Five Myths About Social Media

Transcription

1 Five Myths About Social Media

2 Main Street Hub: Social media management for small businesses. Main Street Hub helps you connect to customers on the sites that matter the most. On Facebook, Yelp, Google, Twitter, Foursquare and more, we make you look your best and help spread word of mouth about your business. The result is more customers for your business. Protect your reputation: Respond to all reviews and build long-term relationships. Spread word of mouth: Create engaging content on Facebook, Twitter and more. Attract More Customers: Create special offers and connect with customers who are nearby. Watch the video: 2

3 CONTENTS CUSTOMERS ARE CONTENT WITH MY CONTENT... 4 THE MORE I POST, THE BETTER, RIGHT?... 7 THIS ISN T MY DEMOGRAPHIC... 9 POSITIVE REVIEWERS DON T NEED POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT NEGATIVE REVIEWS WILL RUIN MY BUSINESS CONCLUSIONS AND OTHER RESOURCES

4 MYTH 1 my customers are content with my content

5 drinks anyone? Social Media is a cocktail party, and what s the secret to a good cocktail party (besides the drinks of course)? The answer, in a word, is engagement. When guests at a party are engaged with one another, the conversation is better, and when the conversation is better, people have a great time, and when people have a great time, they tell everyone about what a great time they had. The same thing is true when it comes to social media. We've all met that guy at a cocktail party who only knows how to talk about himself. Do the same with your social media, and you'll get the same response. 5

6 That s not to say that there isn t a time and place to promote your business, but it has to be balanced with content that keeps the conversation going. We think of this as "spheres of content" and it look a little something like this: BUSINESS A B C A B C Personal: Content that is specifically about your business (promotions, new products/services) Direct: Content that is directly related to your business industry. For example, a restaurant giving a cooking tip Related: Content focused on fringe industries. For example, a restaurant talking about a hot dog eating contest. Of course, there is no formula that tells us exactly how much of each sphere to use, and it can vary by industry. This is why it s critical to test what people respond to the most, and then employ the strategy that works best for your business. 6

7 MYTH 2 THE MORE I POST THE BETTER, RIGHT?

8 Back to the cocktail party... Just as nobody enjoys talking to the person who only talks about himself, nobody wants to be stuck in a conversation with the person who never stops talking. To determine the right amount of posts for your business consider the following: Be present but not overwhelming: People are having a lot of conversations on Facebook, don t try to dominate. Be relevant: You want people listening. Posting for the sake of posting won t get the desired result. People will un-follow you: Yes, it s a painful truth, but the less you follow the first two points above, the more folks will take their attention elsewhere. Got a lot to say? Try Twitter: Twitter lends itself to more frequent postings. So, if you have to get it out, do it there. What is the right amount? It s always best to test what is right for your business, but as a rough guideline, we recommend posting original content about 2 times per week. Of course, that does not include responding to people who are talking about you. You should be doing that as quickly and frequently as it happens, helping to ensure that the conversation keeps going. 8

9 MYTH 3 THIS ISN T MY DEMOGRAPHIC

10 You may be thinking to yourself, "cocktail party? Social media is more like a frat party, isn't it?" While there are a lot of year olds using social media, the age distribution is broader than you might think. In fact, a study by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project showed that the fastest growing demographic for Facebook and other social media is people aged 50 and over. FACEBOOK - USERS BY AGE % 5% 20% 15% 26% 26% 54% of Facebook users are aged 26 and older, and with nearly 140 million users in the United States, there is a huge opportunity to engage meaningfully with almost any demographic, no matter what industry you are in. 10

11 MYTH 4 POSITIVE REVIEWERS DON T NEED POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

12 If a customer approached you to tell you how great your business is, you would thank them wouldn t you? Of course you would! The exact same thing applies to social media. Business owners tend to focus all of their energy on the damage control of negative reviews (see Chapter 5), but the reality is there is a lot to be gained by giving a little love to positive reviewers as well. When responding to a review you have 3 main goals: Get the review upgraded (even good reviews can be upgraded). Get them to come back. Get them to recommend your business to as many people as possible. 1 Say thank you and mean it. Saying thank you in a sincere way is not an easy thing to convey. Instead of a simple and generic thanks for coming in, try something more genuine and personal like: Hi Jane, thank you so much for eating at our family business. 2 Mention something from the review to show you've read it and that it isn't a cookie cutter response. If the reviewer mentioned that she was a fan of your meatloaf, tell her a little bit of history on how the recipe was developed. 12

13 3 Don t be afraid to ask questions when someone gives you positive feedback. Was there something that could be improved? Do they have any suggestions on how to make their next visit better? Social media is all about back and forth conversations and this is a great opportunity to gain insight, develop real relationships and build loyalty. 4 Invite them back with a helpful suggestion. Did they enjoy the lasagna? Suggest they try the risotto next time, a recipe that took you two years to perfect! Did they have a hard time finding parking? Let them know about the adjacent street that usually has plenty of spots open. This is a great opportunity for you to make a suggestion, and offer them something to look forward to on their next visit. 5 Consider sending a private message rather than a public one if the platforms allows for it (Yelp is one that does). A private message makes the response appear more sincere, and conveys that it s for their eyes only. On the other hand, public responses are great if they mention something in their review that you want to address publicly, which might be useful for other customers to know. 6 Invite the reviewer to join your Facebook Page (you do have a Facebook Page, right?) or follow you on Twitter for the inside scoop on news, events, and more. Since they were happy enough with your business to spread some positive feedback about you online, these people are more likely to follow you on other social media platforms and continue the conversation. 13

