02/10/2024
One of the biggest mistakes furniture painters are making on social media is chasing engagement via follow trains, engagement pods, and other gimmicks.
Seriously, you’re not doing yourself any favours. .🧐
And just so we're on the same page, you've probably seen posts like: “It’s DAY 98795 of the Refinished Furniture Tour!” or “Day 5 of the Creativity Showcase.”
You know, those posts where you're asked to tag, follow, and post every day for 10 days, all in the name of building awareness, a community, and supporting each other.
The intention is laudable, and it might even feel like you're building a community. To be clear, I do NOT have a problem with the intention. 🥰
But the problem is, it's not helping you sell a single piece.
It’s not your fault. You've been told this is how to grow. And at first, it feels like you are.
You might gain a few new followers and some engagement. But in the long run, it's costing you more than you realise.
In fact, “Follow Trains” are harming your growth.
Here are 5 reasons why:
❌Artificial Engagement = No Real Growth
You might get a short-term spike in followers,
but are they engaging with your content?
Are they buying from you?
Most of the engagement from follow trains is superficial.
I get it, we often feel pressured to participate so we don't snub whoever nominated is. But real growth comes from connecting with people who genuinely care about what you do - not from a load of half-hearted likes and follows.
❌Your Engagement Tanks
Unless your ideal customer is a furniture painter, having a few more random creatives following you does nothing for your sales.
Your follower count might go up, but it drops off because those new followers aren't interested in buying from you. Worst of all, your content starts getting shown to other creatives instead of your genuine potential buyers.
❌You Confuse the Algorithm
If you want the algorithm to push your content to people who will buy from you, it needs to know who your audience is.
When half your followers are other furniture painters, it gets messy.
The algorithm gets confused, and your reach to genuine buyers shrinks.
❌Wasting Time on the Wrong Audience
Building relationships with potential customers takes time and energy.
If you're spending that time with other creatives instead of buyers, you're missing valuable opportunities.
More followers might give you a temporary boost, but if they're not translating into sales, you're wasting precious time.
❌Burnout from Participating in Fake Engagement
Engaging with people who aren't your target audience is draining.
You're putting in effort and seeing no results.
Real engagement from potential clients energizes you. Fake engagement is exhausting and distracting.
This is one of the main reasons why we give our members content strategies that actually work.
You get an interactive social media schedule and professionally written content designed to help you reach, nurture, and convert your potential customers, not just temporarily inflate your stats.
✅Let's work together to reclaim your social media presence and build a community that values your work.
Listen, I'm not saying don't support each other - we absolutely should.
But do it wisely.
You want a following of people who care about what you do and are ready to buy, not just inflate your numbers.
Otherwise, you risk falling into a virtual black hole where your social media reach shrinks more and more, limiting you to a small bubble of followers.
The last thing you want is an echo chamber of the same people seeing your posts, with fewer chances to connect with new audiences and potential buyers.
✅Having fewer genuine followers who want to buy from you is far better than a shed load of followers who don't.
Listen, I know how it feels to pour your heart into your work, post it proudly, and then see it get swallowed up and ignored.
It’s nice to get a bit of validation and support from your peers. But at the end of the day, you can't bank likes.
✅Give yourself a break and stop pouring your energy into strategies that don't work.
Focus on building a community that will support your business in a way that matters. 🩵💙💚
Together, we can make that happen.
Join the Conversation! 💬
Did this resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts!
• How do you feel about Follow Trains and engagement pods?
• Have you tried them, and if so, did they work for you?
• What about if you’re a furniture paint stockist….do you think follow trains have value for you?
Like this post? Want more actionable tips?
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