social media
5 Ways to Handle Complainers, Trolls and other Social Media Blunders

I work with healthcare organizations that are cautiously starting to embrace social media and blogging. I say cautiously because their biggest fear when it comes to social media is the potential for complaints, criticism and negative comments that might hurt their brand’s reputation.
I tell them that negativity didn’t start with social media. Naysayers and complainers will always be there whether or not you use social media.
So the question is why should you miss out on leveraging some of most effective marketing tools just because of what someone else might do. Isn’t it better to prepare yourself for the inevitable so that in the end you can avoid a social media crisis?
Fear of Social Media
I had the pleasure of listening to Douglas Karr speak on this very topic at Social Media Marketing World in San Diego last week. His conclusion is that there is such an exaggerated fear of social media that creativity has almost been choked to death in some industries (no specifics were mentioned but we know who we are.) Unfortunately fear pays. Hence lawyers.
So to put things in perspective, here is what a true social media crisis looks like:
- It impacts clients, prospects and your reputation
- It has momentum and is growing
- It has no immediate remedy
If the comment or blunder in question does not have this kind of impact on your organization then stop making a big deal of it – it is not the end of the world!
Here are five ways to handle complainers, trolls and blunders.
#1. Starve the trolls
There are people who enjoy reading and writing negative things on the social web. They love the attention and you can’t control that. Don’t respond unless it is a true crisis (see above). I love Jeff Bullas’ advice on handling negative comments and trolls:
“Trolls are a type of public spam that is usually illicit and unrelated to your business. Their language is strong and emotive and it is designed to get you to react. If you respond they win.”
#2. Stay on your own turf
Don’t go to someone else’s page or blog community to respond to a troll who has attacked your brand. Trolls like other trolls and they have a following. If you look for them they will gang up against you and tear you up.
Avoid responding at all on someone else’s territory. If it’s something public that’s getting a lot of bad press, take the conversation to your own blog and defend yourself there. You don’t even have to name names. You could say something like, “There are reports out there that blah, blah, blah…”. Naming names only makes you look as bad as they are.
#3. Recruit your fans
You’ve heard the saying, “The wind doesn’t bend small trees.”
Very often social media criticism is the price you pay for being a successful brand. It means you’ve accomplished a lot of good things and made a lot of friends. But it also means that someone is jealous, or you’ve ruffled some feathers and made some enemies.
Let your friends and fans know what’s going on (if it’s worth the mention) and you’ll see how quickly they will come to your defense. When a brand is built on the premise of helping people with their problems, those whom you’ve helped will rally around you and defend you when you’re in need. It’s the rule of reciprocity.
#4. Defend yourself
Sure there are times when you should walk away. But there are also times when you should fight back. Whenever the reputation of your brand is at risk, you must fight back.
To do that you should have a quick and agile defense mechanism to protect your brand. That means hiring someone (i.e. a community manager) who understands how to respond to legitimate complaints, starve out the trolls and protect your brand. Remember it is not the attorney’s job to respond to a crisis – it is PR’s job. Lawyers approve the plan not the response.
#5. Avoid Anonymity
If you’ve made a blunder then don’t try to hide, sweep your mistake under the rug, or remain anonymous. Instead empower your staff and quickly solve the problem to avoid a crisis. Here’s what you should do:
- Acknowledge the problem
- Apologize for the mistake
- Assert your willingness to make things right
- Assess the situation
- Act to rectify the damage caused
- Abdicate – when all’s been done that can be done step aside and move on.
Every situation will be different. And you can’t control what other people do. But you do need to keep things in perspective and know when something is a true crisis and when it is not. If you learn how to handle negative situations correctly then your customers will be happy and they’ll love you even more.
Your turn: How do you handle trolls, complainers and negative comments?
social media
How To Use Social Media To Sell Your Product Online

In today’s digital world, social media is a powerful tool that can be used to sell products online. When used correctly, social media can help you reach a larger audience, build brand awareness, and generate leads and sales.
Here are some tips on how to use social media to sell your product online:
Use social media to create a strong relationship with your customers.
Make sure you are responsive to comments and questions. Show that you care about your customers and their experience with your product.
Use social media to build trust with your customers.
Be transparent about your product. Share information about your product and company. Be genuine and honest in your interactions.
Use social media to drive traffic to your product page.
Include links to your product page in your social media posts. Use effective call-to-actions to encourage your audience to click through to your product page.
Use social media to create a sense of urgency.
If you are running a promotion or sale, make sure to mention it in your social media posts. Create a sense of urgency by using phrases such as “limited time only” or “while supplies last”.
Use social media to stay top of mind.
Make sure your social media posts are timely and relevant. Share interesting and helpful content that will keep your audience engaged.
Create a Sales Funnel to Sell Your Product Online
As an entrepreneur, one of the most important things you can do is to learn how to sell your product online. Whether you’re selling a physical product or a digital product, you need to have a sales funnel in place so that you can make the most of your traffic and convert more of your visitors into paying customers.
A sales funnel is basically a process that you take your potential customers through, from the moment they first hear about your product to the moment they make a purchase. The goal of a sales funnel is to nurture your prospects and lead them down the path to becoming paying customers.
There are a few key steps that you need to take in order to create a successful sales funnel:
Drive traffic to your website or landing page.
The first step is to get people to your website or landing page. You can do this through a variety of marketing channels, such as search engine optimization, social media marketing, or pay-per-click advertising.
Capture leads with an opt-in form.
Once you have traffic coming to your website, the next step is to capture leads with an opt-in form. An opt-in form is a form where visitors can sign up to receive more information from you, such as a free report or an email course.
Build a relationship with your leads.
The next step is to build a relationship with your leads. You can do this by sending them valuable emails that offer helpful information, tips, and resources. It’s important to keep your emails relevant and interesting so that your leads don’t unsubscribe from your list.
Make an offer.
Once you’ve built a relationship with your leads, it’s time to make an offer. This is where you’ll pitch your product or service and provide a link for your leads to purchase it.
Send follow-up emails.
After someone has made a purchase, it’s important to follow up with them and see how they’re doing. You can do this by sending them helpful emails that offer additional resources, tips, and information.
Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to creating a successful sales funnel that will help you sell your product online.
By following these tips, you can use social media to sell your product online. Create strong relationships with your customers, build trust, and generate sales.
Do you have any tips on how to use social media to sell products? Share them in the comments below!
social media
How To Optimize Your Facebook Business Page For More Engagement

