If you’re viewing social media as a “white elephant sale” and using social networks strictly as a billboard to tout products and offer discounts, then there’s definitely a pachyderm in the room with you. Time and time again, I see businesses using social media as a sales tool. Here are some examples of what I repeatedly see:
- Come in on the 25th and we’ll give you 10% off anything over $50.
- Today’s special, roast pork with mashed potatoes and includes a free cup of soup.
- Saturday only! Biggest sales event this year!
- Get my new 5 CD set on winning now and you’ll get it for half price today!
Yipes! Seriously folks, is this what YOU want to see when you’re sifting through posts on Facebook or Google+? And yes, Twitter is just as notorious, but with a heavy dose of MLM’ers peppered in. Oh, why DID you friend that person on Facebook anyway?
Try to think about the consumer or potential client that’s seeing these type of posts over and over again. What will their reaction be? Is it a turn-off if all they see are posts consistently like the examples above and nothing else?
Word of advice: If you choose to continue allowing the elephant to stay with you, let’s hope you won’t eventually see any pink ones.
Could it be time to acknowledge that pachyderm with the trunk? Say goodbye, Horton!
This is part of the Blogging A to Z Challenge. Click here for D and C or scroll down. And yes, there's A and B too.
4 comments:
Good post. Selling and marketing your brand are two different elephants. You cited sales examples, and those are usually short term "guerilla marketing" ideas. They want to make a fast buck to a short term audience and I see plenty of that. It doesn't work as well as marketing your brand/image by developing a following for a longer term interest. That takes some foresight and planning before you jump into the social media scene. Tim
Right on Tim! And social media is not a good forum to be a "guerilla" in.
Yeah, I am starting to get turned off on Twitter, seeing every one only tweeting about them selves and what is on sale in their shops every day or even every minute. I am constantly clicking on unfollow these days.
-Debbie
This is a great post, and definitely something useful for me. I plan to self publish my novel in a few months, and the last thing I want to do is turn people off.
Better to get to know people, respond to their posts and tweets and learn their interests. Show you actually care about your customers and want them to keep coming back. Not just hit and runs for a quick buck.
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