Don’t Be The Insurance Salesman At The Party - Doing It Wrong
October 6, 2008 – 10:32 am | by Daryl TayThis is a follow up post to Doing It Right.
So Social Media Breakfast | Singapore has a Facebook Group, and while it’s meant for sharing and posting news and conversations, inevitably there are people who aren’t aware or are ignorant of the guidelines of social media, and insist on being an insurance salesman.
At the bottom, you can see me telling someone that we don’t appreciate the spam in the SMB Facebook page, and in the middle you can see her reply. Now here’s the thing. It’s easy for her to call me “prissy” because I’m someone who’s still in school. But there are 140 other people on the Facebook Group who can easily click on her name and check out which agency she works in.
Or in the future, if she keeps it up, somebody will blog about it revealing all the details (including name and agency), and if your company is doing their research on this person and/or agency and this comes up, would you still want to hire the person/agency to take care of your business? Do you want this agency to take your brand name and shove it into people’s faces? (It’s not a trick question, the answer is no).
Let’s look up further for the second example. The sad thing here is that website, firstaidcorps, actually has a decent blog with interesting content. But doing this isn’t going to get people interested and engaged. Sure, you might get a few clicks, but you think they’re going to come back or think of you as anything other than spam in the future?
At the end of the day, it’s not rocket science. How would you like your firstaidcorps page to have a comment from someone else saying “check me out here” or going to your agency’s campaign and commenting “check me out there” (assuming the campaign in interactive enough to even leave comments). It’s just rude and it reflects badly on you and your agency’s understanding of the social media space, so stop doing it.
Tags: being an insurance salesman at the party, doing it right, facebook group, poor practices social media, social media breakfast singapore, spamming, spamming your url
7 Responses to “Don’t Be The Insurance Salesman At The Party - Doing It Wrong”
By Derrick Kwa on Oct 6, 2008 | Reply
Okay, I know you feel very strongly about this, and I understand why. I’d have loved to see the original post, though.
The thing is, I think it’s a very thin line between sounding “spam”-ish, and introducing yourself and what you do. I met the guy from the FirstAidCorps website at the breakfast, and he seems like a genuinely nice guy who’s trying to explore these tools.
A lot of the time, people might not understand or know the the ‘rules’ when starting out. Good that you’re trying to give advice and all, and I do agree with what you’re saying, but yeah.
By Daryl Tay on Oct 6, 2008 | Reply
@Derrick: I know what you mean. Like I said I feel a little bit sympathetic for the firstaircorps guy because I don’t think he meant to come across spammy, but the point is he did, and in this space, there aren’t many chances to make a positive first impression.
To me, saying “I might be there for brunch, check out my website” is the same as us going to his website and saying “Congrats on saving that life, by the way does anyone want to go for SMB?”
Maybe since you met him, you can sound him out for his thoughts on the matter… (That said, if he were into social media tools and listening, he’d know about it without you having to tell him….)
By Amsie. on Oct 6, 2008 | Reply
Daryl I totally agree with you. No matter how good a person’s product is or how nice he/she really is, he should always respect and abide by the rules of the SMB community. It was obvious that he was spamming because his comments were not thoughtful and of value to the group. In addition, calling you prissy on the wall isnt something very nice too.
Same for a company, no matter how great their services are, if they fail at PR (which shouldn’t be corporate-speak), they still fail. Corporates who represent their company ought to be more tactful about what they say, especially on social platforms where people demand that their space not be intruded with useless information.
By claudia on Oct 6, 2008 | Reply
I didn’t see the message that was deleted so I shan’t comment on that. But I admit that I go around groups spreading news too to on their walls. But I only do it in groups where other people are doing it and only if its relevant to that group. But ya, no matter what reasons I give, its still wrong and incorrect. But imagine those people who’re new to such online tools, how will they know what is right and what is wrong? Unless if we spell it out directly in the group that spamming or sharing is surely not allowed.
Just my two cents thoughts.
By brian on Oct 6, 2008 | Reply
it is kinda spamish.. but i’d also advise caution on the liberal use of the word “rules”
i know what you mean, but i also don’t want other people to think that there are “rules” when doing social media outreach. if anything, it’s like an online extrapolation of our offline social conduct.
how would you sell your pitch in a casual conversation, those so-called social ‘rules’, conduct and finesse apply.
By Amsie. on Oct 6, 2008 | Reply
I know where you all are coming from
However with every new communication platform there are rules. And being online doesn’t change the fact that we are still socializing and the basic rules do apply. Human beings do not change, we go by respect and basic manners even in a physical setting - which should apply online too. Imagine being in an actual room, socializing with people. You aren’t going to speak randomly of your company and its products/services when talking to someone right? It has to be relevant, it has to be of value to that person, it has to be at the right moment and not put that person in the spot.
As for people who are “new” to these tools, I guess yes they should be guided. But it is after all their responsibility to know what is right or wrong when they’re new to something. But yes, we should be forgiving if it really isn’t their intention to spam. This shall be a good lesson in PR for them - that social media tools aren’t for the purpose of marketing but for a larger purpose in building relationships. And more so for those who represent a corporation.
Indeed, with greater power comes greater responsibility.
By Daryl Tay on Oct 7, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for all the comments, guys.
About spreading your messages in other forums/pages, Claudia, I think as you mentioned, they are in relevant verticals, which makes it more understandable. For example of the firstaid guy went to talk about it in a Facebook Group for local doctors/EMTS, it would be more relevant than SMB.
About the whole “rules” thing, I don’t necessarily see them as “rules” or even “guidelines”, but basic common sense that individuals and companies need to apply. We’re in a permission-based society now. Not broadcast anymore. That’s why the party analogy works. If you join our SMB community aka “party”, especially if you just joined it, you act like a guest and not the newcomer who comes in and changes the music without asking anyone. Basic human courtesy and respect.
It’s easy to say oh it’s “new” media and therefore “new” rules, but at the root of it, all of this is about social interaction which is not new, and that’s something the people/companies behind these interactions better learn pretty quickly.