It began innocently enough. A friend request on Facebook. I saw we had some friends in common, though I didn’t know this person. Why not? I thought, and hit the button to confirm them as a friend.
Then it started. The constant requests to join groups. The multiple invitations to events. The barrage of emails. So I did what I should have done at the beginning.
I unfriended her.
Now, I’m a pretty tolerant person. But this person, in her zeal to convert me to whatever cause or religion or higher consciousness she was promoting only succeeded in annoying the crap out of me. At this point, I’d rather iron for 8 hours straight than go to one of her get-togethers. (And I generally only iron every 6 or 8 months. I hate ironing.)
The lesson I’m taking from this experience is to look at my own behavior in how I market my products and services. Do I want my friends and subscribers to look forward to posts I publish or do I want them to immediately hit the delete button? Here’s what I plan to do:
- Space out my posts
- Consider why I’m sending out this communication. If it’s just another reminder, ask if it’s really necessary.
- Offer useful information besides the invitation
- then back off!
That well-meaning ex-friend probably did not intend to drive me away. In her mind, she was giving me good information. But, constant invitations without building a relationship and trust will not convert a prospect to a buyer. They are the Facebook equivalent of the satellite dish salesman who rings your doorbell in the middle of American Idol or the timeshare salesman who calls you during the dinner hour.
