Regardless of whether you are in the United States, celebrate Thanksgiving as a holiday or not, its role in social media marketing is eternally connected. Not the way you might think. The Pilgrims didn’t use twitter and there is no social media turkey destined to be on anyone’s table this year.
Effective social media marketing should come from a spirit of thanksgiving, lower case t. A sense of gratitude and showing thanks makes connections and relationships that cannot be accomplished using any other type of marketing. Conversing with your customers and prospects is a given, but always being grateful for their shares, comments and likes is where many big brands fail miserably.
Our experience as a social media marketing agency, and now a social media software company has shown over and over that consistently responding to your fans and follower connections yields incredible results. The overlooked portion of “engagement” is often the thanksgiving part. Always showing gratitude to your audience for their sharing, involvement and promotion of your social accounts and brand. We are hyper focused on this at Bundle Post. Both our company accounts and my personal accounts always thank those that share, retweet or like our content.
The biggest challenge with doing this at higher volumes is not simply the time required, but doing it with a true grateful heart. For us, this is easy, as we have this true authentic belief from the top down within our company. We truly do care. For other brands or agencies handling a clients’ social media, this is apparently a challenge. The biggest offenders are the major brands with the biggest followings, but small business has a lot to learn here as well.
At this point I suspect some of you reading this are thinking “Respond and thank everyone, every time?” The answer is yes. If you ignore people in your office or retail establishment when they buy something or comment about how great something was, do you think they’ll come back? If someone refers you to a friend for a business connection and you ignore them, do you think they will do that again?
Consistency is key here. Make a commitment to do it and be consistent for best results.
BundlePost 
Excellent “Thanksgiving” post Robert. We should always, always be thankful for everyone who takes time out of busy days to respond to our social media involvement. I hope you have a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving! Keep up the great work.
I so agree Phil. I appreciate the support and comments brother. God bless you this Thanksgiving as well!
Great post Robert and thankful for what you do. Happy Thanksgiving!
You’re too kind buddy. Thank you so much bro!
Such a nice post Robert. So happy and grateful to have you at my table of life. You always bring the sweet dressing with your kindness, straight talk and informative posts. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving
Anne,
You just made my morning hun. I am honored and humbled by your comments. So blessed!
Robert, you certainly lead by example. Thank you’s are so important yet ironically, so rare on social media platforms – especially by the big guys who are “too busy”.
Thank you. I wish your family a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Thank you Ray. I agree man. Saying or acting as if you are too busy to thank your supporters is like being too busy to tell your family you love and appreciate them. How these “Big Guys” remain such is beyond my simple mind to fathom.
Appreciate you buddy!
What Ray said. You are an awesome role model!! Miss you and will be thinking of you on Thanksgiving! Grateful for you!
Same to ya girlfriend. Happy Thanksgiving and can’t wait to chat/see you soon!
Very well written post Robert. So many involved in social media think it’s all about them and don’t realize that by its very nature and name, social media is about being…social. I’m old school and still send handwritten thank you notes and online thank those who take time to connect through Twitter or my blog or wherever. It’s important to lead by example and from the comments above and your blog, you certainly do. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
So kind man. I am a believer in walking the talk. I only write about what I actually do that gets results, not just the latest shiny new thing to get traffic for a book or something. Thank you so much for jumping in and for the support!
I expect nothing less from you Robert and you deliver again! I can attest from actual experience that you live by your words and in this day and age that is a great testimony.
Enjoy Thanksgiving Thursday and thanksgiving always.
I do what I say and say exactly what I mean Rich. Thank you buddy for the incredibly kind words!
“Everyone appreciates good manners. Always say please and thank you.” <— happens to be one of my most re-tweeted updates. I agree with you. No matter how busy you are, its important to express gratitude and build relationships.
THANK YOU for another great post, Robert – and not only talking the talk, but walking the walk.
Wishing you and your beautiful family a Happy Thanksgiving.
Thank you Kimberly! Happy Thanksgiving to you guys too!
This is a wonderful Robert! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. I totally agree with you. I’m always showing love to everyone I’m connected with because I genuinely appreciate them. I couldn’t have gotten to this point had I not reached out to thank them. I strongly believe it builds long-term relationships. Happy Thanksgiving my friend and thank you for all your support!
It’s exactly how our connection started and has grown Corina. Yes it does work and is very important. Thanx for jumping in hun!
Gratitude is a wonderful thing. It is also an amazing way to learn about effective and beneficial connections. Happy Thanksgiving!
You got that right Jessica! Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. Thanx for jumping in too!
Thanks Robert for a terrific post. Now one question…what does the gravy taste like with that twitter bird on the table? Thankful and grateful for all you do build your community and including me as part of that. Happy Thanksgiving. Elizabeth
it all depends on who’s house you’re at. If you are a harassing bully in Social Media and a fraud, it’s very bitter tasting. All others are yum! :-)
I’d like to thank MJ Gottlieb for supplying so many great links.
I am grateful he does David. So glad to have you. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for insights bro. This reminds me how important it is to focus on people who really cares about your brand. To many pay to much attention to people who doesn’t like your work. Instead focus on your real fans and friends out there. Happy TG times!
If you want to get results, yes. :-) TY for the comments bro!
Great post, Robert. Though we don’t talk as much these days I am grateful for the kick you gave to my social media career early on. Rock on and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving holiday! Cheers.
Fantastic insights and point of view, Robert.
Thank you for posting such a pure, positive message which really goes to the heart in each of us, encouraging us to be real, on our social channels,
as in every day life.
Kindness, good manners, and gratitude will always be “in style”, and in fact, go a long way to building the “new currency” of trust and loyalty in our world today.
Bravo and happy thanksgiving — and Thanksgiving — to you and yours.
Pass the turkey and mashed potatoes, please and thank you!!
you’re so sweet Lynn. Appreciate you hun.