A recent post from Stephanie Chandler on why she doesn’t send promotional blasts to her email list, sparked a realization: To have successful online communications in the social media arena, we really need to use the same regard as when talking to people in-person.
Sales Blasts. When chatting with a friend or relative, or even meeting someone new, would you consider starting every conversation with a sales pitch? Some people do. I’ve met them in the mall. Even if they don’t begin the conversation trying to sell me something, it’s pretty obvious where the conversation is headed after the “fake” one-liners that try to sound like genuine interest. Most people are turned off by this approach, but many forget it’s just as annoying to their social media followers to see a constant stream of messages selling a product or service.
Remaining Impersonal. Although it’s impossible to become chummy with everyone we meet online, the basic social media rules do suggest opening ourselves up now and then and revealing our personal lives, thoughts, fears, or challenges we’ve overcome. The online world is inherently impersonal, yet we all hunger for human connections and feeling like we’re not alone in our life experiences. Opening up seems easier one-on-one with our personal contacts, but we can also reap the benefits of sharing our humanity with our online contacts, too.
Engaging with Others. Putting yourself out there then leads to responding to others. You wouldn’t ignore someone when communicating in person; so if someone is reaching out to you online ~ or you feel someone has written something of interest to you ~ comment, reply, or send a personal message. Social Media interaction benefits you as much as it does the receiver. As long as it’s genuine and isn’t communicated with an ulterior motive - like a sales pitch - your message will resonate with your audience.
Do you agree? Do you find success online by using similar communication styles as you do with people in-person? How is it different? We’d love to hear from you.
Andrea Bandle
Writer/Editor, Co-Founder
Help Me Self Publish
editor@helpmeselfpublish.com
916-600-0836
Sales Blasts. When chatting with a friend or relative, or even meeting someone new, would you consider starting every conversation with a sales pitch? Some people do. I’ve met them in the mall. Even if they don’t begin the conversation trying to sell me something, it’s pretty obvious where the conversation is headed after the “fake” one-liners that try to sound like genuine interest. Most people are turned off by this approach, but many forget it’s just as annoying to their social media followers to see a constant stream of messages selling a product or service.
Remaining Impersonal. Although it’s impossible to become chummy with everyone we meet online, the basic social media rules do suggest opening ourselves up now and then and revealing our personal lives, thoughts, fears, or challenges we’ve overcome. The online world is inherently impersonal, yet we all hunger for human connections and feeling like we’re not alone in our life experiences. Opening up seems easier one-on-one with our personal contacts, but we can also reap the benefits of sharing our humanity with our online contacts, too.
Engaging with Others. Putting yourself out there then leads to responding to others. You wouldn’t ignore someone when communicating in person; so if someone is reaching out to you online ~ or you feel someone has written something of interest to you ~ comment, reply, or send a personal message. Social Media interaction benefits you as much as it does the receiver. As long as it’s genuine and isn’t communicated with an ulterior motive - like a sales pitch - your message will resonate with your audience.
Do you agree? Do you find success online by using similar communication styles as you do with people in-person? How is it different? We’d love to hear from you.
Andrea Bandle
Writer/Editor, Co-Founder
Help Me Self Publish
editor@helpmeselfpublish.com
916-600-0836
