So, The CF got my business. Success! And when we were there, lots of people were doing the same. So, social media works, right? Not so fast, there. I'm getting to it.
There are also business benefits to joining in on social media. Like Cheesecake Factory did, it's a place to let consumers know about various deals or specials you've got going on. It's cheaper than ads, and it's a direct connection to your customers. If they have to say a certain code or print out something to receive the current special, it's a way to gauge how much people actually are interested in your product.
However, there is a right way to handle social media and a wrong way. At Melaroo, we could talk all day about the benefits of social media. In fact, Nate Stockard teaches many classes on it and can, on occasion, speak without stopping for 4-5 hours. It's pretty impressive. After about 10 minutes, I end up just talking about dinosaurs or something. ANYWAY, I really believe that to do social media right as a business, there are two basic rules to follow. To help me illustrate those rules, here are pictures of corgis.
Don't be boring.
What I mean by that is don't post things every 2 months. Stay active, but be relevant. Engage with other users because they either are or could be customers for your business. "Social media is no place for wallflowers", as my great grandpa would say. People thought he was crazy back then for saying that, which is probably why they stoned him to death…
Don't drive people away with hard sells.
Listen: we're all in this to make money. I won't disguise the intentions of business. But, as many of you know, there's an art to selling a product. You have to know when to engage and when to listen. With social media, it's best to just listen and wait for the right opportunity. I've seen a lot of businesses come out on social media and just SELL SELL SELL! No one pays attention and most people just block you. However, I've seen many businesses become a presence on the web. One time, I actually had a conversation with McDonald's on Twitter. Yeah, we were talking about food, but it was a back-and-forth conversation. I still follow them and pay attention anytime they say anything (especially if it involves the word "free").
Social media is a fresh, relevant, and innovative method to get more business. And there's much more to it than my two basic rules. I could get specific and say that you shouldn't say these things or those things…but I won't. Because i'd rather get paid to tell you those things. Deal? Now…CORGI PARTY!
