The promise of ‘free’ advertising and easy PR draws business owners, both big and small, to the social marketing arena.
They think that all they need is to establish a Twitter account or set up a Facebook and LinkedIn page and it’s off to the races. They’ll just get going, get posting, and figure it out as they go. If they don’t know what they’re doing quite yet, who cares, right? Any social networking is good social networking, right?
There are common social media misconceptions that can actually hurt your online relationships with your customers. Here are just a few to watch out for:
- Hi…now BUY!
I’ll start with the most obvious. It’s not okay to push your products the second you get online. It’s just not. You need to take the time to make a connection with your readers and your prospects. If you’re lucky and you do it right, soon you will be calling them “clients and customers.” - No Turning Back Now
If you want to profit from being online and in front of your customers 24/7…you need to deal with the added demands. If a customer tweets you a concern or leaves a question on your FB page, you can’t ignore it and just focus upon the raving fan posts. You have to deal with the good and the bad. - Cohesion , cohesion, cohesion
Scattershot marketing efforts won’t work. And they will turn off most customers. You have to be consistent and you have to have a plan. - Big Fat Arrows Towards the Shopping Cart
In the midst of your conversations, remember that, if you want to make any money from this, you need to let them know that they can actually buy from you. Always make it clear how they can do so. - Know Thyself
If you hear negative feedback, it’s not okay to simply shut them out, block them or move on. Find the right tone to deal with detractors and always make sure you look within to figure out if maybe – just maybe – what they’re saying about you might have a hint of truth to it. - Extend Your Brand Online
Don’t Replace It Going online doesn’t mean reinventing your brand. You.com should still be YOU.
What mistakes have you made in social media? What else should we warn people about? Let us know by posting a comment below.