Retailers, experts offer social media do's and don'ts
Top tips: Be creative, tone down the hard sell
Clint Engel -- Furniture Today, February 24, 2014
HIGH POINT — Furniture stores today can't afford to ignore the Internet nor deny the ever-growing importance of social media as the consumer's go-to tool for inspiration, reviews, communication and shopping.
But not every attempt and idea for reaching out to potential customers through this vital venue is a good one.
With that in mind, Furniture/Today did a little reaching out of its own and asked retailers and online industry marketing experts to give us their best social media do's and don'ts.
Their main message: tone down the hard selling, respond quickly to consumers, use lots of photos and videos to entice them, and be creative - and, perhaps, unexpected - in what you say to your fans on Facebook and elsewhere.
For more on this story, see a series of video interviews at FurnitureToday.com, featuring leaders from Wayfair.com, MicroD, NetSertive and others.
 Scott Perry |
Scott Perry, director of online marketing for San Diego-based Jerome's, started with, "Do have a plan," and "Use video in Facebook posts and other social media because video is very engaging."
Also, use the image-oriented Pinterest, Perry said. "This is the furniture customer
demographic sweet spot for social media." Jerome's Pinterest page features hundreds of product images, mostly from its store, as well as decorating tips.
Other "do" suggestions from Perry:
• Use the big social media channels Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz.
 San Diego-based Jerome’s uses social media venues including Pinterest to showcase its offerings as well as to offer decorating ideas. |
• Pay attention to analytics; watch what gets likes, comments, etc.
• Think outside the box. "Sometimes a silly post gets 10 times the action of a regular post showing a new item," he said.
As for things not to do, Perry said, don't be spammy and "don't forget to thank people or add comments when people say nice things." Also:
• Don't let negative comments live on your social outlets. "Hide or remove bad comments from difficult customers if you can or if you can't respond in a positive helpful manner." (Some sources, however offer the opposite advice to this one.)
• Don't pay people for reviews or fake comments. "Customers can tell when you do this and it is not good for trust, plus it's just dishonest," he said.
• Don't bad mouth customers, vendors or anybody.
• Don't post too much. Perry said to "throttle it to once a day" and make sure the content is worthy of the consumer's time.
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