by MelanieD | Mar 27, 2015 | Blog
Part 2 of an ongoing series, discussing social media tips you can put to work right now.
Today’s topic is Facebook Posting/Liking/Sharing
Ahh, Facebook. You are like a fickle teenager. What you said yesterday may still hold true for today, or maybe not! Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts that should hold true for the {near} future.
- Follow the 80/20 rule: posts that offer perceived value to others and are NOT self-promotions will garner the best fans. For every self-promo post, offer 4 posts that promote other businesses or community figures, events, etc.
- Like other Pages that are complimentary to your business and like what they are posting (again, use caution and do not “over-like:” one of the worst behaviors is to be perceived as “spammy”). Additionally, like Pages where YOU do business: the hairdresser, the coffee shop, the local newspaper, your church, etc.
- Be genuine and authentic. Tell YOUR story with your words, and be transparent whenever possible. If you have a customer service issue that starts online, address it tactfully and then attempt to resolve it privately. This is the time for your customer service skills to shine! Your honesty and authenticity will show all of your fans and followers that you are the “real deal.”
- Unless religion or politics is your business, keep your personal opinions off your business page. There is no reason to possibly alienate a current or potential customer just because of a difference of personal beliefs. Those who care to share their personal opinions online should do post on their personal profile, keeping in mind your privacy settings and that YOU are your personal brand, so be judicious!
- Share {selectively} your business posts on your personal profile. Your friends and family are interested in your business, but only just a little. If they really want to know what’s going on in your business, they will follow your business page!
- Use the post scheduler on the update status bar to make your life a little easier. You can schedule posts up to 6 months or more in advance.
- Thank your new fans: “Thanks to our newest fans Mary Smith, John Doe, and Sally SoAndSo! We hope you will tell your friends about us!” Pages sometimes can tag people, but don’t worry if you can’t. People still love to be recognized personally.
*sigh* I need a new assistant.
- Share a personal story from time to time. Nothing crazy, just a little tidbit for your fans to know there’s a real person here, not just some computer churning out automated posts. Example, “It’s been raining cats and dogs here at XYZ headquarters; any suggestions on where to get some good galoshes?” or “Working from home today, and my little doggy is snoring in the chair beside me.” And post a pic of the doggy.
- If you have the option, ask someone you trust to review your business.
- If you have video, post it! People LOVE videos. They don’t have to be professional: take a look at YouTube; it’s mostly videos caught on cell phones, and that’s ok! Just make it short and sweet and authentic!
by MelanieD | Jan 30, 2015 | Blog
Bully (n.) a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.
Nobody is a stranger to the term. Bullying is rampant in our society, and has become more so with the technology we have today. It seems to be easier than ever for bullying to take place with texting and the lightening-fast social media tools of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, You Tube, and so on. So many of our youth are armed with their cell phones, and they seem to be connected to their devices 24-hours a day. How do we as a society address this problem?
Too many of our young people have fallen victim to bullying; some teens have even taken their own lives due to the extreme bullying they have endured. This tragedy should never again occur.
As parents, teachers, community leaders, adults, it is our duty it is our due diligence to put a stop to this. Handing over the computers, tablets, cell phones to young people should come with strings attached. Adults should have full access to these devices, and the social media accounts that are being utilized, to keep a watchful eye on the conversations taking place. Just as we would not hand over the car keys to someone without the proper training, we should practice the same with texting and social media.
I am a believer that an individual’s privacy should be respected, and this can become a battle between parent and child; but if there is nothing to hide, that becomes a moot point. Finding balance and establishing trust is key to making this work. Let’s not let another young person’s life end too soon because we are not vigilant in protecting them.
by MelanieD | Feb 10, 2014 | Blog
I checked in with my Facebook newsfeed a few minutes ago and noticed a friend had liked a local business page. I was curious, so checked out the page. It’s a general store that hasn’t opened its doors yet.
They just joined Facebook as a business page 12 hours ago. When I visited the page, there were already 97 fans. I decided to give them some FB love, and liked their page. It’s been 13 minutes and their fan count is up to 109. I’m not a mathematician, but that’s averaging 1 new fan every minute.
What does this tell us? A couple of things.
#1: It tells me that people (consumers, business men and women, community organizations) support the local economy. We are ready to shop local, buy local. The fans of this page are responding to requests by the store owners: offering suggestions for products, providing connections to other local suppliers, and giving moral support! Imagine if we all did this!
#2: It tells me that there is power in social media. My friend liked the page, so I liked the page. I will keep checking back on the progress and look for the grand opening. I will share the message and I’m sure many of their other fans will, too.
I encourage you to read this great blog post by my friend Robert Kastelic of Outside Raleigh Marketing & Media for a great perspective on Shopping Local.
I’m going back to Facebook now to invite my friends to like this page and to visit their store when it opens! Check them out at: facebook.com/WendellGeneralStore. And remember: Shop Local, Buy Local!
