Do you remember the scene in ‘A Christmas Story’ when Ralphie finally gets his Little Orphan Annie Decoder Pin? He patiently waits through his favorite radio program to hear the secret code at the end, rushes upstairs to the only bathroom in the house (the only private place for such top-secret work) and frantically decodes Annie’s message. The suspense builds as Ralphie spells out his first code on paper, only to find the message when he says it out loud, ”Be Sure to Drink Your Ovaltine.”
His response: “A crummy commercial? Son of a b#tch!”
This is the perfect example of what NOT to do when marketing on social networks. Like Ralphie, who wants to be a part of Annie’s Secret Circle, your consumers who engage with you on social networks want to be a part of your “Secret Circle.” They already like your brand, product or service enough to actively seek out your message. You don’t need to push commercials to them. Instead, give your consumers exclusive content acknowledging their loyalty. Stuff like special promotions, behind-the-scenes information and entertaining and engaging messages will ensure they keep coming back for more, and don’t throw their decoder pins in the trash, or worse: end your social media friendship.
