As this smart and well-educated bride does her research for her wedding vendors, she comes across your blog and website. It is clean, engaging and the copy well-written. So far, so good. Then she clicks over from your blog to your Twitter page. The majority of your updates are full of text speak: U, R, B, 2, C, ur, thx, gr8, lolz.
You've just lost her business and you will probably never know it because she won't contact you to tell you that she had found your site at all.
Srsly.
The disconnect between the brand you promote on your website and blog and the brand you promote on Twitter conveys a lack of professionalism when it comes to your daily habits. People aren't going to trust you with thousands of dollars of their wedding budget if they can't trust you to act professionally when it comes to the small details. Even if the bride can't put her finger on why she is choosing your competitor over you, her subconscious still knows that something with your brand is not quite right (read Malcolm Gladwell's Blink for more on this).
Everything you put online is a reflection of your brand. Be sure that your social media plan is cohesive and is telling the same story across the board.
Originally published October 2009
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4 comments:
Great advice! I'm always surprised that businesses use txtspk on Twitter, even major media outlets. If it's too much info for 140 characters, then be more concise. You are not selling to 14-year-olds.
Have fun at engage! ttly ;-P
I almost never comment on blogs, but I was moved to chime in here. I could not agree more with this sentiment. Even though I did not throw a "luxury wedding," I have a post-graduate degree, and nothing turns me off of a brand (or even just a blog to read) faster than consistent errors or netspeak. I admit that I use abbreviations with my friends when I'm chatting online, but I have hidden facebook friends for excessive abuse of texting language, and I would definitely navigate away from a vendor who did the same. I don't buy into the whole Twitter thing, but I've seen some atrociously written blogs and websites that are certainly offenders, and I did not stick with them.
So happy to read this! Would also be interested in your thoughts on how often to post on Twitter. Is too often unprofessional? What if your followers encompass different groups (say, brides and pros). How to speak to everyone with appropriate content and tone? Look forward to reading more. Thank you!
When is your book coming out? Not fast enough. Can't wait. As always, great advice.
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