How to Be Valuable, But Not Overly Promotional
I came across this question while speaking with a client about social media and thought I would elaborate a little more on the topic.
With the overwhelming acceptance and lessening resistance by the majority of companies social media is here to stay.
So let's take some time to tackle this question of engagement versus over-promotion.
Here's a scenario.
Acme Company, a business to consumer (B2C) electronics company is convinced it needs to be involved with social media.
After all, twenty percent (20%) of all tweets mention a brand.
Excited, they have their interns build some social media accounts and start telling the world about their products.
This is a common and fundamental problem in many social media strategies.
Telling has been the traditional method of communication between businesses and consumers.
It's only natural that the first instinct of many businesses is to tell people about a great product, service, opportunity, or promotion for their company.
But consumers are smart.
They see what you're doing, and to be frank, it's just irritating.
It's not a catch 22 however, and there is a silver lining.
After all, it would be irrational for businesses to venture into social media if the outlook was dismal.
People are here to build stronger brands, sales growth, and collect feedback to make their offerings better.
The key however, is to find a balance between too little involvement and being overly promotional.
To do this effectively it is important to listen first.
What kind of conversations are taking place about your brand? Understanding what customers think is an important step if you're going to provide them with good value.
Once you understand the perspectives of your consumers it's much easier to provide them with resources, promotions they are interested in, or in some cases, a heart felt apology for when you legitimately screw up (a nice apology can be very effective).
It's hard to be overly promotional when you know what your customers want and you give it to them.
The overly promotional brands are usually the ones who are so busy talking that they don't realize no one is listening.
Practice actively listening to your customers and you'll see higher click through rates, more interaction, and happier clients.
All together, that equals higher sales.
With the overwhelming acceptance and lessening resistance by the majority of companies social media is here to stay.
So let's take some time to tackle this question of engagement versus over-promotion.
Here's a scenario.
Acme Company, a business to consumer (B2C) electronics company is convinced it needs to be involved with social media.
After all, twenty percent (20%) of all tweets mention a brand.
Excited, they have their interns build some social media accounts and start telling the world about their products.
This is a common and fundamental problem in many social media strategies.
Telling has been the traditional method of communication between businesses and consumers.
It's only natural that the first instinct of many businesses is to tell people about a great product, service, opportunity, or promotion for their company.
But consumers are smart.
They see what you're doing, and to be frank, it's just irritating.
It's not a catch 22 however, and there is a silver lining.
After all, it would be irrational for businesses to venture into social media if the outlook was dismal.
People are here to build stronger brands, sales growth, and collect feedback to make their offerings better.
The key however, is to find a balance between too little involvement and being overly promotional.
To do this effectively it is important to listen first.
What kind of conversations are taking place about your brand? Understanding what customers think is an important step if you're going to provide them with good value.
Once you understand the perspectives of your consumers it's much easier to provide them with resources, promotions they are interested in, or in some cases, a heart felt apology for when you legitimately screw up (a nice apology can be very effective).
It's hard to be overly promotional when you know what your customers want and you give it to them.
The overly promotional brands are usually the ones who are so busy talking that they don't realize no one is listening.
Practice actively listening to your customers and you'll see higher click through rates, more interaction, and happier clients.
All together, that equals higher sales.
