How to Slice, Dice and Murder Your Social Media Campaign ….
….and alienate people in the process
Let’s establish some general “rules”.
Everyone in the social media world knows several “truths”:
- While we may participate on many sites we each have a “personal” favorite where we spend the greatest portion of our time
- We realize we only have so many hours in the day and based on what happens any given day we may not be present
- Just because it is posted as a Facebook Status, Tweet, Bookmarked, etc. does NOT guarantee that it will be seen <and if seen, there are no guarantees it will be acted upon>
- If we are a uber-engager we likely have people in our networks that we have never actually even “spoken” to yet we allow them to connect with us as a friend on Facebook, a connection on LinkedIn and a follower on Twitter
So we agree on what the “truths” are? Good – let’s see how someone can ruin a social media campaign as well as (most likely) destroy relationships along the way. **Note: the yellow highlights below are mine**
The screenshot above is a message I received in my inbox on Facebook from a group that I joined apparently.
Here are 5 Ways You Can Murder a Social Media Campaign
- Assuming that the “4600 + supposed friends” are people who actually care about the outcome of this contest
- Threatening removal from a list — it is a free world and we are allowed to chose who we allow into our “bubble”. If at some point I decide I don’t “want” to be your friend then I can remove you, block you, unfollow you, etc. But never, never threaten….just do it! You don’t need to explain it.
- We all have personal agendas. Things we will never disclose publicly and if we do, we may be vague about it. This week I am concerned about finding a chiropractor because my hip is bothering me. A family member who had a kidney transplant yesterday. A friend who is leaving her husband. Another friend who is getting a divorce. A son who is two months behind on an appointment he needs for his liver disease. Behind in my “normal” schedule because I was out of the state four and a half days last week for my brother’s wedding. And on, and on, and on. So you bet….we all have a personal agenda. And our agenda may not include voting for you to get a job. Nothing personal. Nothing malicious. We just may not have the time to click twice to submit our vote.
- Assuming that the platform you are using is the recipient’s preferred platform and every message you send will be received, viewed and acted upon (in a timely manner)
- Being hostile, rude, threatening or condescending
As a bonus here is a sixth way to bury yourself and any cause:
Once the 4600+ supposed friends start speaking up and expressing their distaste, horror and shock over the message we each received in our inbox reacting with any of the following statements:
- I did not know my husband sent this message
- I do not judge him
- He will be sending an apology — <and then not sending the apology until more than 20 hours after the first message>
As some wise person said, “Learn from the mistakes of others; we can’t possibly live long enough to make them all ourselves”.
Learn from this unfortunate incident and do not make the same mistake for yourself or any clients.
Have you seen similar bombed social media campaigns? Share them in the comments below.
