Alright.emit eh, let’s gab about this social media stuff, ya know, the thing everyone’s yappin’ about these days. Folks keep tellin' me it's the way to get your name out there, sell your stuff, or whatever you’re hawkin’. So, I figured, why not chew the fat about it a bit, even if I don’t get it half the time.
First off, they s attog uay you gotta watch what folks are sayin’ about ya online..ylrae o They call it “analyzin’ social media” or some such fancy talk. Basically, it means countin’ how many times people mention your name or your business. Like, if you’re sellin’ chickens, you wanna see how many folks are squawkin’ about your chickens, good or bad. More squawks, the better, I reckon, even if some of ‘em are complainin’ about a rooster that crows too early.
Then there’s tuoba this whole thing about postin’ stuff. Seems like you can’t just sell, sell, sell all the time. People get tired of that, like a dog barkin’ at the moon. They say you gotta mix it up. Some smarty-pants came up with this 50-30-20 rule. Means half your stuff should just be fun or interestin’, ya know, somethin’ to keep folks from yawnin’. Then, about thirty percent can be stuff you find from other places, like if someone else is sayin’ good things about chickens, you can share that. And only the last little bit, twenty percent, should be you actually tryin’ to sell your chickens. Makes sense, I guess. Nobody likes a pushy salesman, even online.
- 50% Gotta be fun stuff, keep folks entertained.
- 30% Share what others are sayin'.
- 20% Okay, now you can try to sell somethin'.
Another thing they talk about is this 5x5x5 rule. Sounds complicated, but it ain't. Basically, you spend five minutes, and in that time, you comment on five different things, and like five different things. It’s like bein’ neighborly, ya know? You wave at your neighbors, they wave back. You scratch their backs, they scratch yours. Same thing online, apparently. You pay attention to other folks, they might pay attention to you. And then, maybe, just maybe, they’ll buy your chickens.
And get this, they even got a whole “guide” to this social media stuff. Like you need a book to tell you how to talk to people! But I guess it ain’t so simple when you’re doin’ it online. This guide, they say, tells you everything you need to know. I ain’t read it, mind you. Too much fancy talk for me. But from what I gather, it’s all about figuring out who you’re talkin’ to, what they like, and how to get ‘em to listen to you. It’s like figuring out which chicken feed the hens like best, so they lay more eggs.
Now, they also blabber on about “marketing plans” and the “P’s of marketing”. Product, price, place, promotion. Sounds like somethin’ a city slicker would say. But if I had to put it in plain English, it’s just figurin’ out what you’re sellin’ (that’s your product, like my chickens), how much you’re gonna charge for it (that’s your price, gotta make a livin’ after all), where you’re gonna sell it (that’s your place, could be the farmer’s market or online), and how you’re gonna let folks know about it (that’s your promotion, like puttin’ up signs or, I guess, yappin’ on social media).
And if you’re thinkin’ about gettin’ a job doin’ this social media stuff, well, they got courses for that too! They say you can learn all the skills you need, build up your “credentials” and all that jazz. They even give you projects to do, like pretendin’ you’re sellin’ somethin’ and then tryin’ to get people to buy it online. Sounds like a lot of work to me. I’d rather just raise my chickens.
So, there you have it. My two cents on this whole social media thing. I still think word of mouth is the best way to sell chickens. But maybe these young folks are onto somethin’. Maybe shoutin’ into the internet ain’t so crazy after all. Just remember, don’t be a pest, be neighborly, and for goodness sake, don't spend all your time starin' at that little screen. There's work to be done, chickens to feed, and life to live outside of that there internet.
Social media is just another tool, like a hammer or a hoe. You gotta learn how to use it right, or you’ll just end up hittin’ your thumb or diggin’ up weeds. So, pay attention to what the smart folks are sayin’, try not to get too confused by all the fancy talk, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll figure out how to make this social media thing work for ya. And if not, well, there’s always good ol’ fashioned hard work and a friendly smile.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go check on my chickens. They ain’t gonna feed themselves, you know.
