You want to tell everybody about your business and what you have to offer. I get it. Chances are you really believe in your product or service and want to make sure the world knows about it. So you post ad after ad on your Personal Facebook page and other channels you use. You may not think it is an ad because you aren’t paying for it but don’t be confused. If you are asking people to buy something or use your service and you put your contact information in the post, this is not a social post- this is advertising. You are probably feeling smug, thinking you are getting away with something, by getting this “free” advertising. Then one day…. Facebook shuts you down.

You are cut off! No more posts! Banned. Yikes! It could happen tomorrow, or next year. You may get away with what you are doing for a very long time. Do you really want to take that chance? But is it even beneficial to your business along the way?How do others view you and your business? Annoying or disruptive perhaps?

Do they get tired of seeing your constant advertising in their personal newsfeed? Personally I go to Facebook to be entertained, connect with friends, be inspired and maybe learn something new. People who are constantly shoving their sales pitch in my face will be reported and banned. That is not what social is about.

Don’t get me wrong. I expect to see a paid advertisement show up in my newsfeed every now and then but a smart advertiser knows when to turn off the ad so it does not become annoying to me. After all, the last thing a marketer wants to do is to alienate and annoy their potential prospects. Remember the WIIFM principal? What’s In It For Me? To get across to your readers WIIFM, you need to show them what you do for them, not tell them you do. It may sound like the same thing but it is not. Sharing content that shows what you do and solves a problem for your readers will help them to understand your business. The more you are of service, the more people will be interested in what you are selling. So, I would ask you, how are you bringing value? Inspiring? Entertaining? Are you only posting your content or do you share other posts that offer value to your readers? Sharing other people’s content for the benefit of your readers lets them know that you are truly trying to help them. The Screaming Marketer rarely shares content from other sources as they are often afraid of the competition. A constant and steady stream of valuable posts will help to brand you and your business.

Apply The 80/20 Rule The 80/20 rule is good to apply here also. 80% of your posts should inspire, entertain, educate or somehow add value to the reader. 20% can be direct promotion. Most likely the screaming marketer will be so busy screaming their sales pitch they will not recognize themselves in this post but if you do, it’s okay. Now you know that you don’t have to scream your message and you will succeed.

Author- Kathryn Watson Contact Kathryn Watson for a complimentary assessment of your social media presence.

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