Warning. This blog post could get a little bit ranty!
I’ve been looking after social media feeds for SMEs since 2012. I genuinely feel that as a nation, we (that’s the Royal We, naturally!) are getting lazier by the day.
Why?
The volume of DMs (direct messages for the uninitiated) that my clients’ Facebook Pages receive never fails to astound me. Without exception, the answers to the most mundane of questions can be found on the Page or client website, if the enquirer only bothered to look!
- What time do you open? (opening times are on the FB Page and the website, in plain sight)
- Can I book an appointment? (nothing more specific such as what they actually want done – a 10 min wax or a 2-hour full body massage?)
- What food do you serve? (menus on FB Page and website)
- What do you charge for delivery? (info on FB Page and website)
- When does your networking group meet (yes, the info was there all the time too)
Do you see where I’m coming from?
Another downside to social media is the 24/7 expectations of potential customers. Business owners (and their social media managers!) need to sleep too. I’ve had mornings where I’ve woken up to several DMs in a client’s Inbox from the same person, the first sent around 11pm, with reminders and chasers throughout the night, demanding to know the answer to something that was there all along …… if only they’d bothered to look!
Would you bang on the door of a high street shop at 12.30 am demanding to be let in because you want to ask them something?
Probably not.
Of course, dear reader, I scribe with my tongue firmly in my cheek. But on a serious note, before you ping over your question, have a look around on their Facebook Page or website. If you don’t get a response straight away, be patient. If its not the middle of the night, chances are that they’re with a client, or actually working. It’s a myth that all business owners sit on Facebook waiting for your DMs!
If you’re an overloaded business owner who needs a helping hand with your social media, I’d love to talk to you. Get in touch – cheryl@taobusinesssolutions.co.uk
