5 Ways The Golden Rule Can Be Implemented into Your Social Media Marketing Strategy
The Golden Rule is more than just an age-old adage. This important principle helps to separate all of man-kind from the animals that survive on pure instinct alone. This is because The Golden Rule forces each of us to stop and become introspective and in turn prompts us to come to the realization that we are not the center of the universe. In fact, we all have a responsibility when interacting with others. This responsibility is bigger than our own self-centered wishes and desires. This responsibility involves acting out what The Golden Rule is all about, which is to treat others the way that we would like to be treated.
The Golden Rule is a powerful principle that can not only be successfully implemented in our personal lives and workplaces, but it can help set you apart when used in your social media marketing strategy. The character traits of integrity, honesty and servitude that The Golden Rule breeds are phenomenal and can lead to learn term success. Consistency and geniuses are key when practicing The Golden Rule while engaging with your audiences on social media. The rule will allow you to come across as more authentic, which will allow you to build solid relationships with repeat and loyal customers. This should be the primary and long-term goal of all social media strategies.
So, how can this be done? How can credibility, trust and in turn loyal customers be attained just by treating people fairly? The following outlines 5 ways that you can begin to do this and create a winning situation for all parties involved, and this includes you too:
1. Listening – It is true what they say, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. We should all be listening more than we talk. This means that we should not be listening in anticipation of adding our two cents to conversations in order to self-promote. This is especially the case when it comes to social media marketing. Social media is the new word of mouth advertising, and because of this it is becoming increasingly important to listen to what customers and others are saying about you on-line. How can we truly serve our customers and others if we are not hearing them when they are telling us what they need? Real value is only added to our on-line conversations when we are engaged in the art of active listening. Active listening involves listening in a way that we truly hear what the other person is actually saying. But it does not just stop there. As a rule, good listeners have an easier time having their voices heard, because the Golden Rule works two ways and compels others to listen especially to someone who listens to them. This translates to brand recognition and brand awareness within the social media marketing landscape.
2. Talking – The tongue is a very small, but at the same time is a powerful force. It has the power to bring people down, and to lift others up. In social media marketing, we can imagine that the fingers typing along your keyboard taking the place of the tongue. For this reason, it is extremely important to be professional, polite, respectful and even encouraging to others when interacting with others through on-line platforms. When communicating with others, you have to consider how you would want someone to approach you. In social media, we have to remember that we are branding ourselves with every single word that we type. So, it is very important to portray the most positive image possible.
3. Stay human – When it comes to managing on-line social media communities, it is important to remain relatable, approachable, engaging and authentic. It is also perfectly fine to take ownership of your mistakes. A specific example of this is not deleting negative comments that people leave on Facebook or other platforms. Instead, recognize and address them and take the constructive criticism to heart and use it in order to improve. This will grow credibility among your followers and will help you to build relationships with your target audiences. People are more likely to trust a company, person or brand that shows empathy and a willingness to learn from past mistakes rather those who work to sweep fallacies under the carpet
4. Engage – Social media does not just stop at the point of creating a Google+ page or pinning on Pinterest. Conversations have to be grown and relationships have to be honed and cultivated in order to grow your following. The best way to do this is to talk with the audience and not to the audience. Self promotion is the easiest and quickest way that a company can lose followers. It is necessary tom remember that anyone can sell, but very few are considered reliable experts. In order to achieve this coveted title, engage audiences by offering resources, posting eye-catching graphics or a light-hearted quote. The main goal of social media is not to sale your “stuff”, but to the contrary, the goal is to grow long-standing relationships with current and prospective customers. You can do this by engaging with them and showing a genuine interest in others and the quality of their customer service experience with your brand.
5. Give back – This Golden Rule goes along way. People are more likely to do business with a company that has their best interest at hand. Again, it is important not to be a sales rep on social media. Do not view your on-line community as just another billboard. It should operate as a power house of resources, information and engaging entertainment. You can also set yourself apart by offering free training, posting helpful articles and tips, solve problems, fill needs, and gauge opinions.
If you are able to apply these golden rules to your social media strategy, you will be able to stand out from the crowd. Also, the character building benefits will soon permeate every area of your life. You will begin to see that your workplace, home and personal relationships will improve as well once you begin to make a conscious effort to treat others as you would like to be treated.
Contact me if you have any other questions or need some help.
