What The Frikkadel! Trust Is At An All Time Low!
Struggling to achieve engagement on my new Facebook page I decide to approach those who love and know me. You know how it is, "You have not, because you ask not" (James 4 : 2) and "If all else fails, beg". Well I "spammed" those nearest and dearest to me via Facebook messenger with a link to my post, reminding them how much they love me and requesting that they like, comment and share for me. This is what happened next: "Dear Louise, I can't like and share something I don't understand". "Hi Louise, I am nervous to open this, what is it?" "Hello Louise, is this you or is this a virus being spread?" What The Frikkadel! Trust Is at an all time low!
My Nearest And Dearest
Bear in mind, we are talking here about my family, closest friends, colleagues turned friends and friends turned family - those I have shared countless meals with! My confidants in many ways!
If they don't trust what I am sharing enough to open and read a link from me, how will complete strangers respond?!
A Rude Awakening
It is not only a matter of trust, it is also a matter of interpretation.
I learned this lesson in my advertising years, and here is a timely reminder, also a bit of a rude awakening. When we are too close to something, building a brand, establishing messaging, developing advertising, we can lose perspective.
It is challenging to keep looking at our own work without the knowledge of what we are saying. Does that make sense? We need to constantly review our work with the mind of someone who has no idea what we are talking about. We need to remember that all they will know and understand is how they interpret our words and images.
Our messaging needs to be transparent and simple. Not to patronise, oh definitely not, but rather to invite our audience in with an atmosphere of clarity and trust. Intrigue is also attractive, the balance can be tricky though.
Opportunity
Initially I was quite frustrated and a bit disheartened. Having learned the life lesson to wait it out a bit before responding, I did just that, I waited and pondered. As time passed, my understanding grew. This was an opportunity right before my eyes!
The questions and fear presented me with a reason to give more information, but more than that, they gave me insight into how to present the business opportunity I had written about. Not everyone knows what Affiliate Marketing is - who knew! I gave a brief overview, still in Messenger, and reminded my nearest and dearest again that "sharing is caring".
The next article to be shared is entitled "What Is Affiliate Marketing". Fortunately it was already written and published on my site, ready for a refresh. So there it is, brand spanking new feature image, scheduled to share tomorrow, same time, same place - only I am not sure that pleading via Facebook Messenger is the way to go again - this time it may only be on my affiliate marketing page and I will share it on my personal page too.
Then again, my loved ones who did not respond may also need more information ... hmm, I'll ponder that one too ... it may be worth me sharing this article via Messenger too and explain it as a follow-up to some questions asked in response to the last message.
If Familiarity Breeds Contempt will Predictability Breed Trust?
My aim is to create predictability so that my "nearest and dearest" will learn to trust and understand what I am doing - share it ultimately and help me build my business.
We human beings are strange - you may know the old expression "There's nowt so queer as folk, except for me and thee - and even thee's a little strange."
The Response Wasn't ALL Bad
Don't get me wrong, there was a modicum of success with sharing with my nearest and dearest this way. The outcome is that I have achieved the highest engagement so far with a post on my new Facebook page. It's really not all bad. I just wanted more - greedy me!
On A More Serious Note
My understanding is that Facebook and other social media also prefer the predictability of regular posts, same times, same days.
Let me know what your experience has been - with your nearest and dearest as well as the predictability of regular posts. Remember, sharing is caring!
Thank you for reading, looking forward to your feedback!
Blessings
Louise
Recent Comments
66
Louise,
What you have written is true, but when people do
not understand what we do it is very difficult to explain
it to them - for instance, my own brother is so rude
about working on the computer - he cannot even turn
one on - the only thing he ever asks me is have you
made any money yet?
So you are not alone!
Keep your head up and send them the rest of the posts
their lose for not opening and when you become
successful they will want to know then now, won't they?
Susie
Thank you Susie, I appreciate you sharing similar challenges.
My brothers are both successful business men but believe only in brick and mortar - that is what has worked for them. Having said that though, they have appreciated seeing my site and how my skills are developing. I can't see them ever sitting at a computer though, just not their thing. There's a place for all of us I guess.
Thank you too for your encouragement.
Wishing you a prosperous 2019, filled with favour.
Blessings
Louise
The internet is full of so-called entrepreneurs who are dishonest and control most of the internet. Here within WA we are a minority group of quality Entrepreneurs working to bring honesty to the front. We must keep up the good work and overtake the spam breeders. Honesty is the best Policy.
Tom.
So true Tom. Thank you for highlighting this challenge. We will indeed keep up the good honest work.
Blessings and best wishes for a prosperous 2019!
Louise
Hey Louise,
Many times I also forget to step back and look at my website from my readers viewpoint. That is a very good reminder.
Tried and True
Elaine
Thank you Elaine, I appreciate your visit and comment.
Blessings for a New Year filled with favour!
Louise
It is really great to get honest criticism from those that you know and love. Just think where you would be if they had not been so honest. I know from your post you took it to heart and have learned from the experience.
Hi Alex
Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to comment.
Yeah, I did take it to heart and after I got over myself 😂appreciated their input because it will help going forward.
I think you are doing great and on the right track. Keep up the good work. As for PEOPLE I don't get any of them anymore. I think a lot is jealousy and others that don't want to apply themselves in order to have success want to judge and don't want to see the rest of us succeed because they aren't. How I look at that? Apply YOURESELF and maybe you can have success too but don't try to hinder or bring the rest of us down because you don't have motivation and ambition. Louise, I know how you feel because I go through the same thing with people. I was a actually told at my job to watch my back because there are people that are jealous of me. WTH? I'm not in competition with ANYONE, I'm just trying to get through life one day at a time and be the best me I can be. If that's a problem, then it's THEIR problem, NOT MINE. I wish you much success in your endeavors!
