(totally unrelated puppy photo – but who doesn’t love puppies?)
Day Eight – The Social Network
Do you feel like you “get” social media, or do you just use it because that’s where all your friends and family are?
I do feel that we have a good handle on social media for the business. We use many different methods to promote the business and personally connect with family and friends across the globe.
Before owning this business, I lived in London and would use review sites such as Trip Advisor or Chowhound to plan all of my travels. I was blessed to be able to travel to different countries once or twice a month, and would literally print out chowhound’s reviews for the city I was going to, and copy them into my moleskin on the plane. (Doesn’t everyone plan their trips by where they are going to eat?)
The great thing about our business and its link with social networks is that we get to hear quickly from our customers. We have over 100 reviews online that people get to read and use to make their mind up about the House and whether to book in.
I get it and love what our social networks do for the business. It is though, a huge double edged sword, and one that I am challenged talking about.
We have had one or two negative reviews that have almost brought me to tears. People can write whatever they want about this business. Whatever. They. Want. Whether it is true or not. Thankfully 99.9% of our customers say glowing, lovely things and we are blessed that they took the time out of their lives to share their thoughts. We know this online feedback is one of the key factors to our success.
But when someone smiles, says thank you “we had a lovely time, loved the house,” and then goes online to say something different – that can be a bit of an unsocial network.
We will keep learning more and more about social networks that our clientele use and just keep positive about all the lovely feedback, letting anything else fall away.
(and I’ll keep posting random puppy photos, cause who can resist a cute puppy?)