Let’s face it, Facebook has had it’s ups and downs, but one things remains solid… people are still using it. MANY business owners and professionals have gotten on Facebook because they heard that was the thing to do. In fact, many business owners I talk to still don’t really see the point with platforms like Facebook and Twitter, they just know they should be on it. This is where I begin getting a little nervous… It’s my job to make sure their brand is seen and heard in a positive way and with the owners not knowing why they should be on Facebook could cause some conflicts in the messages that are thrown out into the cyber world.
So we are going to cover How To Be A Facebook Flop in 5 Easy Steps. Ready? 😉 Keep in mind we are mainly talking about personal profiles here…
1. Post Updates That Have No Relevance To Your Brand Or That Will Offend Your Target Audience.
We have all seen this. Someone posting stupid updates, videos, or pictures that will make that person come across as a weirdo or a perv. Don’t forget about racial, political or religious slandering, those always catch people’s attention… Just NOT in a good way! I have told this story many times, but back when I owned a coffee shop there was a customer who always seemed very well off and successful. She drove a nice BMW, walked with confidence and commanded respect when she walked in the room…. But…. Then I ran across her on Facebook, just when I was about to click the “Friend” button, I noticed her wall was covered with pictures from a baccalaureate party she had been at. Let’s just say the pictures changed the entire image I had of her. This is a reminder that it is so VERY important to be careful what you post on Facebook and to really live out your brand. If you don’t want nasty pictures of you popping up all over, don’t do nasty things.
Main takeaway… ONLY post what is inline with your brand image. Post stuff that your target audience is going to relate to.
2. Always Post Stuff About What You Are Offering Through You Business.
Is there a person you are friends with that is always posting stuff about their business or opportunity? Like that is the only thing they know how to talk about… Now, I will admit I was guilty of this back in the beginning. I had gotten on Facebook for business, I only had business connections and everyone was pretty much “feeling” out how to use Facebook. Then, people from Church, school, friends, etc. started to find me, so I had to change things up and bit and post stuff that everyone would like. Looking back on this, it really was a good thing! People want to get to know you… So using your personal profile in a way that allows your friends and even prospects and clients to get to see you are a real person can build greater loyalty. I will also add, it comes down to your strategy of how you will use your personal profile… Will you keep it to just your “real” friends and family? Or open it up to everyone?
3. Send Game and Event Invites ALL The Time! (We sure like those! )
I can’t remember a time when I have received a notification that I had been invited to play FarmVille or come to a Network Marketing Opportunity meeting and was thrilled about it. In fact, the only emotions those cause are negative ones. When you are building a solid personal brand, creating negative emotions in people when they see or think of you is not an effective way to do it. Unless, being annoying is part of your brand image! 😉
It really comes down to… treat people the way you would want to be treated. If you don’t want to hear about other people’s business opportunities, don’t annoy them with yours. If you don’t like people who always are talking about themselves, don’t do the same thing. Engage others and let everyone know you care and offer value in everything you post.
4. Be Rude And Don’t Care.
If you really want to become a Facebook Flop, don’t ever respond to private or public messages people leave for you. Just ignore them like they don’t matter and you will achieve the Facebook Flop Crown in no time. When you don’t respond to someone, you are saying you don’t care, that they are not worth responding to. Now, I get it, you might be super busy… but the person on the other end doesn’t know that. So setup a system that you can stay on top of this and respond in a reasonable amount of time. Show them you care!
5. Sync Up Your Twitter Account To Facebook.
Again, what does this express to your friends. When your post shows up with the little Twitter or Hootsuite logo under it, or it’s full of Hashtags, people know you did not post it on Facebook. They know you are not truly talking to them, you are just wanting to get your message out there in as little time and effort as possible. This starts to decrease your value in their eyes. They might not out rightly think that at first, but over time they will stop responding to those posts. So if you are not going to come up with a differently worded post you are posting on Twitter, then take the 30 seconds and copy it and then paste it into Facebook. At least the little icons won’t show up.
No matter if you are sitting there right now crowned with the Facebook Flop Crown or you are on your way to being crowned… STOP! Don’t continue down that path. It’s time to break the mold to how so many are using their personal Facebook profiles and show your friends that you are the real deal.
So I have got to ask, what annoys you on Facebook? Let me know below! 🙂
