How to Lose a Fan in 10 Days | Travel Research Online

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How to Lose a Fan in 10 Days

Do you remember the movie How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days? Here’s the scoop: Benjamin Barry is an advertising executive and ladies’ man who, to win a big campaign, bets that he can make a woman fall in love with him in 10 days. Meanwhile, Andie Anderson covers the “How To” beat for “Composure” magazine and is assigned to write an article on “How to Lose a Guy in 10 days”.

While the stars in this movie go to great lengths to win and lose in love, we are going to look at some ways to be like Andie and lose a fan by exploring how to drive your social fans away. What common blunders are made that will make fans flee so quickly you can’t say “I love you” fast enough?

Blunder #1 – Too much Talk About #1

Social marketing, like dating, isn’t a one way conversation. So many times we see posts that are too chatty, too long, or just plain too many posts each day. How about those Facebook posts that look like Instagram posts as they have 101 hashtags? #Fail

When planning social tone and style avoid this pit fall by keeping things short, fun, and giving people a reason to respond.

Related to this blunder is its close cousin, the one who’s always selling. Do you ever see businesses post only about their upcoming sale, promotion or early booking bonus? What fun is that?

Blunder #2 — Begging for Attention

Do your social posts and tweets beg for likes? This drives fans nuts and makes Facebook demote those posts and not show them to as many people. Tune in to the video for another blunder that will get your hand slapped by Facebook.

Blunder #3 – Looks aren’t Everything

While we all like to believe that we’re not visual learners, most of us are. Some social marketers forget about this when they post photos that are too small for the space, too grainy to standout, or not related to the content. Savvy marketers know that posting an oblong or square video will gain way more reach and engagement than a small video thumbnail. (Sizing cheatsheet here)

In the case of social marketing, maybe looks ARE everything!

Blunder #4 – You & Me, really?

In the movie, the characters are so busy trying to win their respective bets that chaos ensues. In social marketing chaos can happen for your fans when posts lack consistency and a call to action. Do you ever see a page that posts about luxury travel one day and bargain basement trips the next?

Chaos continues when there’s no clear path to a solution. In the movie, since neither party knows about the bet the other person made, humor abounds. In marketing if there’s not a clear path for the fan to take to book with you, humor gives way to fatigue. Savvy marketers provide a call-to-action so fans know what they’re to do! As well, great marketers provide links so fans know how to connect and book.

While each movie actor is trying to impress or fatigue the other with tactics designed to win the bet, neither really knows much about the other. When marketers don’t know much about their fans, they risk falling prey to trying to be everything to everyone. You’ll see some marketers trying to be active on each and every social platform available, while not understanding the nuances of any of them. These are the marketers who may not be checking their analytics or understanding the metrics of their fan base. How to count what counts.

Like the actors who miss obvious cues about each other, marketers may miss opportunities.

The missed opportunities in the movie are obvious to the viewers who are “in on the secret”, but for marketers it’s more difficult. These missed opportunities may include:

  1. Missing comments and messages from fans
  2. Not integrating traditional, social, web, and email communication
  3. Creating ad audiences that don’t work, as they’re not tuned in and focused
  4. Trying to do it all; selling, accounting, marketing, trying to be all things to all people

Blunder #5 – Everyone Else?

Friends of the couple in the movie are continually trying to make or break the situation, adding more chaos and confusion by what they tell their friends and family.

What about your own staff, friends, and clients…how can they help with your marketing? As in the movie, your people can get involved by sharing and commenting on your page posts, sending you their photos and videos, and helping to start conversations.

Whether you’re trying to win a bet about love or win the love of your social fans, the goal is to find what works for you and your fans. At the end of the movie, the girl does lose the guy and then they see the light and live happily ever after.

Here’s some tactics that savvy marketers use to build relationships that last.

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What will you do today to strengthen relationships with your fans?


PictureCatherine Heeg, international speaker and trainer, focuses on social media marketing & communication for the travel and tourism industry. Join the conversation and connect with her at www.cmsspeaking.com and socially. Connect online for access to free social media resources.

When you ‘like’ her Facebook page you’ll have access to the latest social media news just for travel pros!

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