Why Your Facebook Strategy Stinks
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I bet you are much too savvy to jump on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn and start furiously posting your latest in-store specials or gift card offerings. If you are using this hopeless “jam it down my throat” technique by the time you reach the end of this post I hope you will see the light. If you have adopted this method, good news your competitors probably use it too and armed with a bit of magical information soon you will be leaving them wondering, “what just happened?” as you zoom to the top of your niche.
Online communities are not advertising mediums. They are SOCIAL networks with people discussing and sharing ideas in communities of like mindedness. You wouldn’t walk into your friend’s house party and start handing out advertising flyers would you? Well, I won’t be mailing that invite if you do. Adopt the “get what you GIVE” philosophy and start using social networking in place of social advertising.
Networking reloaded!
Just like its offline counterpart social networking is all about building relationships with interesting people whose goals and skills COMPLIMENT your own. Helping others in social spaces is the best way to build your brand. Consider taking some time to expand your network of friends and associates becoming more interesting, educated and valuable in the process.
Get creative with your engagements…
Use tools like Twellow (the Twitter Yellow Pages) to find influential people in your geography who offer a service or product that is an exceptional compliment to your own. Make contact with this neighborhood influencer by commenting at their blog, promoting their Tweets to your network (retweeting), or emailing them a tip that might help their business.
While your relationship grows you will ride the reciprocity waive as they return the favor and your profile grows along with site visits, newsletter registrations and your customer base. Haven’t you ever wondered why those companies whose products you know are inferior to yours always seem to get recognized at the awards dinner? Chances are they understand the power of networking. Stop selling and start connecting.
Now, what are you going to do with that next advertisement?
Related Topics
Tags: facebook, Linkedin, social media, twitter
March 3rd, 2010 at 2:53 am
Great post! To answer your question, I’m going to hold the next advertisement for a year. If I need it then, I’ll pay someone to put it somewhere so millions of eye balls can see it. How nice.
But I don’t think I’ll need it, because I agree with you: “Helping others in social spaces is the best way to build your brand.”
Following your lead, John!
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:29 pm
Donna,
Thanks for dropping by. In the Web 2.0 world and beyond your brand is less about logos, color schemes and taglines…it is what you do and how you do it. “You get what you give” is a proven business development strategy.