When you see businesses on Internet forums promoting their product or services, sometimes red flags go up because it feels like a commercial – or that their products is being forced down your throat! As a consumer, getting the hard sales pitch can be a turn off. So as a small business marketer, you have to consider how your potential customers are receiving you messages.
When it comes to promoting your business online in places like Google+, Facebook, Linkedin, or other social media, you need to know that these social media outlets are not about a place to sell what you are offering, but a place for you to connect with your target audience or to keep up with your peers. Far too many small businesses who are not selling their product or service online try to get buyers to make a purchase offline, without engaging their potential customers or delivering the messages that customers want.
People subscribe to your social media because they see value in what your messages contain; not because they want a hard sales pitch about what your company offers them in terms of a product or service. Offer your followers a reason to follow you and give them confidence in your customer awareness.
Just look at our blog. You will notice that most of our postings have nothing to do with us selling office space or virtual office packages. We offer small business advice to help entrepreneurs become successful. While we might mention the benefits of operating in a business centre, we are merely outlining the benefits without the hard sell. We share because we want potential clients to remember us when they are looking for shared office space or virtual office solutions.
Social media engagement should never be about the hard sell because you risk pushing potential customers away. Customers follow you because they believe in the messages you send them; not because they want to hear the same sad sales pitch of why they should buy what ever you are selling. Engage your audience and learn from them. You will be surprised what you can learn from potential customers.