14 And now, for a real life example: Joe S. left a 4 Star review about one of our clients: No ashtrays outside, though it's ok to smoke. Staff says to throw cig butts in the river. C'mon guys! Those things are toxic to aquatic life (see Otherwise a great restaurant - good food, nice staff, nice atmosphere. We worked with our client and wrote back: Joe, Thanks for the review back in January. We have good news! There are now ashtrays outside, and soon we'll even have a designated smoking area. We appreciate you giving us great feedback -- and sticking up for our aquatic friends. Hope to have you back again soon! Cheers, Christine B., Manager Joe S. responded: Just updated my previous review. Thanks for listening, I appreciate it. And updated his review to 5 Stars: A great restaurant - good food, nice staff, nice atmosphere. Very responsive to feedback. Ignoring this 4 star review would have been a huge opportunity missed! Key Takeaway: A positive connection extends much further than just the initial point of contact. It s also the basis for word of mouth and loyal return business. 14

15 MYTH 5 NEGATIVE REVIEWS WILL RUIN MY BUSINESS!

16 "What it means to be social is if you want to talk to me, you have to listen to me as well. A lot of [businesses] want to be social, but they don't want to listen, because much of what they're hearing is quite simply not to their liking, and, just as in relationships in the offline world, engaging with your customers or your readers in a transparent and authentic way is not all sweetness and light. So simply issuing a statement saying you're committed to listening isn't the same thing as listening. - Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook Despite what many people think, customers who post negative reviews about your business aren t typically trying to ruin your life. Most people submit negative reviews because they want to be heard, and you should oblige them. So, instead of looking at a negative review as a permanent scar that can t be fixed, look at it as an opportunity to exceed someone s expectations and turn a detractor into an advocate. After all, star ratings ARE important. A Harvard Study 1 recently showed that for certain types of businesses, a one star increase on Yelp.com can be worth anywhere from a 5-9% increase in revenue. This is all the more reason to respond to each review and give the reviewer a reason to change her response. 1 Luca, Michael (2011) Reviews, Reputation, and Revenue: The Case of Yelp.com. Harvard Business School. 4 16

17 So, how do you respond to a negative review? Here is a real life example: Kari H. s review of Bow Wow Meow: One week ago Came in here last Sunday while we were waiting for our table to be ready at Town. It s a small store, but they have a pretty big selection of toys, treats, and accessories. While my husband found 2 frisbees to try with our mini australian shepard, I decided to go inquire about grooming prices at the front. I used to have Auzzy bathed, nails clipped, and brushed/blow dry for $35 at my local daycare place, so I just wanted to see what the price difference would be. I chatted up the lady at the checkout and she asked what kind of dog and I showed her a picture of my 17lb Mini Australian Shepard. She said the price would range between $55-$75 depending on his temperament and coat. Really!? $55-75!!?? I can bring him to Petco and they ll do it for $38. I was a little stunned with the price, but some people can afford that I guess. Our two small frisbees came to almost $30 and I walked out not feeling so hot. Overall, this place is what I would call a Boutique Pet Store. Higher prices and the same products with the exception of some really expensive foods and homemade treats. Let me be clear though: Customer service was fine. I had no problem at all. Just not my type of place. 17

18 The owner responded: Kari, thank you for taking the time to review us. I m glad you got a chance to browse our unique selection of products. We actually try to keep our prices competitive; in fact, the fisbees in question are selling at Petco for the same price that we sell them for. We also carry toys and products in a range of prices in order to accommodate all pet owners. In regards to grooming, I think that the staff member may have quoted you the maximum price for a standard Australian Shepard. The prices do depend on the condition of the dog and what specifically you want done, but usually the price would be closer to $40. That includes cleaning the ears, nails, anal glands, and minimal training. I hope that clears up a few of those points and that you ll afford us another opportunity to impress you! Sincerely, Lisa. And a star is added! Thank you for clarifying the prices. I really appreciate it. I will update my review Kari Yesterday Kari H. s updated review of Bow Wow Meow I really appreciate that a rep from Bow Wow Meow messaged to explain their pricing a little more clearly. I will definitely go visit them again and possibly try their grooming. Excellent customer service. 5 stars! 18

19 While results like this don t happen every time, in our experience, they do happen more often than you might think. One thing is for sure though - unless you take the time to write a thoughtful reply, it ll never happen. Keep in mind that there are circumstances where the best course of action is to ask that a review is removed. Review sites like Yelp have terms of service and if a posting violates them, a review can be removed. Typical reasons for removal include: inappropriate content (threats, promotion of a competitive service), violations of privacy or intellectual property. It s great to stay on top of the terms and defend your business when appropriate, but the vast majority of negative reviews do not violate these terms. So, having a plan to respond is always the best policy. 19

20 CONCLUSIONS AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

21 We hope that this ebook provided you with some valuable insight around common misconceptions and ways to improve your social media presence. If you're feeling a little overwhelmed with this social media business, don't worry, there is help out there. Hire a consultant: There are plenty of great consultants out there, and they can be a really effective way to manage your social media. To estimate costs, figure on at least 40 hours a month at $50 an hour (~$2,000). Do it yourself technology: Companies like Hootsuite and Constant Contact offer technology solutions that will help you monitor your social media presence on sites like Facebook and Twitter. They won t monitor review sites like Yelp and Google Places, and it ll be up to you to create your original content, but if you have the time, it's an option. Do it for you service: If hiring a consultant is cost-prohibitive and you don't have the time to DIY, a company like Main Street Hub offers another solution that may strike the perfect balance. For a monthly subscription fee of around $300, Main Street Hub, can manage your entire social media presence. We monitor sites like Facebook, Yelp and Google Maps, create original content and respond to reviews, and all the business-owner has to do is approve the work. This is a great solution for people who aren't experts in social media, or just don't have the time. 21

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