Ten Things NOT to Post During Tough Times

Last week I shared some tips for business blogging and social media.  I shared Ten Things to Post During Tough Times.  This week I want to share Ten Things NOT to Post During Tough Times.  Tough times are hard enough without having to read through stuff like this.  As an added bonus, you'll notice that they all rhyme! Ten Things NOT to Post During Tough Times 1. Spam Nobody wants to be sold, especially during tough times.  Sharing a special offer once in a while with folks you have a relationship with is one thing, but ONLY posting your wares or posting six offers in a row or posting the same offer several times is not something that will win you friends and influence customers. 2. Scams Make money in your sleep not only sounds like an ad, but it feels like a scam.  Don't pray on people's needs by posting to every Tom, Dick and other Tweeple about your latest network marketing idea.  Even if it's a fabulous opportunity and just perfect for her, she'll see you as an opportunist instead of a friend who is sharing a great idea. 3. Ham If you're gonna post an award you received, by all means be HUMBLE about it.  Remember that few people will want to hear about how great you are.  If you're going to post how great something is, post how great God is!  Post the opportunities God has given you instead of how great thou art! 4. Jam I know you're probably thinking nobody would do this, but be careful about what things you reveal about yourself online!  I've seen folks post about the trouble they got into over the weekend or with the law.  I guess we all should avoid such trouble anyway, but if you do happen to get into some, you might not want to reveal that online!  Remember that Facebook, Twitter and Yahoo group posts can wind up on a Google search for years to come! 5. Slam Another online or public no-no is to slam another company...like your competition.  The Whopper never grows in popularity by putting down the Big Mac!  It only makes the Whopper look vindictive. ;D 6. Wham Anything that sounds too good to be true, even if it's true, sounds too good to be true.  So don't post how drinking this juice will cure cancer, give you muscles, make you lose 100 lbs over night or is guaranteed to make you million$ while you $leep. 7. Bam No matter how upset you are with a Facebook friend, never post harsh words in public.  Times are tough out there and tempers can flare, but harsh words are hard to take back, even if they are justified. 8. Ma'am Don't solicit dates from your Facebook friends, guys!  My bio shares that I am a Christian wife of 23 years, but you'd be surprised if I told you how many times I've received direct messages from men making remarks about my looks and asking me to email them with my phone number.  Most women don't find that attractive, fellas; they think it's creepy, even if they are single. 9. Yam Yammering on and on about the same topic or re-posting the same link over and over again is another thing NOT to do, especially during tough times.  Re-posting a link once after a few hours on Twitter because some could have missed it amongst all the other tweets is okay.  Re-posting it again in the final hours is acceptable, but posting the same post each hour on the hour is...well...ANNOYING! 10. Tram Don't take your readers for a ride!  Take a direct route to the point. Do not pass go.  Do not collect 200 catch phrases! Even if your spam, scam, ham, jam, slam wham, bam, ma'am, yam or tram isn't quite this blatant, take a good look at what you're posting and see if the flavor is similar.  If it is, season it with a little humility and a dash of servitude. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ JoJo Tabares holds a degree in Speech Communication, but it is her humorous approach to communication skills which has made her a highly sought-after Christian speaker and writer.  Her articles appear in homeschool publications, such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, which also endorses her Say What You Mean curricula, including Say What You Mean Defending the Faith.  You can also find JoJo on web sites such as Crosswalk.com and Dr.Laura.com.  For more information on communication FUNdamentals and Christian-based communication skills for the whole family, please visit http://www.ArtofEloquence.com For more articles on communication in business, check out the bottom of our Articles Page!