Your Facebook business page is a key part of your social media marketing strategy. But if you’re not using it correctly, you’re missing out on a lot of potential engagement with your target audience. Here are some tips on how to optimize your Facebook business page for more engagement.
Use a Call-to-Action Button
Your Facebook business page should have a call-to-action (CTA) button that encourages people to take a specific action, such as sign up for your newsletter or download your app. The CTA button should be prominently displayed and easy to find.
Use High-Quality Images
The images you use on your Facebook business page should be high quality and relevant to your business. Avoid using generic stock photos. Instead, use photos that are specific to your business and that will resonate with your target audience.
Use Engaging Videos
Videos are a great way to engage with your target audience on your Facebook business page. Use videos that are entertaining and informative, and make sure to include a CTA at the end of the video to encourage people to take a specific action.
Use Targeted Facebook Ads
Facebook ads are a great way to reach a wider audience with your content. Use targeted Facebook ads to reach people who are most likely to be interested in your business.
Use a Facebook Page Plugin
The Facebook page plugin allows you to add a Facebook like box to your website. This is a great way to increase the visibility of your Facebook business page and to encourage people to like and follow your page.
Use Social Media Sharing Buttons
Make it easy for people to share your content by adding social media sharing buttons to your website and blog. This will help to increase the reach of your content and to get more people engaging with your business on Facebook.
Host a Facebook Live Event
Facebook Live is a great way to connect with your target audience in a real-time. Use Facebook Live to host a virtual event, give a tour of your business, or answer questions from your audience.
Use Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are a great way to build a community around your business. Use Facebook groups to connect with people who are interested in your business, and offer valuable content and resources.
Use Facebook Insights
Facebook Insights is a free tool that allows you to track the performance of your business page. Use Facebook Insights to track your page views, likes, comments, and shares.
Use These Tips to Optimize Your Facebook Business Page
By following these tips, you can optimize your Facebook business page for more engagement. Use high-quality images, engaging videos, targeted Facebook ads, and social media sharing buttons to increase the reach of your content. And use Facebook Live and Facebook groups to connect with your target audience in a real-time.
social media
How To Measure The ROI Of Your Facebook Marketing Efforts

It’s no secret that Facebook is one of the most popular social networking platforms out there. With over 1.86 billion monthly active users, it’s a veritable goldmine for businesses and brands looking to reach a wide audience.
But how do you know if your Facebook marketing efforts are actually paying off? How can you tell if your hard work is resulting in a positive return on investment (ROI)?
Fortunately, there are a few simple methods you can use to measure the ROI of your Facebook marketing.
Track your website traffic
One of the best ways to measure the ROI of your Facebook marketing is to track the amount of traffic your website receives from your Facebook page.
There are a few different ways to do this. One is to use Google Analytics, which is a free service that allows you to track your website’s traffic.
Simply create a Google Analytics account, add the Google Analytics tracking code to your website, and then create a custom report to track the amount of traffic your website receives from your Facebook page.
Another way to track your website traffic from Facebook is to use a service like Bitly, which allows you to track the number of clicks on links that you share.
Simply create a Bitly account, create a custom short URL for your website, and then share that URL on your Facebook page. Bitly will then track the number of clicks on that link, which will give you an idea of how much traffic your Facebook page is sending to your website.
Track your leads and sales
If you’re selling products or services on your website, you can also track the number of leads and sales that you generate from your Facebook page.
This can be done using Google Analytics, as well as most ecommerce platforms and CRM software.
Simply set up conversion tracking in Google Analytics, or configure your ecommerce platform or CRM software to track sales and leads originating from your Facebook page.
Use Facebook Insights
Facebook also provides its own built-in analytics tool called Facebook Insights, which is a great way to track the performance of your Facebook page.
Facebook Insights allows you to track things like the number of page views, post reach, and engagement (likes, comments, and shares).
You can also use Facebook Insights to track the demographics of your Facebook audience, such as their gender, age, and location.
Use a third-party tool
There are also a number of third-party tools that you can use to measure the ROI of your Facebook marketing.
Some popular options include Hootsuite Insights, Sprout Social, and Socialbakers.
Each of these tools offers its own unique set of features and metrics, so be sure to check out each one to see which one is the best fit for your needs.
Run a Facebook ad
Another great way to measure the ROI of your Facebook marketing is to run a Facebook ad.
When you create a Facebook ad, you have the option to include a call-to-action (CTA) button, which allows you to track the number of people who click on your ad.
You can also use Facebook’s conversion tracking tool to track the number of people who complete a desired action, such as filling out a form or making a purchase, after clicking on your ad.
Use A/B testing
Finally, one of the best ways to measure the ROI of your Facebook marketing is to use A/B testing.
A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a method of testing two or more variants of a piece of content to see which one performs better.
For example, you could create two different versions of a Facebook ad and then test to see which one gets more clicks. Or, you could test two different headlines for a blog post to see which one gets more clicks.
A/B testing is a great way to fine-tune your Facebook marketing strategy and ensure that you’re getting the most out of your efforts.
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