Is your Social media really social?

My husband hates social media.

Thinks it is turning the world ‘anti-social’.

He’s right.  To a point.  (I couldn’t let him be fully right, that wouldn’t seem… right… 😉 )

If our only interactions with people become a ‘like’ and the obligatory birthday message, it’s hardly what I’d call social.  If we spend all our time staring at our screens (yes, I can be guilty of this sometimes) then it could be perceived as anti-social.  Six forty-something ladies sitting at a restaurant I was at the other night were all staring at their phones, taking selfies and posting updates.  It was a strange thing to watch, and certainly seemed a bit anti-social.

Likewise, when we’re using Facebook pages for business, if all we’re doing is promoting ourselves, and not truly communicating with our ‘network’ then that may not come across as very social either.

So, when it comes to social media marketing for small business, we come up against this hurdle.

How do we make sure our social media isn’t anti-social?

Firstly, I think one of the keys is going back to what social media used to be called.  Social networks.  Whether it is a personal ‘social network’ or a business ‘social network’ we all have them.  The  benefit comes in how we use them.

My hubby, being one of these non-social media types, rings up his mates when he wants to know where they bought something, or who they contacted for help about something.  Social media allows us to do this same kind of thing in one post to many people, rather than several phone calls.

As businesses,  we’re on the other side of this – hoping that when that ‘call for recommendation’ goes out, that we are the ones mentioned (in a good way) for who to contact.  Which means amongst other things, that:

• We need to do good work

• We need to be human, and show that we care

• We need ways to let people know that we do good work and that we care

Social media (or social networks) allow us to do this.  Notice that nowhere on that list does it say “Sell your stuff”. It doesn’t mean you can’t use social media for that, you certainly can, if you do it right.  Do  too much of it, though, and you become like that friend who decides to sell Amway**, who people just slowly step away from and try not to make eye contact with for fear of getting the “I’ve got a business opportunity I want to talk to you about” speech.

Let’s step through it then..

Do good work

I reckon I pretty much need to leave this one to you, after all it’s your business. As a result, I’m sure you care enough to give it your best, but I’ll give you an example anyway.

If you’re a tradie, turn up when you say you’re going to, and if for some reason you can’t, call your customer out of courtesy and let them know when you will.  When you do the job, do it properly the first time.  Communicate with your customer and keep them updated.  Clean up after yourself and leave your customer’s location looking better than when you turned up.  In other words, treat people how you would expect to be treated.

It  shouldn’t be that hard.

So – on to bullet point 2 –

Be human, show that you care

If we want to be part of a social network, it pays to contribute to that network.  It doesn’t always mean money.  Donate your time to a charity, be supportive of local events, share other people’s posts, encourage others, sponsor something – if you have the money, encourage your staff, share their fundraising efforts and help them reach their goals.  Do something for others, this is your opportunity to invest in social karma.

And so then…

Let people know that you’re human and you care

There’s pretty much an untested*** rule which says your Facebook posts should be 80/20 as a ratio of “other stuff” to “sales generating”..  Subsequently, many struggle with how to come up with the 80%.  If you treat social networks as ‘human networks’ that you care about, the result is a fair bit easier.  If you’re posting something three times a week, finding three things that are about your staff, your community, your ideas, your ideals etc shouldn’t be so hard.  Write them down.  Schedule them.  Make a calendar…

Talk to your audience on social media as you might talk to them if you were at a party, introducing them to other people, finding out about them, learning what drives them, what they love, who they love and what they’re involved with.  Become interested and pass that interest on.  Subsequently, you’ll find that your audience is also more interested in you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don’t want to seem anti-social on social media, BE social.

Social media – whichever flavour you like of it – really works best when we remember it’s origins.

Social networks.

See you later, my friends.

Heather x

 

* * Not that there’s anything wrong with that, yada, yada and apologies to Seinfeld writers for paraphrasing and in advance to all MLM devotees!

*** Could be tested, probably has been, but finding a source for it specifically is tricky.

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