Did You Know Your “Friends” Are Hiding You on Facebook?
What you share on Facebook could hurt you! Yes, it’s true. Your network has the option to “HIDE and UNFOLLOW” your posts. “Say it isn’t so”, you say. Well, if you fall into one of these categories someone has already hidden you. Are you sharing:
If this is you, rest assure, someone has hidden your posts, unfollowed you, or unfriended you. I am never opposed to a great debate on politics, a heated topic in the news or asking for a bit of help to pick my next meal. But many times, we go too far when we’re not in a face to face setting. Social media is a great way to hide behind the screen. On social media, we are willing to say things that are inappropriate or harsh because people aren’t in the same room. So how can we make Facebook a great place to build a business and connect with our networks?
Facebook still holds the rank of being the #1 Social Media platform. It’s also a great way to connect with friends, family, businesses, people you might do business with and more. Although, there are many reasons our networks “HIDE and UNFOLLOW” us, let’s focus on business. Before the idea of social media when a business wanted you to purchase their products they used traditional strategies to entice us to act and buy.
- Cold Calling
- Television Commercials
- Direct Mail
- Billboards
- Door-knocking +
Today, if you have a home phone you’re probably not answering it, if you don’t recognize the number. Television commercials are skipped because we recorded our favorite program and can fast forward to the next scene. Direct Mail, although still affective, hits the mailbox then finds the recycling bin before we get back in our homes. Billboards are now digital and move to fast for most of us to view it before they switch to the next ad. Don’t even think about Door knocking at my house. I am not buying or donating unless you’re the local kid fundraising for sports or school.
Are you marketing on Facebook using one of these five traditional sales tactics? If so, expect to be hidden. This is what I am experiencing on Facebook. Recently, those that want my business are doing these four things:
- Tagging me in their upcoming events – If you’re tagging your friends on Facebook for an upcoming event it’s like taking over their space.
- Sharing only business related content – Business as usual, you say. Sharing only business content is like being on a pitch to sell something 24 hours a day. Really, I’ll let you know when I want what you’re selling.
- Using Messenger to ask me to LIKE their business pages – recently when I add someone as a new friend I receive an autoresponder that says, “Thank you for your friendship, please like my page.” Yep, I unfriend you!
- Sending a private message and, without a relationship, asking for the sale. I call this the “messenger – COLD CALL”. I already have a relationship with loan officers, inspectors, and attorneys. Please tell me why your private message will make me choose to work with you.
What does this mean? It means people are door knocking on Facebook. If you want someone’s business get to know them on Facebook. Engage in their posts and don’t go in for the hard sell. Consider attending a live networking event at an association, maybe a Women’s Council event, a chamber, or a real estate networking event.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpxaqe6pJ4s]
Don’t lose your Social Media Connections. If you want to build a strong network on Facebook, engage, connect and share relevant content. Use your Facebook business pages for business and occasionally, re-share your business content to your personal page. Your personal page is meant for you to be personal. You wouldn’t attend a Super Bowl Party and only talk business. So why would you only talk business on your personal page. Is there a perfect day and time to re-share or post on Facebook? The more friends you have on a personal page the more often you can re-share your business content. I try to share from business to personal once a quarter. This is my reminder to my network that I am in the real estate business. Social media means just that, media where you can be social. With that in mind, let’s be social and build a strong network on Facebook.
Generate new likes on Facebook – Facebook made a few updates. Click MORE under the banner on your business page to invite your current friends.
