There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin – Linus
My husband recently came home raving about a new local restaurant. It was very small, with an owner who was working hard to make it the place to be. The food was great, the prices were great, and he was hooked.
The owner had done a lot of things right in his brief visit. The service was amazing, the atmosphere was very tasteful, and the quality of the food was superior. After he was served, the owner introduced herself and answered a few questions. She had it down – personal service, nice atmosphere, and excellent product – all very well done.
While he was sold, I decided to check out the restaurant’s website before committing.
Mistake #1 – they didn’t HAVE a website. That’s an entirely different post but suffice it to say that every small business or service professional must have a website before they open their doors.
Mistake #2 – she was letting her political agenda fly free on her Facebook page. In addition to a couple of political posts, her business “likes” displayed several very polarizing national politicians. Those displays alienated me immediately, and it wasn’t just because of the “likes” she had, but because she “liked” several politicians on her business page, period.
She’s not alone. There are many, many, many other businesses and entrepreneurial service professionals that do the same thing. Sign this petition or that one; call your Congressman; say NO to this, YES to that. Trust me on this, you cannot change someone’s political beliefs on your Facebook business page, and while you can debate and debate and debate, you’re still more often than not talking to a wall. A wall that could very well prevent that visitor from becoming your customer or client. People believe what they believe, and really their beliefs shouldn’t have anything to do with whether or not they frequent your restaurant, call for a hair appointment, attend your yoga class, or schedule a massage.
We live in some pretty divisive times, and with social media taking the lead for many entrepreneurial marketing efforts, it’s important to keep things that are polarizing, like religion, politics, and for some yes, even the Great Pumpkin, out of it. The ultimate goal of the business Facebook page, and any social media or marketing effort, is to build your business into one that people will know, love, and trust. If you have a client, or fan, or even a neighbor that feels strongly about a politician or political issue, and you get on Facebook and post something derogatory or that directly counters what they believe, they will probably begin to take a different view of you both personally and professionally.
And THAT can cost you money.
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