As a social media marketing expert I spend a lot of time working with companies and organizations to create a solid social media strategy. Educating the businesses, owners and even staff about what constitutes a good plan. What to say, how to say it, when to say it, and even how the message should be varied from platform to platform. Once they understand the effort involved in doing these actions well, they typically ask for Hunter Marketing Group’s expertise to perform these actions.
Occasionally a business owner decides they want to take control of their own strategy. While that’s their decision they always seem to do something to rub their audience the wrong way. Regardless of how many times I reiterate what to do, it is inevitable that on their own business owners will break cardinal rules of social media etiquette. Generally it is because they themselves are not social media users and therefore don’t come across in the right fashions.
If you want to run your own social media marketing campaign, here are a few tips to stay out of hot water, and away from topics that could do more damage than good for your business.
4 Things to Never Say in Social Media Marketing
Don’t EVER Talk Negatively About Customers
We all know how challenging it is to work with people. Even if 99.9% of your customers are great and wonderful, the moment you say anything negative about the 0.1% of them that are challenging your patience, it will be 100% of them that get offended. Regardless of how legitimate or broad your statement is, you are likely to offend way more people than talk sense into a single one of them.
What to say instead: Talk about the wonderful experiences or use a challenge to take advantage of training or educating people on how to do things better.
Don’t EVER Argue
Even if you are right, users will see you as wrong the moment you engage in argumentative conversation. If you must respond to someone trying to pick an argument with you be diplomatic about it. Remember that you can have a difference of opinion without crossing lines.
What to say instead: Reinforce that the opinion is their right to have and that you politely disagree or have a different point of view. Then disengage.
Don’t Ask for Favors
It’s great to ask for reviews on your Google Plus or Facebook page, but doing it over and over just makes you seem desperate. Put this into other forums such as your email blasts, in your email signature, as a link on a blog post. As a rule of thumb, if you have to ask more than twice you are begging and becoming a pest.
What to say instead: If someone praises you on social media respond directly with a link to where they can review you and say something to the effect of, “We are so happy that you had a pleasant experience with us. It would mean a lot if you would take just a moment to share this experience with others.” You’ll be amazed at the response you get.
Don’t EVER Get Political
Unless you are, of course, a politician or political figure. Regardless of how liberal or conservative your customer base is you are bound to lose a few, even if they agree with your views, the moment that you throw your support to any one individual or party.
What to say instead: Avoid the topic at all costs. Ignore the topic or reference how they can take their opinion to the polls during the next voting opportunity.
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