Building Your Business with Social Media
Ways to Use Social Media Strengthen Relationships Use social media to build meaningful relationships—the same way you would in real life. The first time you talk to someone in real life, you don’t immediately ask them if they are interested in a business opportunity or tell them how much money you make. That may come up naturally later in the conversation, but it would never be tasteful to lead with that message. It’s true on social media too. You never know if this is the first post a friend is seeing from you. First, build the relationship and get to know the person. Discover their needs and then help them see how Melaleuca can help. Relationships are not built by single social posts. More often than not, after you set an appointment with someone, they will go to your social media pages to find out what you do. If all they see are posts about your commitment to family, health, wellness, and living life to its fullest, they will likely be interested in what you have to say. If they see posts about a business opportunity or products with calls to action, it will likely ruin your chance to help them see who we really are.
KEVIN SOMMER Senior VP of Business Development
Social media. Either you love it or you hate it. The funny thing about social media is that everybody is an expert. I conduct job interviews regularly. I look at the résumés that come in, and it’s funny how many people list that they’re a social media guru just because they have a social media account. With all these different opinions about social media, it can be tough to help everyone understand why Melaleuca does things the way we do. The philosophy that guides our policies about online building is simple: we want to get the word out about Melaleuca by word of mouth, not by blasting the company name on social media. We also don’t want to do anything that makes us look like an MLM. Those companies have a bad reputation—and they deserve it. We don’t want you to do anything they do or do anything that blasted all over social media, they’ll believe they already know everything there is to know. They’ve already formed an opinion. The opportunity for you to paint the picture of what Melaleuca really is and who we are is lost. And that makes your job a lot more difficult. This is largely why we don’t allow the use of Melaleuca’s name, an alternate name, or any reference to Melaleuca on social media. When you approach somebody for the first time, we want them to say, “Mela what ?” makes us look like them. We are nothing like them! If those you approach have seen posts about Melaleuca
Share Product Stories Some Marketing Executives choose to share product experiences on social media. Others do not. Here’s my counsel: People don’t like ads on social media. The same way commercials got in the way of TV programs, ads are getting in the way of what we want to see on social media. So make sure your product post doesn’t feel like an advertisement. There’s a big difference between “I’m so grateful to my shopping club and these amazing products. You’re missing out if you’re not buying them” and “Sometimes parenting really throws you for a loop. Today, my 3-year-old treated my walls like a coloring book. If you’ve ever had that happen, you know how frustrating it is to scrub crayon off walls. I was about to lose my mind! Thank heavens it came right off or I would have been a really grumpy momma.” Make sure whatever you post is real, authentic, and genuine. Don’t include a call to action or product training. Just simply share how great a product is and how it has enhanced your life. The more Melaleuca products you use, the more incredible stories you’ll have to share. If you do choose to post about products, make sure you have five or ten family and lifestyle posts between each product post—otherwise, it will feel like you’re trying to sell something. Often less is more. Be Genuine Be consistent with what people expect. When someone friends you on Facebook, what do they expect to see? Why did they friend you? They most likely didn’t do it to be pitched a business opportunity. Your personal page should feel like a glimpse into your personal life—not a commercial. Post things your friends who don’t have a Melaleuca business would post. None of your contacts should be able to identify you as a Melaleuca Marketing Executive by your public social media presence—whether that’s an individual post or by reading between the lines on many of your posts.
anita_bloom Charlotte, North Carolina
Every public communication you make impacts all Marketing Executives and their reputation as a whole. It only takes one or two people to mess things up for all of us. That’s why we’re serious about making sure we have a healthy, growing business and a great opportunity today and 50 years from now. It’s also important to note that posting on social media and waiting for someone to respond has not been proven to be an effective way to build a business; but, with the right approach, social media could be a good way to make new friends, foster relationships, and build curiosity. Part of our job is to make sure we’re not taking any shortcuts that will damage this business in the future. For over three decades, Melaleuca has been careful to make sure that overzealous Marketing Executives do not “burn the fields.” That’s why the message of Melaleuca is as fresh today as it was in 1985!
anita_bloom Sometimes parenting really throws you for a loop. Today, my 3-year old treated my walls like a coloring book. If you’ve ever had that happen you know… more 508 likes
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