Thank you for your visit and comments Kay. We really need to have a sense of humour to survive this world, like the saying "there's nowt so queer as folk..." 😂
Blessings to you
Louise
Louise, good ideas as to your approach on Facebook.
It has still been a challenge to me after the hurricane in October. Still unable to get back to writing on either of my websites, I decided to take my niche site to Facebook to see what it would do.
It was slow but Likes are coming.
Have you tried that approach of placing it on your Personal Facebook page, with a catchy comment in the Post?
Sonny
Hi Sonny
Thanks for your comment and for stopping here for a visit.
Must be a huge thing to recover from a hurricane. Hope you get back to where you need to be soon.
I haven't tried it on my personal Facebook page, mostly because I don't really want my employer to know I am looking to create a lifestyle of geographic and financial freedom - not just yet. I am Facebook friends with his girlfriend :-)
I've been thinking of placing ads in a whole lot of groups I am member in though - have you tried that?
Blessings
Louise
Thanks Louise. My biggest challenge is going from a PC with High speed internet to a tablet with phone service or Wi-Fi when it is available.
I understand what you are saying about an employer. No need in rocking the boat,,,,, Yet. :-)
I haven't done any groups yet. Though I am admin on several and several others I am in, we do not allow ads of any kind. But that gives me an idea to search for groups that are receptive to marketing ads.
I also have 3 different comments that I post on Twitter, spaced out through the day. You may try that too.
Sonny
I can relate to the technical challenges. At the office I have access to great technology, can't say the same for when I'm at home. We do what we have to with what we have though.
Yeah, I have a great employer, he is extremely good to me. My goal is to get him up and running technologically to automatics as much as we can of his business. It's a slalom business and he is in great demand, the challenge is that there is only one of him. A brilliant mind, that's his USP.
Thank you for reminding me of Twitter, I need to get a planner in place and develop a system so I can get everything done.
Blessings
Louise
Good one...I’m glad you waited to respond...lol.
On a serious note, I haven’t gotten far enough to attempt Facebook Messenger with my business yet.
Question: did you start a brand new fan page for your business or your original page?
I am giving this some thought and if using your primary profile page then I’ll need to get rid of some older political and religious posts...even if that’s who I am. Not so sure how I am going to go with mine.
As always- I wish you the best!
Bob
"Question: did you start a brand new fan page for your business or your original page?"
I have been thinking about this too. I guess it depends on which kind of niche you're in. I am working on a personal blog where I put a lot of "me" in there so I guess it makes a lot of sense to connect my personal FB and Instagram accounts.
Hi Bob
I created a page on my original Facebook profile. So it shows up separately but I still have access to all my friends.
There are differing opinions about the best way to do this, I have done it this way because of the accessibility to friends, I'm hoping they will see that sharing is indeed caring and help me build my business :-)
My Facebook profile page also has a lot of posts that may not be pc, especially from a "religious" perspective. Thing is that my being a Christ follower comes through on my site too. They say "you attract your tribe" so my guess is that I will attract Christians and anyone else who appreciates the values I hold dear.
Let me know what you decide.
Blessings
Louise
.
Hi Lars, I have a few ideas as well. Right now I only have the Make Money Online (MMO) website and there is already a lot of me in it...but at the same time not ALL of me...I’ll make another site for that later down the road.
I do see your point though. Oh and I have followed you now too...lol.
I wish you the best!
Bob
That’s what I was asking for, thanks. I will let you know when I do...I have some pondering to do for now.
😀
First and foremost,
Repeat after me: F R I K A D E L L E...FRIKADELLE.
Trust me on this one. I am Danish :-)
Haha!
And I am half Afrikaans - we say it the way I wrote it where I come from. Sorry that it offends your Danish sensibilities :-)
Blessings
Louise
See more comments
Ah Louise - the frikkadel got me.
Been a while since I had them and have since given up all forms of meat - I wonder if there is a plant based one? Some research needed or some experimenting required.
So you tried messenger and the response was so-so. Well if thou are a little strange then stands to reason your family and friends will be too as we travel in like minded circles.
I can imagine the response though so understand your frustrations.
My thoughts on it though are that it is a pretty limited reach method and if you have to explain ... well?
Then clearly it is either in the writing (message) as you suggest or is it a preconceived idea that this is "so not Louise" - hence the "Have you been hacked?" attitude.
You write well - so should do well.
And for a meatless frikkadel look no further than:
http://minimalistbaker.com/simple-vegan-meatballs/ (which I went in search of thanks to you).
Hang in there.
Lawrence
PS your first sale will happen now now! ;)
Hello Lawrence
Haha! I like that you speak "my language" 😂
You also speak my daughters language, she is primarily vegan, I will share that link with her. I am borderline vegetarian because I was recently very ill on dry wors. My mother never ate it, she used to say, put it on the floor and see what it looks like - hahaha! So I may try out the vegan meatballs too.
Now, maybe you missed the end of the saying "except for thee and me, but even thee is a little strange". In other words, oh no, not me. Then again, I am the one who worked in advertising and was branded as the arty one in the family. Heaven forbid, I am also the "happy clappy" because I attend a loud church. Oh goodness, it is me and not thee! 😂
Thank you for your time and input here Lawrence, it was a pleasure reading your response, made me laugh out loud.
Wishing you everything of the best for a prosperous 2019.
Blessings
Louise
PS. Let's hope that now now is not quite African time
haha - love it