Menu
How Not to Make the Most Common Mistakes There’s no doubt about it. The 21st century has become an age of over-sharing. The savvy business owner knows the importance of leveraging this global conversation, known as social media, where masses of potential customers are now spending so much of their time. But just jumping in with larger ads and great offers isn’t enough. Social media is about engagement and just like a first date, there are some things a business should do and some things they should not do to ensure gaining more time with customers.
A business is only as successful as its planning. Smart marketers know that putting in the time, upfront, to create a solid social media strategy is not optional. Social media encompasses everything from blog posts to updates and comments to videos, tweets and pins. A good social media plan should reinforce the business’s identity, with every posting reflective of the brand and its mission. There should be a consistent call to action, with all social media posts focusing on it.
Random posts from businesses are confusing. Potential customers need a regular and a relatable relationship with businesses online. They need to recognize the business, know what it offers and what they can expect before they are willing to engage. By maintaining the same voice and creating posts that relate to one another, the impact is increased. Do Connect with Followers Social media was created to connect people. It was a social platform first, before it became a marketing tool. The most successful social media marketers keep this uppermost in mind, always answering questions and acknowledging comments, while interspersing product offers with informative, insightful and helpful posts. By increasing the dialogue, the relationship between the customer and business becomes stronger.
Every negative experience holds the opportunity to turn into a positive one. This especially applies to social media marketing. By addressing negative feedback or comments, a company has the perfect opportunity of publicly showing off their customer service skills and making a customer happy.And, it’s a great way to show how willing they are to make the company better by solving a problem they may not have known existed.
A regular rate of posting is the best way to keep on top of the mind of potential customers. Social media sites make it easier than ever to set up a social media calendar for consistent interaction. They also offer analytics for use as a guide for the best time, day and month to schedule posts. With auto scheduling there’s no reason consistent posting can’t take place as well as scheduling one post to multiple sites.
There’s a fine line between engaging with customers and making them feel spammed. Even the most provocative of social media ads will get scrolled over if they come too often. Prevent “post fatigue” by analyzing the type of posts that receives the most engagement or likes from your fans and resist the urge to “over post.” Just like the Facebook friend that posts her every move, you don’t want your message to be ignored or considered “the same old thing.”
Social media marketing is meant to get the word out about how exceptional the company is and all the wonderful things about it, not just about special deals or offers. Having a significant anniversary? Did an employee get an award or recognition? Is the companyinvolved with a specific charity? Use social media to share insider information about the company, so fans feel as if they’re an integral part of the business family. This builds brand loyalty and a strong following.
Everyone wants to hear about a great deal, but no one wants it shoved down their throat with obvious, sales-driven copy. Ads on newsfeeds are a given, so be that company that uses a soft touch when it comes to sales copy. Creating magazine-like ads, with clever headlines and compelling graphics will get more attention than heavy-handed, in-your-face posts.
How disconcerting is it to have a conversation with someone using poor grammar? Suddenly,all that can be heard are the grammar mistakes and the message is completely lost. The same thing happens in social media. If readers see spelling mistakes and poor grammar, the company may as well be winking in the darkfor all the impact it will make and its credibility goes right out the window. Don’t rely on simple spell check options. Instead, have another pair of eyes read all messages before posting. Invest in the time it takes to put all posts through grammar check programs. Never post anything that isn’t absolutely correct.
It’s not enough to woo a prospective customer; smart businesses know every encounter is a chance to close the sale. The call to action is the reason for the post, comment or tweet. Don’t forget to tell the customer what to do after they’ve read the post. Provide links for more interaction and to make it easy for them to take the next step. This ensures an increase in responses to all marketing activities. Including social media in the company’s overall marketing strategy is a must in today’s mobile and transparent environment. When done correctly by sharing quality content and interacting with followers on a regular basis, the business can become a real part of consumers’ lives.