If you are active on social media you probably know that a wide variety of personalities frequent these sites. Three personality types stand out when it comes to promoting a business.
First you have the celebrities, who can be classified as the “narcissistic” personalities. Despite the fact that they are self-absorbed and aren’t always good communicators with fans and followers, they are successful at social media because they already have a built-in, loyal fan base.
Next you have the info-spammers, who can be classified as the “one-track-minded” personalities. They believe that the fastest route to success on social media is to post the same message over and over again (usually “buy me, click me, support me”). For instance, when trying to sell books many authors spam the Amazon link to their book all day long on Twitter.
Finally you have the communicators. These personalities are very aware of and in touch with their target audience. They care about what their followers care about and use social media to learn and market to them properly. These personalities tend to have the most long-term success at social media marketing. Here are five important tips to keep in mind if you want to fall into this last category.
1. Interact with the people you follow. What is the point of being on social media if you don’t talk to your followers and friends? If you want to connect with your potential customers and subscribers, what better way than to tweet or message them directly once in a while? Answer their questions or say something entertaining (using discretion of course). Even a simple “good day” will suffice in some cases.
2. Don’t automate messages. One of the most annoying things you can do is send an automated message to your social media friends. It is lazy and tacky. It gives them a lousy first impression because it tells them you’re probably going to be one of those spammer types (“buy me, click me, support me”). If you don’t have the time to dedicate to social media hire someone to do it for you.
3. Use social media tools. If you don’t have the resources at this time to hire someone, use social media tools instead. These tools abound and they can help you successfully manage your accounts and lists. You might have to try out a few different tools to find the right mix for your needs.
4. Follow back. When someone on Twitter follows you who may have an interest in your business, follow them back. Why wouldn’t you want to look at what your potential customers are tweeting on a daily basis? Twitter is a marketing treasure trove. Your main goal is not to look like “the man” just because a lot of people follow you and you only follow a few (see the narcissistic personality). The goal is to create a healthy communicative platform between you and your customers. Check your ego at the door.
5. Use the 60/20/20 rule. Okay, this may not be an official rule, but it is good to use as a guideline. 60 percent of your messages to followers and fans should be interesting and entertaining, such as news, sayings, quotes and ideas. 20 percent should be strictly informative, such as blog posts from you and your colleagues. The last 20 percent should be promotional. Promotional messages include the occasional, “Check out what we have new in the store” with a picture attached (pictures are gold) or, “Get 20 percent off of a book cover design if you inbox us before 5pm today” (social media folks tend to like timed deals).
It isn’t too late to become a social media marketer who is also a successful communicator. Go over your social media strategy and make adjustments as necessary starting today.
Thank you for this excellent resource! I have a new company that just started this year and I have been fine-tuning my use of social media. I really enjoy using twitter to search for relevant terms to see what potential customers are talking about and then jumping right into the conversation.
I found the 60/20/20 advice to be the most helpful. Thank you!