Marketing a business on the worldwide web recently became a whole lot easier with the advent of social media. Sites like Twitter and Facebook have proven to be profitable places to have a storefront presence. However, some marketers make grave errors in their efforts to socialize with potential clientele. If you are exploring marketing your business using the power of social media, it is imperative that you learn the basics of how to behave online. This article details some of the finer points of etiquette for social media marketing.
🔷Don’t market your products or services in the wrong venue. Marketing on the sites where people likely to be interested in your products is essential, but marketing on sites where folks have no interest in what you’re selling can be problematic. If you’re pushing wares to an unreceptive audience, you’re going to come to be known as obnoxious and a spammer. Word of your behavior can easily spread to those who may actually want to do business with you and can harm your reputation. Only market to interested parties.
🔷Don’t imitate your competition exactly. There is nothing wrong with watching your competitors to see what they are up to and how successfully they are at implementing their strategies, but blatant attempts to copy their behavior can have a negative effect on your campaign. People are smart, and if they recognize that you are just copying the other guy, you are going to be seen as, well, a copycat. That’s not good for your reputation either.
🔷Make good on promises. Whether you’re advertising free shipping, a discount or a money-back guarantee, deliver what you say you will. Even if you make a mistake, and something is going to cost you a little money because you failed to factor in a cost, do what you said you would, learn from the mistake and move on. Always doing the right thing may cost you a little money upfront, but will glean you a reputation as a trustworthy merchant, and that will get you more customers in the long run.
🔷Respond to those who reach out to you. When people leave comments on your blog, send you emails or ask questions on your forum, answer them in a timely manner. Don’t overdo it, though. Don’t start sending them communications they didn’t ask for, and don’t socialize too much. Asking them about their personal lives when they only asked you about a product will make them think you’re odd. Be polite, but keep your communications strictly professional.
🔷Be Kind. That’s a very simple approach to take, but you’d be surprised at the number of online marketers who make the mistake of getting into arguments with potential customers. Not only will participating in flame wars spike your blood pressure, but it is also harmful to your business. Recognize that even if folks are rude, their money is still good and so is the money of all the people who may eventually see any online negativity coming from you. Remember that blog posts, forum posts and emails are often passed around the Internet at a rapid pace. Make sure those written by you can only be seen in a positive light.
In short, treat people how you’d like to be treated, and you’ll never go wrong. Use social media to your advantage while remembering that it is an art form that requires finesse. Practice the social media marketing tips you’ve just learned, and you’ll maintain a great online reputation.
