Tweets, posts, chats, messages. There are so many ways to communicate with clients that it can be a bit overwhelming. Most providers have websites and social media accounts to market their company and share with clients, but not all providers are familiar with best practices for using their accounts effectively. Interactions with clients through social media are based on trust, and if you break that trust, you’ll find that you lose your following and perhaps even the patronage of certain clients. To avoid this, ensure that you’re not making any of these common social media mistakes:

1. Overly promotional

It’s easy to slip into the mindset of using social media as an advertising platform, but overly promotional posts drive potential clients away rather than drawing them in. You can think of social media as a way of communicating and speaking to your clients, and just as you wouldn’t talk exclusively about promotions and service upgrades when you speak face-to-face with your clients, your social media streams shouldn’t either. Mix up your content by posting useful articles from your company blog, helpful tips from professionals, and related articles from around the web. Curate a variety of relevant and useful content that your clients will not only appreciate but also look forward to. You can post the occasional promotion, but in general you want to post content that will help your clients and build their trust in your company and services.

2. Consistency in branding and messaging

Your social media pages should be easily identifiable as part of your brand. This means all of your sites and profiles should create one unified message, and the tone and design of your pages should match that of your office, website, and other marketing materials. Use professional, high-quality images for both your profile picture and your banner, and be sure to brand them with your logo or slogan. As a client moves from one of your social media profiles to your company website, the transition should feel like flipping between pages of the same book.

3. Using too many networks

Many providers stretch themselves too thin when it comes to social media. In general, you should limit yourself to two or three networks and focus on the sites that are relevant to your message. For example, if you don’t share a lot of pictures or visual content, you may not need an account on Instagram or Pinterest. Evaluate what you want to say to clients, and then determine which select sites provide the best means for conveying that message. If you can’t post regularly on certain pages, it may be best to remove your accounts. Providers who don’t regularly check their pages can easily miss messages from potential clients, and their pages can quickly begin to appear dated or even abandoned, which may leave clients with an unprofessional impression of your services.

4. Being disingenuous or ignoring negative comments

Hopefully negative comments or criticisms don’t come too often to your page, but as you grow, you may get a few. When this happens, do not ignore them, and do not delete them. Rather, work with your team to answer the questions and address the concerns in a prompt and sincere way. Respond to them via private message or try to make contact with them directly. Doing this will show your clients that you listen to their concerns and you take them seriously.

Social media can be a great tool for building bridges and starting conversations with clients when you use it correctly. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure that your pages reflect well on you and your company.

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4 Comments

  1. Gloria Hunter March 2, 2016 at 6:30 pm - Reply

    everyone of these tips were very helpful. Thank you. I often wondered which social media I should use and which one would suite my home health care business.

  2. Beth March 6, 2016 at 6:23 pm - Reply

    When it comes to Facebook as a social tool, I a finding it frustrating to answer back to a negative comment if they’ve blocked you. We only had one — from a disgruntled employee. She refused the shift 15 minutes before the start, when she had 4 days knowledge of where her shift was, so we made her “unable to be scheduled”.

  3. Comfort Keepers April 29, 2016 at 4:21 am - Reply

    Good information sharing article…Good tips for everyone.

  4. Jason Chagnon July 13, 2016 at 4:37 pm - Reply

    Great article. Reputation is king, but it always seems true that the most vocal are the critics. Excellent advice about not ignoring them! Thanks

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