For the Business of Apparel Decorating
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/682926
2 0 1 6 J U N E P R I N T W E A R || 83 DON'T DO THIS I have mentioned a lot of things you should do while on Facebook, but there is plenty you ought not to do as well, espe- cially on your business page. It needs to be acknowledged that everything you do on- line is for the world to see. This will work out in your favor if you follow a few basic guidelines. Don't argue: Don't participate in any public arguments on your business Face- book Page. (It's not a bad idea to take this advice on your Profile as well.) Never post more than two comments on a hos- tile post. That's it. When someone posts something negative on your page, your goal should be to take the conversation offline. Acknowledge their concern and ask them to reach out to you via email, private message, or phone call. If they re- spond again, follow the same path. Rec- ognize their concern and let them know you will handle it one-on-one. The online conversation should end here. Avoid politics: You don't want to lose business because of a post about a politi- cal candidate or a law that is up for de- bate. Keep your Facebook Page free of controversy. Remember that a year from now, someone can go back and see that post, and your view may have changed by then. This rule applies to religion, profan- ity, and vulgar behavior, too. Unless you specifically sell to a market that would ap- preciate those posts, you generally want to avoid offending others. Keep these things on your personal profile where it is viewed by only friends and family. Don't feed the trolls: What's a troll? This is someone who purposefully stirs up controversy online to get a rise out of people. They feed off of upsetting others and building long threads of arguments. If someone attempts to troll your page, don't respond. In fact, it might even be best to delete the comments. Walk away and don't allow pride to get the best of you. Don't waste time: You can spend too much time on Facebook. You can get caught up in videos of laughing kids and funny news articles. Remember that you are supposed to be working, not playing. Use it as a tool to grow your business and interact with your customers. Facebook can work for your business. You have the power to dive into the depths of customer interaction right in the palm of your hand. Your business can share, learn, advertise, and network with a virtu- ally unlimited amount of people. As the social media world continues to grow, you can choose to participate or steer clear. It doesn't mean you will fail if you avoid so- cial media, but if you want to participate in the next marketing frontier, there is an entire new world to explore.