Boss not getting it about social media

[Sockypuppet]

So we are all getting specific instructions to post our business cards and flyers on Facebook and WhatsApp one a week.

I know all the reasons that's ridiculous, no need to repeat them to me here. What I need is a way to explain that to my boss.

We're all sort of quietly... not doing it. He's taken to sending reminders.

His own social media is business based. Like his name and the company, nothing personal. I didn't even know till recently he was married.

I try to placate by posting stuff on WhatsApp.

He's a nice guy and it's a good comp3, he's just not getting this. One of us needs a way to tell him that forcing us all to spam personal Facebook accounts won't really help marketing (I assume people will hide my posts) and will built resentment among staff (he tagged me in a post and then I had strangers liking old holiday pics).

youre not supposed to have two personal fb accounts so dont do tnhat i know people have been banned doing this

just tell him its your personal account and youre not going to spam it with stuff

Sorry, but what I do and don't post on social media is of no concern to my boss.

Unless it's written in your contract that you have to do this, I would tell them face to face that I am unprepared to do this, as social media is for personal use.

I never share advertising on Facebook, ever.

You don't work for JuicePlus or similar, do you?

Suggest he hires a freelance social media manager/assistant to manage all his social marketing. He would benefit massively he got someone to do it that reaches thousands of the relevant people not just spamming a few hundred of his staff's friends who are probably not interested.

I think he possibly doesn't really quite 'get' the idea of SM, but knows it's big and wants to get on board. The clue is in the name 'social' - it's for friends to socialise in a known and trusted circle and not for people to exploit by throwing in regular marketing curveballs. If you did that, you'd end up antagonising people and have them blocking or muting you, so you'd lose a large part of your own SM enjoyment as well as any marketing opportunities that he thinks you legitimately have anyway.

Sending out a business card to people you know well is extremely weird. Business cards are primarily passed to others on your first meeting so that they can make contact with you - if you're already linked on SM, then you already are in contact. It would be almost as absurd as telling your close friends and family what your name is every time you meet them:
"Hi, I'm Caroline."
"I know you are: I'm your Mum - and your Dad and I chose that name for you 36 years ago!"

He reminds me of when the Web was starting to take off properly and businesses were desperate to get on board with this new thing that they didn't really understand but had been told was going to be massive. You'd see a half-page advert in the Yellow Pages, giving the company name, address and phone number, and a big, bold message shouting "VISIT OUR WEBSITE!!!" And if you did visit their website, you'd find their company name, address and phone number.... and absolutely nothing else

You can post things for an audience of one if you want to do he'll think you're spamming your friends when you're not but really that just says to him he's right to make you do it. You need to say no. Your FB is for personal use, not business. Then block him.

Thanks guys.

Yes he's completely missing the boat here. He's all "zomg information superhighway!" Like it's 1994.

I'm always the "person who says" so this time I am actually going to continue to quietly not do it and wait for someone else says the awkward obvious thing.

He usually has very sound judgment. He's a mentor in my career. That's what makes all this so baffling. He either has a weird blind spot or the organisation is struggling financially and he's desperate.

And no we're not an MLM!

OP I'm only asking this because you said you're older than your boss and the one who always sorts this stuff out so please don't be offended - are you the oldest staff member by any chance?

Yes I am!

What an interesting question. Are you in the same boat?

Sorry not read full thread, but just wanted to say spamming your feed with business posts is a sure fire way to lose your friends.
I snooze people who repeatedly share and spam my feed with unrelated business crap. Im sick of being added to groups by people doing stupid raffles, or selling wax melts, eyelashes, and competitions for whoever adds and tags the most people. After being added to groups repeatedly, i now just delete the people that have added me.

We had this at a small digital marketing company I once worked at. (In accounts)
My coworker and I (might of been day drinking after staff outing) invoiced the company for the access to our contact data bases, hosting fees, fees for the “advertorial” on our social media pages and Campaign management and asked for him to sign it off.
He refused (but found it funny, ahh accounts are just soo amusing when it came to money) and never asked us again.

Quite the opposite for me - I'm just getting past the whole "omg you're sooo young" stage.

But I've worked out why it's all been left to you. You're the one who everyone looks to for guidance. It'll be a case of "if Socky does it we all need to do it."
It sounds like even your boss views it this way. He respects you as his elder so - possibly unknowingly - seeks your approval. If you're not happy he's fine to adjust, whereas he may not react as well to a younger person questioning his judgment.

I know it might sound daft but I bet you anything that's what's going on here. I bet it works to your advantage sometimes too though

My coworker and I (might of been day drinking after staff outing) invoiced the company for the access to our contact data bases, hosting fees, fees for the “advertorial” on our social media pages and Campaign management and asked for him to sign it off.. < Genius.