The Dont’s of Social Media must be learned if you plan to be successful in in any direct sales business using it. As a Direct Seller, there are many choices when it comes to getting your name out there via social media. Facebook is one of the top ways but I also would recommend YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Many of my customers are on Facebook and it is a great way to touch base after parties or follow up to find out if they are enjoying their products and posting a “Thank you” on their wall. One thing people need to remember when deciding to use Social Media is to plan to use it primarily for building relationships instead of a continuous direct marketing tool. Building relationships will help people get to know you and that in turn will keep them loyal. They will come back to you to purchase, host parties and look to you as a choice as a trusted sponsor when they decide to join.
No matter which platform you decide to use as far as social media, it is important that you don’t become that person that updates every status on Facebook, every pin on Pinterest, every video on YouTube to be about a pitch about your business. If this does happen, people will click hide on facebook, unfollow on twitter, unsubscribe on YouTube and Unfollow on Pinterest. It is the reality. People want to buy from people they know, people they trust. Not the “car salesman” who does nothing but sell, sell, sell.
Here are the DON’TS on any social media platform. Brand You! Talk about you! Show who You are and who people will be buying from, hosting with, or joining with.
1. Do not have your Facebook Fan Page and your Personal Page match. This means. Your personal page should not be geared toward your business just like your business page. Yes your business page is exactly that, for business. And of course, you want to get the interest of friends who are not yet customers or hostesses for your business so you would want to post something every now and then on your personal page. But numbers show that people who post nothing on their personal page but things about their business will have more and more followers not coming back to it and not even asking about their business because they are simply annoyed with hearing about it.
2. Do not make every post a sales tactic. This is the sale that, half off this, 10% off that. People get tired of hearing, I am placing an order or check out the new catalog, or go to my website. This goes for posts even on your fan page. Post content that people will want to ready, find out about, learn. You wouldn’t want to sit on a car lot for 5 days listening to every sales pitch in the world for 24 hours would you? Well people don’t want to read it in their newsfeed either. On your personal page, for every 10 personal items, post one business item. This is a great ratio.
3. Close to the sales tactic is constant recruiting. Do not constantly recruit. Constant invites to opportunity webinars or meetings, constant status updates of why you should join her team. I get told constantly that consultants who do this are just annoying. Share what is going on with you and get people wanting to experience that on their own. If you really want to recruit people through social media, build relationships with people. Find the strengths in people and let them know you think they are great and you’d love to have them on your team…..but PRIVATELY!
4. Now how many of you actually get people who contact you to host a party when you post the request on Facebook? Do people actually respond when you tell them how many free products they can get? Do not go Hosting happy. Maybe every now and then one person may get sparkled to host a party but in reality, it really DOES NOT WORK. Talking to people privately and building relationships one on one work much better. Constant broadcasting just is not something that works. You need to be patience and show authenticity about the people you are connecting with. When they show interest in what you have, then you can say, “hey you should totally earn a discount on this stuff.” Keep things personal.
5. Do not make every single post, tweet, video about your business or direct sales. Then your customers and potential recruits know nothing about you as a person. People need to get to know you to trust you. Social media equals building relationships not sales, work, sales, work etc. Share value! Share who you are! Share what you do! Entertain! Inspire! Sales and Join my team should be last!
6. Do not just ignore the fact that if you are going to use any of these platforms, you need to learn how to use them properly. Build your contacts, build your network. Talk to people. Brand yourself. Remember, there are hundreds of thousands of consultants posting the same things you are. You must separate yourself from the rest. Be different. Talk to people.
What do you think? Do you currently do any of these Don’ts? Will you change them now? Do you have any to add? Check out some of my social media platforms for some examples. Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter. Would love to read your thoughts below!
