I am going to assume some basics about your Face Book experience so far. There are lots of videos on Youtube out there on how to use Face Book for marketing so we'll say you have seen them and are up to speed somewhat.
I am going to assume you know how to set up your profile so that it looks professional. You have some pictures of your family and you talk about your interests and your pet peeves. You have been quite extensive on your favorite movies, music, books, sports and spiritual persuasion..etc
All of it designed to give people a glimpse of who you are.
Let's say your profile picture is not something foolish you were doing at a party or a cartoon . It actually looks professional and respectable.
I am going to presume you know how to add friends by typing in the search bar your target market or the type of people you want to know. You have been taught how to add 20 or 30 friends a day and are faithfully doing it growing your list.
You also understand that you can send out a broadcast message by using that box on your page to all your friends on what you are doing and you also occasionally ask people to join your business in this area too.
Let's assume you faithfully post on other people's walls because you were told this was the thing to do to get traffic to your page and your business.
Maybe you have even started your own group and have a large amount of people contributing to your group and sharing ideas with you.
Still people in your business are not coming in fast enough. What is it you are not doing?
The answer is so simple and obvious isn't it.
You forgot that social networking is a contact people sport. You forgot to take an interest in other people lives first before you rammed your business down their throats.
I can't believe how many people try to get me to join whatever they are doing without so much as a hello. Right off the bat I get a canned spam message about joining their business in my inbox immediately after I added them as a friend that morning.
When people engage in this I immediately send them to the bonehead file in my mind. I'll give them a little grace but if they continue to be STUPID I simply delete them as friends.
If I hear "you need more leads and you need more money in your pocket" one more time I am going to the kitchen to get a fork so I can stab myself in the EYE over and over.
So what is it you should be doing you ask.
Here's the deep secret all successful internet entrepreneurs know. Build your list..GET TO KNOW YOUR LIST..then and only then market to your list.
Take an interest in people and what they are about before you even mention your fabulous business you are working. Try to give people something of value to start with before they ever hear about your business.
You will be amazed how talking about trivial things and common interests produces results.
Personally I like to steer people to recent marketing videos I found interesting or send them a free e-book that was helpful.
The truth is only one out of ten people you talk to is ready to join your business. The other nine are already in one, or busy doing other things. Timing in your marketing is everything.
The best you can hope for is to make friends with people. Friends may help you down the line or steer you to someone who your business may be right for. Friends can contribute wisdom to you in many areas. Friends may be able to give you a heads up about a lot of things.
Enemies or people you ticked off because you spammed them will make sure they contribute to your demise. Face Book themselves will label you a spammer if you are too aggressive.
In conclusion I'd like to quote one of my favorite lines from "Fast times at Ridgemont high" when Sean Penn refused to wear his shirt in the restaurant and Judge Reinhold pointed to the sign that said "no shirt, no shoes ,no service" and then he said real slow..." READ it... Learn it..... Live it."
This quote is directed at those of you that are going to continue your business spamming ways.
Monday, February 09, 2009
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6 comments:
Good article, Lance. Facebook is an awesome tool to build your list, but it is first and foremost a social network. People come to facebook to chat with and get to know people. While the fact that you are a networker may be obvious, no one wants you to blatantly say (by your actions) "I am only interested in having you as a customer or signing up with my company." A good thing gone bad? Uhhmmmm...
Funny you wrote this.
This past Friday was the second day in a row that I received and email blast from someone I met online. I commented on one of their post, and left my contact information because in truth I cared to see what other topics he covered.
Sadly I go hit with online marketing materials pushing me to buy, buy, buy. It turned me off and I unsubscribed... In their unsubscribe page they asked asked why I wanted out. I said I was really looking forward to see what else I could learn from him and eventually become a client of some sort, but that I was turned off by the constant hard sale.
Online is a tiny part of my business, but I'm enjoying the community aspect of it. Nice post, I felt the same way.
Frank Irias
www.daishocreative.com
Awesome post Lance. We all need to be aware of this every day in our efforts.
Marketing is about building relationships. If we accomplish that, the rest will fall into place naturally and easily.
Scott Skinner
Hi,Lance.It is very simple.It is
SOCIAL network.We are here to SOCIALIZE,most of us.If we want to buy,we go to Ebay.Simple and great article.The simple is the best.
Thanks. Vitalii Jidkov
Hi,Lance.Very simple and great article.The simple is the best.
We are on Face book to SOCIALIZE,
most of us.It is a SOCIAL media
and not a Superstore.If we want to buy,we go to Ebay.
Once again, great content.
Thanks. Vitalii Jidkov
Hi Lance, thanks for the great post! I am fairly new to the Facebook social network, but it is already obvious to me that many people have their own agenda.
It's like please come into my business...and oh by the way, what is your name??
Not cool, social means people! Business edicate would be nice,
Thanks,
Susan
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