let your lives – yours and Daniel’s – get back to normal.
It’s not too late to do the right thing…in fact, it’s NEVER too late to do the right thing…
Images courtesy of Google Images
Comments feed
Why nto call all of the clients she’s listed in the testimonials section and invite them to google her? The time to index of the people that they’ve pissed off is impressive.
“Allintitle: lones group”
and “lones group ruin.”
Perhaps they’d rethink their branding consultant.
I think their branding consultant just branded themselves as stupid.
A Forrest Gump tattoo might be appropriate – stupid is as stupid does
I think their branding consultant just branded themselves as stupid.
A Forrest Gump tattoo might be appropriate – stupid is as stupid does
Michael – I feel like there has been so much lately that has truly shown what social media is. It’s not just a club, it’s not just for fun, it’s not just make-believe. Real people, real connections, and real thoughts/feelings/opinions/emotions.
It’s good to know that my previous beliefs and opinions as to its value were spot on.
Matt Stigliano´s last [type] ..Code for savethezebra Widget
Michael – Well said. Here’s hoping for some semblance of reality from Bellingham, Washington that this fight will not come out in the plaintiff’s favor…even if the case comes out in the plaintiff’s favor.
Sort of like the fable of “The boy who cried wolf,” when people stopped listening him, the plaintiff will be forever yelling “Zebra” and people will just hear the incessant braying of an Jackass with stripes.
I couldn’t agree with you more, Michael. You’re so right, terrific post.
I’ve had my logo for a decade, a 3D model of VA where the V and the A are blended together. It has a thick, aluminum finish and rests on a gray 3D sphere. It helps when your husband is teaching himself how to 3D model.
Are there other Virtual Assistants that use a VA or a sphere in their logo? Sure! Does that mean I should sue them? Heck, no! I’m not remembered because I have a cool 3D logo, I’m remembered because my clients love and brag about my work.
If I wanted to, I suppose I could sue contemporaryva.com, veassistant.com, virtualassistantconsole.com or even perfectly-virtual.co.uk but why would I? I just don’t have time, I’m too busy creating and educating my clients about internet marketing and websites.
I’m supporting Daniel. I’ve changed my Twitter and Facebook avatars to include zebra stripes. I hope everyone does the same -and- donates to this great cause. I can just imagine all the conversations about this that will happen next week for REBarCamp in Seattle.
Cheryl Allin´s last [type] ..The Lones Group Sues The Real Estate Zebra And Murders Their Brand
http://soundbiteblog.com/2011/02/28/lessons-learned-through-social-media/
http://soundbiteblog.com/2011/02/28/lessons-learned-through-social-media/
Mike, enjoy your posts and continued excellence in communication. Here’s my take on this…
So, somebody I’ve never heard of is suing somebody I’ve never heard of over a brand that a) I’ve never heard of and b) is most likely not worth fighting for (real estate zebra? – Zebra? In the United States? Seriously?). This is an example of either the power or the stupidity of social media, I’m not sure which.
Reminds me of high school…
One kid shows up in a shirt. Kid’s not all that popular, and kind of quiet. Goes about his business. Then, a popular kid shows up at school… with the same shirt on! Oh the horror! Everybody in school immediately starts talking and where there was no drama, now there is debate over garments. The popular group yells, “YOU must change that shirt!” The formerly quiet kid gets angry. He likes the shirt and not having another readily available shirt, decides that he will tell the popular kid that HE must change HIS shirt. The talk becomes a roar! The textile industry has never seen such intense, viral debate! Students get in trouble supporting the popular kid and badmouthing the “not-so-popular” kid. They get detentions and are sent to the principal’s office. The popular kid of course will not change his shirt.
The fight is ON! The quiet kid has a few people in his camp and he’s listening to his new advisors who see this as an opportunity to take the popular kids down a notch. He challenges the popular kid to a FIGHT! At “high noon” or in this
case, 3 p.m. because practice starts at 3:30 for everything from the Chess Club to wrestling. The popular kid, a little scared now, but far too deep into this to back out, accepts the challenge.
Here’s what happens…
Story-ending one:
At 3 p.m. they meet in the courtyard of the school. Neither really “wants” to fight but the howling wolves of the crowd are anxious to see a fight. The wolves throw the quiet kid into the popular kid and the fight ensues. There are missing swings, something that looks like a slap, tears are shed, blood flows, and it looks more like a cat fight than a boxing match. The crowd is in a frenzy. And then…
In a wild flurry of clawing and scratching, the quiet kid rips the popular kid’s shirt and in retaliation, the popular kid grabs the quiet kids collar and rips HIS shirt. The howling stops. The two “fighters” stand there looking at each
other. The quiet kid pulls what’s left of his shirt off. The popular kid snaps the last thread that is holding his. They look at each other. Their pasty-white skin shows a few scratches, some dirt, and something that looks like it could become a bruise. It’s quiet. They both look at the shirts in their hands. The crowd doesn’t move.
Looking around, the quiet kid spies a trash can. He starts to walk towards it. The popular kid joins him. The crowd parts to let them through. They both stop at the trash can, look down at the heap of ripped clothing in their hands,
and toss the shirts in the trash. The quiet kid grabs his gym bag, takes out his plain grey gym shirt, and slips it on. The popular kid grabs his gym bag, takes out his plain grey gym shirt, and slips it on. They walk their separate ways. One headed to Glee Club. The other goes to basketball practice.
As the crowd disperses, you see one newly-formed couple. A nerdy, bespectacled boy has his arm wrapped tightly around a girl with a cheer-leading outfit. In the mix of the fight, two random people happen to end up standing next to each other. As the fight had gotten heated, the cheerleader got scared. The geeky kid was there for the opportunity. He had held her as the fight continued. It made her quit trembling. After she was comfortable, she didn’t remove his arm that encircled her waist. As they walked off, he mentioned, “I want to be an attorney when I grow up.” The End.
Story-ending two:
The quiet kid and the popular kid happen to have the same PE hour. As they change into their plain grey gym shirts, the quiet kid approaches the popular kid.
He says, “Popular Kid, I’ve been thinking. You like the cheerleaders and pom pom squad girls, right?”
The popular kid bristled at the locker room question, and said, “Yeah, why?”
The quiet kid answers, “Well, I don’t care for them.”
The popular kid seeing an opportunity starts his wisecrack, “You’re g—”
Before the popular kid gets it out, the quiet kid says, “I don’t like the cheerleaders and pom pom squad girls. I am more into Goth and *Linda the freaky chick.”
The popular kid immediately sees where this is going. He says, “You know, you’re right. Let’s just wear what we wore today and make sure we e-mail each other when we are thinking about wearing it again.”
“Agreed,” said the quiet kid. They shook hands and jogged out to the gym. The End.
*All names are fictional and any similarity to someone you know is merely coincidental.
Michael