Many Network Marketers, Small Business Owners and Corporations are using Social Media in the wrong way. You need to really understand how to use Social Media to gain the best advantage to your marketing efforts.
So, to begin with marketers need to approach the Social Media Networking Sites with the right mind set on how to approach or engage people …. It’s a bit like attending a Cocktail Party or BBQ. You need to apply the same sets of social skills and etiquettes to meet, engage and interact with people as you would at a Party or BBQ.
Twitter is like an open party. It’s where everyone gathers and starts meeting, mingling and engaging in conversation. You seek out like-minded individuals or gravitate to the cool, interesting or funny people.
Facebook is where you gather at the party into smaller groups of conversations and listen or gather information, offering value and help to one another as you would in the kitchen, lounge room or hallway at a party. You then establish a personal connection and build stronger bonds along similar interests, hobbies, business connections and a smaller community of interested groups. Invite people to your home (your blog or business site)
LinkedIn can be used for social media, although is would have a more corporate environment but the same rules apply.
So, let’s begin to explore …. the 7 common mistakes marketers make with social media ….
1. Not Comprehending the Power of Social Media
Facebook has over 400,000,000 users, Twitter has over 18.1 billion users and many other social media sites are being utilised and growing everyday. Many don’t get it, YET!!!! ..Take time to learn it – it can be pretty powerful.
Information can get around whether it’s good or negative publicity:
- Corporations are starting to get it and using Social Media to reach their customers. Some companies have already suffered from past negative criticism through consumers’ dissatisfaction via Twitter users that they have had to change their strategies very quickly.
- Politicians are starting to realise the power of the Social Media. Remember how Barack Obama campaign was powerful through the use of SOCIAL MEDIA.
- Over-night celebrities are created. Remember how quickly that sensational moment when Susan Boyle sang “I Dreamed a Dream” was broadcast around the world over YouTube.
That’s enormously powerful!!!
2. Believing You Are Not Remarkable Or Interesting to Others
People respond to other people that are ‘real’ or human and love to hear everyday stuff. You don’t need to be ‘picture perfect’. Sharing YOU by being yourself and what interests you. Start with topics on hobbies or interests, your pets, animals or cute kids, food or recipes or a great meal you’re having. These are great conversation starters and ways to break the ice. People relate to one another that are like-minded or have a commonality.
Offer help and knowledge on a particular subject – give value and you will draw people to you. If you are entertaining or funny, even be controversial this can also make you more interesting and draws people to you.
Social Media is like being at the water cooler at work – taking a quick break from our work and socialising, being entertained or sharing info (and real quick) and then hop back to work.
3. Not Using Visual Media Sufficiently or Not At All
People love to watch others. Sharing your photos or a 3-4 min video allows people to see who you and show you ‘human’ side. It shows your personality and that’s what people enjoy or share a common interest in. A video can be quite easy to upload to places like YouTube and other video sharing sites giving you more opportunity to generate traffic to you.
This way you are offering value with information when you teach or offer tips via Video, a recording of a live event or webinar. You could then advertise your offer at the bottom or end of your presentation and lead them to take some ACTION. This method then is not intrusive but very effective.
Take a camera with you wherever you go whether its your mobile or cell phone with a high resolution camera or a Video Recorder such as a flip camera to record those candid shots… they are much more interesting than a pristine, posed picture perfect shot.
The trend in Media Technology is moving towards TV and so you will need to incorporate High Definition in your media equipment choice for high quality.
Learn to integrate Twitter, Facebook, YouTube sites so that when you upload a picture or video you are able to sharing it around your community. This then allows others to comment on your wall or blogs and thus build up a presence which elevates your profile and draws traffic to you.
Your blog content should include short 3-4 min videos but also written content or even an audio where people can make the choice of how they want to consume your message. Everyone has different styles and limited amount of time. You want to cater for all styles.
4. Trying to Harvest before Sowing
You need to be social, engaging and interactive with one another. It’s about establishing rapport by giving value first. So, you wouldn’t walk into a Party, introduce yourself and then hand them your business card and launch into some business pitch.
“Hi I’m from XYZ Company and have this hot new product blah blah bladdy blah ….. “, and then you hand me a business card and ask me to contact you if I need something. UGGH!!!!!
Why would anyone be interested – you haven’t shown that you care about the person first? Remember, people want to know that you are interested in them and show that you care about what they want.
At parties you don’t sell – you make connections with people. Marketing is different in social media – you DON’T sell directly. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t make money. You need to make a bond or connect – be authentic.
Common mistake – examples:
1. When someone has have just introduced themselves and on the first message they are trying to sell to you straight up or they will send you a link, tell me to visit their site , or even suggest if I need some help to contact them.
2. Some marketers are even more impersonal when using auto-response tools or follow programs. They use the exact same copy-cat message as each other without personalising it.
This doesn’t come across as authentic and can really leave a bad taste. You are missing out on building a relationship with that person which could have been good for business.
5. Selling With Wrong Approach on Social Media Sites
Don’t sell directly on Social Media as you may have in the past with Direct Response Marketing. It’s about knowing how to do it effectively:
1. Give away something for FREE 
Give away a Special Report or Ebook – but don this on your first contact. There is an unwritten rule – don’t ask for something – YOU GIVE first
2. Give, Give & Give and get you name out there
Do simple things like – a quote, an interesting article, something entertaining, and Retweet, Retweet, Retweet – GIVE!, GIVE! & GIVE!.
3. Use a real picture of you (Avatar) on your profile
You want to appeal and be seen as ‘human’. You wouldn’t wear a mask to a party so you a better off if you show a that you’re human. Don’t use a logo.
4. Establish yourself – Use 10-1 rule
Create a following and when you reach about 700 to 1000+ followers. Then, get to know your following and then start to Retweet their stuff. For every 10 items you tweet of Value you can then include one of your own offers.
5. Best way to learn is teach
So, start learning.
You need to be able to drive traffic to your website and you need to have your sales funnel in place and have the whole system in place to be able to Monetize your marketing efforts.
6. Don’t Create A Call To Action On Your Facebook Or Blog .
They way to get around it when on you are on Facebook is placing your links and website address under your picture or profile. If you have created enough interest and curiosity then people will want to find out more about you and will check out your links.
They will be a lot more comfortable with that and think ‘it was their idea’ and not you pushing yourself and business on them.
7. Not Learning The Short Cuts To Being Organised
There are some good platforms that will put together for you such as Tweetdeck, HooteSuite and StumbleUpon. This can allow you to group and list people into categories for staying in contact easier and not miss important conversation. Some applications allow you to “Tweet Later” so you can plan or schedule later. If you are not organised and you started a conversation and you are there – this can look bad.
To your success on Social Media
Kerry Beare
