When celebrities take to social media, we often like to focus on the inevitable blunders, mistakes, and faux pas that result.  On the other hand, there are some well-known individuals who show us how to efficiently use certain platforms to foster and engage a growing user base.

One of these individuals is Mike Rowe, of Dirty Jobs fame.

Rowe, who is best known for his role on the Discovery Channel show where he takes on generally undesirable work positions for a short period, has a dedicated social media following, and for good reason.

Something that businesses or brands have to deal with almost universally is spammers and trolls on social media.  Mike Rowe is no exception, but how he dealt with the problem was exceptional.

According to Inc.com, the poster used a popular page to post an attacking political message.  Instead of taking the bait, Rowe responded in a clever way, simultaneously calling out the inappropriate nature of the post and providing some excellent marketing advice.

Here is a transcript of the post in question:

Why on Earth would ANYONE vote Republican? A reptile has more decency than the Republicans in Congress! Only an odious toad would pass Ryan’s budget or gut Food Stamps–and these depraved snakes made them THEIR HIGHEST PRIORITY! If only one child in America goes hungry because of the Republican’s War on Children it explains why–IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE A CHRISTIAN, AND VOTE REPUBLICAN.’

“A CHALLENGE….will you PLEASE explain to the American people why you vote/are a Republican–because for the life of me I cannot understand WHY WOULD ANYONE VOTE REPUBLICAN! (NO trashing the Prez as a reason–it may make our RACISTS happy–but it is an idiotic explanation/justification.)

This was followed by a link to purchase a book connected to the poster.

Mike Rowe replied:

Some Unsolicited Marketing Advice From Mike Rowe at 37,000 Feet

Greetings, from somewhere over Colorado. It appears you’re still trying to sell some books on my Facebook page. Personally, I haven’t read them, and based on your marketing strategy, I suspect I’m probably not alone. Since part of your approach seems to involve me, I thought perhaps I might offer you some unsolicited marketing advice. I hope it’s not too presumptuous, but these tips have served me well over the years, and I can’t help but think you and your marketing team might benefit from their immediate implementation.

1. Consider starting off each blurb with a friendly salutation. In my experience, a little cordiality goes a long way, especially when you’re trying to persuade someone to give you money.

2. Think about addressing your audience as something other than “racists,” “reptiles,” and “toads.” I get that you want to be provocative, but if your goal is to sell your book, a number of well-known studies have proven it’s best not to insult your potential customers.

3. Reconsider your commitment to caps and exclamation points. These are excellent choices when warning people about a fire, a volcanic eruption, an ebola outbreak, or a looming tsunami. But I’m afraid their use in the context of a book sale implies a level of urgency that may exist only in your mind. If you really want to persuade thoughtful people that Christians can’t vote for Republicans and remain Christian, you’ll need to appear credible–not hysterical. Lower case should work just fine.

4. Consider limiting each blurb to a single entry. When you post the identical screed four times in a row, it looks very much like a broken record sounds. This will lead people to conclude that you’re either a) inept at posting, or b) deliberately obnoxious. Neither conclusion is likely to lead to a sale. Remember, most people see posts like yours as small piles of vomit that they can quickly step around. But when the same vomitus post appears multiple times, you force my friends here to slosh through a virtual lake of spew. Ironically, this will not only make more people like you even less, it will decrease the odds that someone who might actually share your world view will feel inclined to purchase your book. (I’ve deleted all of your redundant posts from this morning, but left the original. You’re welcome.)

5. Regarding your overall claim, I’m not an authority on Republicans or Christians, but last I checked, America is still populated by plenty of both. Unless you wish to alienate a majority of the country, you might consider something a tad more conciliatory. Something like–“There is no “R” in Jesus–But There’s G-O-P in Gospel!” Finally, with respect to your “challenge,” I’m not a registered Republican, but from time to time, I have voted like one. If you really want to know why, ask me in a fashion that incorporates the aforementioned steps, and I’ll try to explain it to you.

In the meantime, GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike

P.S. As you can see, the captain has given me some plastic wings. So clearly, I know what I’m talking about.

Rowe addressed the criticisms of the spammer, gave them some tips on how to market their material more effectively in the future, and offered general marketing advice to anyone else reading, all while avoiding controversial political statements.  Each of these points is something everyone can work on, so let’s all take a page out of Mike Rowe’s book!

Thanks to Inc.com for the story.  You can view the original exchange here.