I know you love your business. You are enthusiastic, passionate, and you’re out to change the world. However, one of the occupational hazards of loving your business too much is doing what I affectionately term the “Sales Swoop” any time you see an opening (and sometimes when you don’t!)
So today’s post is about what NOT to do online in social media.
Let me preface this by saying that what you SHOULD be doing is providing valuable content online that people appreciate. You should NOT be a sales pitch. I love it when people get it right. One of the ladies I’m friends with on Facebook who happens to be a wine consultant posts wine tips a few times a day as her Facebook status update. I’m learning the temperature my white wine should be to bring out the flavor. I laugh at her jokes about how most people age wine for as long as it takes to get it from the store to the glass. In short, she’s got an audience. She GETS it. I know she sells wine. But she’s not ramming it down my throat, and I look forward to her posts.
So let’s talk about some sales faux pas in the online world.
1. If I mention your company or your product, do not swoop down on me. Instead, start a conversation with me. Get to know me and find out what I like, what my interests are. Check out my blog and see what I write about. In short, know me as a person before you try to sell me anything.
2. Don’t provide me with a link to your website the minute I meet you online, because I’ve mentioned anything remotely related to your product line. I won’t click it. Instead, I will most likely ignore you and will never click on anything you send me ever again. Instead, engage with me. Say hello. Share (FREE) resources with me about the interest that I’ve mentioned. I’m a lot more likely to be interested in what you have to offer when you express an interest in my needs, and try to help me with my needs (without trying to sell me immediately.)
3. Do not make every status update a broadcast about your product. You may think you’re meeting people’s needs by sharing valuable information about your products, but you’re not. Instead, you sound like a commercial. And I like to go get ice cream during commercials, not pay attention to them. I’d rather get to know YOU in your status updates, and have you get to know me.
4. PLEASE don’t make your logo your avatar. People in social media want to connect with PEOPLE, not logos. It’s amazing, but I feel a LOT more connected with those people online who have faces. When people have a logo up, I have no idea who they are, and I pay less attention. The people you’re trying to reach will do the same thing.
5. And finally, DON’T sign me up for your newsletter until I do it myself. My friends, this is actually against the law. It’s called SPAM if I don’t sign up for it myself. If I have an interest in your newsletter, rest assured, I know how to find you. But don’t sign me up without asking first.
Social media can have a dramatic impact on your business. It can help you connect with people you never could have met before, and can position you as an expert that people turn to for advice and products. By avoiding the social media faux pas I mention above, you will be on the path to success in social media.
What do you think? Have you experienced the “Sales Swoop?” Are you a reformed “Sales Swooper?” Would love to read your comments below!
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I really loved reading this.
I agree with all of them, actually. I am not a sales swooper, but have a few friends that are. I think the only thing worse than a sales swooper is a Brag Blogger. I know you love that this was the best month of sales ever, but it comes across to me a little crude.
I am guitly of having my facebook fan page my logo. Oops! Reforming as we speak:-)
Great reminder! I have heard people say they hate to hear about people’s businesses on Facebook, that’s was Twitter is for. I guess people go to Twitter for biz info and FB more for fun.
Thanks for the great tips. I still don’t get Twitter, though. Every time I go on there, it seems like it’s just filled with people either endlessly selling their own product/service, or repeating the same “news” I’ve already heard from many others. And I don’t understand why people are following me, since I post maybe once every 3 weeks — the whole thing is a mystery to me! There must be something I’m doing wrong — some kind of filter I should be applying?? Or a way of organizing it better?
Today’s post is so beneficial, being a social media novice. There’s a maze of information about social media that it actually discourages me to engage sometimes. Not too interested in the sales swooper also. In person, I love learning about people and listen most of the time which means rarely talking, but I don’t think I can translate this practice when using social media.=)
Thanks for the list of don’t dos I appreciate it and will keep it in mind as I begin to work on my fan page for my business. Thank you!!!
Twitter: LynnATL
June 4, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Great reminders. I rarely engage in a convo with people who (twitter) DM links to their sites, make a sales a pitch or invite me right away to connect with them in other forums. They are missing the step from mutual following to sharing, exchanging ideas, LOL, etc
Great article, thanks!
Can’t tell you how many newsletters I have been sent that I have not signed up for-
Right now I have to say, I am putting very little into either FB or Twitter. Overall it’s been fun, but not compelling. I have a few people I enjoy connecting with, but it would take me WAY more time than i want to spend to really get in the swing I think.
I am trying to get off my computer and outdoors more. Nature-networking feels right, and seeing more of my real friends in real time. In the winter maybe this will change.
xox
Lisa