You probably face it daily.
That moment of decision.
It’s the time when you decide whether or not to hit the “Post” button.
Will the information that you’re posting benefit your business? That’s the big question. You can get all the advice in the world about what types of content work best in social media when you’re using it for your business. But in the end, it comes down to this moment.
And often it’s tempting to think that “just this once” you can do that general status update about the special you want to promote, your desperate desire to book just one more party, etc.
But it’s not worth it.
Self-promoting general status updates are not positive for your business. If it’s about getting people to spend money with you, it’s only going to make you look bad…it’s spam. Instead, invest your energy in creating an opt-in area (Group, Page, Newsletter…) where you CAN post such messages, because you’ve been given permission. That’s where that type of message will be most effective. Remember, it’s SOCIAL media, not SALES media. And as a relationship marketer, you should be spending the majority of your efforts building relationships so that people want to opt-in for more information about your business.
In each moment of decision, ask yourself:
Do people have to spend money to take advantage of this status update?
If that answer is yes, don’t post it.
In that moment of decision, making the right decision, so that people don’t decide to hide you and you can continue to develop a relationship, is the BEST decision you can make.
Your thoughts?
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You make a good point. Nobody ever wants to become “that guy or that girl”, the one who spams everything and whom everybody ignores.
The good thing about the internet and social media is the sheer number of contacts that can hear what you have to say. The downside is that everyone else is being heard too. You need more than a good sales pitch. It takes real relationships.
Oh my goodness! Love it! My status should build my business because I’m sharing a piece of myself, thus building what my director calls the Big R – Relationships! So not only do I not post the general “call to purchase” or “join my team,” but I want my status updates to reflect the person I am – the humor, the love I have for my family, the integrity I hold in my business. You get the point. Every time I put something up I should ask myself how that reflects on me, my business, and my company.
Thanks Jennifer! This is something I will be sharing with my team.
Great reminder! I was curious about twitter though, it seems as if EVERY tweet I see is promoting something.
The same logic still applies. Just because lots of people are using Twitter in less-than-effective ways, it doesn’t mean you should. Build relationships and provide value! That’s what leads to success.