What I’m reading: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
What’s on the iPod: Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Last week was a busy one. Two deadlines within three days of each other had me hopping. The project drafts are done, and I wait for the revisions. This week is a bit lighter — one project in front of me. There’s a bigger project due to come in, but if there are delays, I want to stay busy.
The big reason why we writers stay busy is because we’re marketing. We’re connecting to clients in email, in person, but also on social media. There’s a way to do it that’s friendly and professional. Then there’s the way to do it that just creeps people out.
How do freelance writers connect using social media without being creepy?
Thank them. Even this can get somewhat creepy or a little lame if your note sounds automatic. Better is to be personal. “Thanks for following me, Steve. Happy to hear more about you and your business at some point.” You can leave it at that, or you can go one sentence further “If you’re ever in the market for a writer, please get in touch.” It works. Last week, I talked with a potential client who responded to that note. If it doesn’t work, don’t sweat it and certainly don’t push it.
Follow them back. I do this on LinkedIn and Twitter most. If someone follows me, I’ll follow back. Then I send the note above. Whatever you do, do not send notes to people who glance at your profile but don’t connect. That’s creepy. Maybe they just wanted to see how you were connected to someone they know, or maybe they were looking for someone and you weren’t that person. If you feel like you’re missing some major opportunity, then ask a connection for an introduction. People on LinkedIn are not there to be chatted up and hounded. It’s a professional site. The rules are different than those for Twitter.
Share, but not everything. Sharing news is a great way to show client prospects you’re up on their industry. However, if you share every damn blog post you’ve written or every update is about you, you, you from how wonderful you are to how other people think you are, you’ve lost them. The same goes for sharing your political, religious, or personal opinions. And whatever you do, do not rant about a lousy client. No one wants to sign up to be the next one talked about.
Have a conversation. If you follow the sales tenet – “Always be closing” you’re going to miss out on building a relationship. That’s part of closing a sale, but it’s the most important part of any marketing plan. People work with people they know and like. Be that person. Chat with them on Twitter. Join their group discussion on LinkedIn (and please, stop sharing your damn links in every single comment you leave–it’s a huge turn-off).
Selectively sell yourself. You know the rule (or you should by now)– make most of your communication about the client and a small portion of it about you. I like to go with an 20/2 rule — for every 20 tweets I post, only 2 of those should be promotional. And don’t try sneaking them in there. “Congrats to Steph! Glad my book helped you increase your earnings by 20 percent!”
Comment regularly. Are you guilty of showing up on blogs or forums when someone either in the post or the comments section drops your name? Have you been a regular member of the blog’s community? If not, a private thank-you note would be better than showing up and saying “Just had to stop by and thank you, Eleanor, for the glowing review!” It’s sits like sour milk in an upset stomach, and it’s way too self-serving to be useful to the community.
Writers, how do you connect with clients on social media? What’s most effective for you?
What examples of creepy connecting have you seen?
I totally agree with your first point – I hate, hate, HATE those automatic messages I get on Twitter 'Thanks for following, please [insert request here]'. Have a template message, by all means, but put my name on it so it doesn't look like a bot reply.
Okay, I have to say that image is truly creepy. 🙂 Now this is social networking how it was supposed to be.
I'll share a tactic that has happened to me a couple of times lately that I find very creepy. I download a white paper/report that requires your name, email & phone number. Although I often back out when it asks for phone #s, if I really want the report (usually for research), I'll go ahead.
I no sooner download the report when my phone rings and it's the company responsible for the report saying they noticed I downloaded it. Besides ultra creepy, it smacks of pure desperation.
Emily, it feels cold, doesn't it? "Hi! Thanks for following. Follow me on Facebook!" I hate that. It's when I usually un-follow.
The image creeped me out too, Cathy. 🙂 That does sound desperate. It's a sales team looking under ever rock for business, and it's not a great sales tactic at all.
Good advice, Lori.
About following people back on LinkedIn–I get a small, but steady stream of people who want to follow me for reasons I can't quite figure out since they use the standard LinkedIn connection request.
They don't seem to be potential clients and they aren't connected to my other contacts.
My strategy could be all wrong here, but I usually don't follow these folks back.
I wish people would understand that it's helpful to explain their reason for connecting. Just a simple sentence would do.
What do you think?
Laura, I'm selective like that, too. I'm there for business purposes. I'll follow writers I know and those who share groups with me (though not everyone), but I won't connect with people who aren't somehow connected with me or an acquaintance, or who doesn't have a connection to what I do (like a nurse or a builder wanting to connect).
You can tell who isn't a good match a lot of times, but like you, I don't always know. For those, I look at their profiles and see what they're posting on LI Groups.
I really hate those automated, "Thanks for the follow!" replies when they're coming from people who followed me first. (They're usually the ones who will follow a week or two then quit following.)
Something people need to be cautious about is linking their LinkedIn account with their other social media accounts. Sure, some messages you'll want to share with both worlds, but I've had to quite following a couple people who set up their accounts so every darn tweet they sent came up on my LinkedIn feed. Immediate grounds for not unfollowing.
I handle LinkedIn requests the same way Laura does. If I don't know the person, or know other people they're already connected to, or they aren't at least in the same line of work there's no reason for me to connect with them.
Paula, I've never noticed when anyone stops following. There was one guy, however, who would follow me every week. Every. Week. After months of it, I blocked him. I have no idea what his game was, but it wasn't winning him any love.
Just wanted to share Lori, I started sending the type of message you suggested when people follow me on twitter, and I've already had some replies and meeting a potential client :o)
Emily, that's great news! Good luck with the meetings. Just remember to know a bit about their company/business before the conversation, and you'll be great. 🙂