I’m sure you’ve experienced, seemingly random emails, notes, thumbs up, recommendations from people you can’t remember for the life of you how/where you know them from. These are your social media connections, the social media marketers who are supposedly leveraging the powerful connecting features of certain tools like Google Friend Connect to, yet again, push another so-called subtle marketing message in your face. But, please listen to me carefully…
Simply accepting your friend request does not give you permission to get around the rules of spam and start using awesome tools like Google Friend Connect to simply get your push-it-in-my-face-marketing-message in my email box. If I wanted to receive an email from you, you’d have my email address and I would have opted in — then giving you permission to send me recommendations and such.
Let me explain…
Here’s one of four emails I’ve received from a (now disconnected) Google Friend Connect user, who is using Google Friend Connect’s recommendation feature to basically get around not being able to email people because they have not opted in to be email:
What is this? It was a Google Friend Connect person, shooting me a recommendation — via email — simply because we are connected on mutual sites — even though I’ve never had communication with this particular person… at all.
It’s an invitation process that is not designed to promote your latest internet marketing project. Google Friend Connect’s invitation/recommendation tool is a social feature that is meant to facilitate the relationships you build using the tool. The problem is, any and every tool that allows you to push a message in front of users is often being abused and hyped up by Internet Marketers as a sales tool… it’s not.
Here’s my problem with it…
- First and foremost, how can you make a recommendation to me, if you do not even know me? Do you know what I’m interested in? Do you respect my time and value my interests? Not exactly.
- Second, are you aware that every Tom, Dick and Harry is “leveraging” the same crap, and lined up in my Inbox, you all get deleted at the same time by simply checking boxes? Here’s what it looks like, along with all the others…
- Are you also aware that, your contacts might be connected with you in more than one place, so when you mass recommend with copy-n-paste messages (to reach the most amount of people)… it’s pretty stinkin’ obvious – because I get the same recommendation, on different sites, with different notes from you! Hello, playa, stop sending me a canned message over and over and over, treating me like we’re engaging on an online dating site and you obviously have relationship issues!
Be Social, Build Relationships, Not Spam
Look, I’m all for Internet Marketers doing what they do, I’m certainly not a hater, more power to you. But this post is for my readers, business owners, solo-professionals, and serious online entrepreneurs who recognize there’s something wrong with getting around spam rules by using tools that are meant for relationship building — but instead are used as yet another means for egotistical, money-driven self promotion strategies…
Real business is not solely a numbers game! I know, I know, many believe it’s all about quantity. Links, click-throughs, subscribers, friends, connections, dollars… It’s not. Smart business owners and solo-professionals are now realizing it’s so much smarter and effective to use social media tools for what they are intended.
Here’s a thought — do you think Baskin Robbins, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, Victoria Secret’s — could all get away with sending self-promotion links as a friend recommendation?
How about this — what about the local real estate agent or lawyer or another local company – could they get away with a “friendly recommendation” that only promotes their revenue building activities?
Of course not, don’t be ridiculous.
Things to Remember
When leveraging a social tool, always remember relationships first. Look at a tool’s ability to help you build relationships with your audience, as well as building relationships within your audience.
Just because a tool has a feature that has potential to give you access to your audience, is that point of access appropriate? Yes, GFC let’s you email others and recommend links. But, is that really the best usefulness for that tool? Especially when you’re not earnestly sharing resources of value.
Connection is not permission, it’s not even a first date. It’s an introduction to a new relationship. Always, always remember this. Simply getting your marketing message or links in front of someone is almost always NOT the best approach to take. Respect the type of connection you’ve made and the audience preferences that are inherent in the connection built.
When considering the advice or tactics recommended by marketers online, consider the source and consider your audience first… always.
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… looking forward to connecting with you… unless you’re going to abuse our connection, I’m just not that kind of girl!
Maria
About the Author...
Maria Reyes-McDavis is a colossal geek brainiac, certified genius IQ with university degrees in Finance, Economics, Business Management and an MBA. Maria has served over 300 pro-level, digital marketing clients as founder of online marketing firm Digital Peas & Carrots. Maria is Founder and Editor of Hyphenated Americans, a conservative politics blog and Proverbs 31 Project an online women's ministry. Most importantly, Maria is a wife to her king, mother of 3, lover of basketball (Go Lakers & Clippers!), classic cars and is currently training for professional women's roller derby!
