It’s been a while since I’ve written and so much has happened

I’ve completely re branded all thanks to CDB Design Studio, NOBIT Solutions and Adrian Best Studios. If you haven’t seen my brand spanking new website then you are totally missing out. Head over to www.carlimedia.com now. (shameless plug I know)

But while the glamour and glitz of the re branding was underway, I was asked to manage a colleague’s Facebook group for about a week as she would be out of the country. She knew she could trust me as I too have my own group of business professionals, and we more or less deal with similar issues regularly……..or so I thought!!

**cue ominous music**

I was shocked……no…. amazed at what passes for ‘interaction’ by some of these business owners. I swear, some of the things I witnessed was enough to make me shell shocked. I swear I almost lost it!!

So allow me to share with you how NOT to participate in a Facebook group

  • DO NOT post and run. I can’t be any clearer than that. I mean the whole point of being in a group (physically or otherwise) is to interact with other members. Share stories, offer motivation, see how you can assist each other. You don’t stand in a group and just start yelling what you have to sell. You come across as rude and annoying. Don’t let the fact that you are behind a computer fool you, if you’re not going to do it in real life, don’t do it on social media.
  • DO NOT just rush in just because you have something to say, make sure it’s relevant and can help others. Observe the tone and the types of discussions that people are having in the group. Many persons, I found simply used the group as a dumping ground for emotion or simply posted a link with no indication to what the link means for them or the group.
  • DO NOT use a group of business professionals and entrepreneurs to fill vacancies in your business. ***deep breath here** Like how is that normal? You are in a group of business owners and professionals……how can you be posting about who wants to work FOR you……like come on man. Maybe ask if we know someone one who might be interested because if I own a business, I’m sure as hell not interested in working for you, and with that attitude, I’m not going to be working with you either. Do you even know where you are? Are you going to walk into a hospital and ask for a pilot? I think not.
  • DO NOT try to break the rules by sneaking by the admin. Many of the members knew they weren’t allowed to post and run so what did they do…..they posted their flyers between the hours of 11pm and 4am. Luckily I am a night owl so I didn’t miss a beat. But let’s look at this logically why would anyone purchase from you if they do not know who you are or what you stand for and why would you post a flyer midnight? Who is going to see it? It didn’t make any sense…….no way no how.
  • DO NOT talk about yourself……it’s not about you…..it’s never about you…….it’s about who you serve.
  • DO NOT try to shamelessly promote yourself by pretending to ask for help, guidance, or feedback. If you are genuine we know, if you’re not we see that too. You ask for help but disappear when feedback is given and all we are left with is a flyer to remind us that you were once there. Just stop it!!!
  • DO NOT try to force people to buy from you. If your ideal target is not there, it’s ok to share but do not try to force your product or service in the group just because you can. Know who your target is and what you sell and then decide if the group is appropriate for you to promote in. It’s quite ok to be a member of a group to learn, grow and give relevant advice. Do not just go all crazy trying to sell to people who do not want what you have, you’re actually doing yourself a disservice.

 

So there you have it, what not to in a social media group. You cannot imagine the number of posts that were deleted daily…..it was just ridiculous.

I have a new found respect for my colleague. Seeing what she has to deal with on a daily basis can make a sane person go crazy……..and I’m in marketing…….I’m already crazy!!

Download my free ebook to get more tips on how to use social media correctly https://www.carlimedia.com/oldsite20/social-media and get on FREE 30min call with me so I can show you how to  use other forms of advertising to promote yourself.

Its time to put a strategy in place and stop aimlessly posting.

If you promise not to do any of the above and you are serious about learning how to market your business, then you are invited to join my free and private Facebook group The New SMS: Strategic Marketing Specialists where you can get all the marketing, advertising and communications training you need to build your business. Just follow the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenewsms/