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I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

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Re: I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

#31

Post by billpatrianakos »

nhangen wrote: post #11

This is what happens when business owners don't educate themselves before venturing into social marketing. Facebook is not a one stop marketing shop. It won't light a fire under a business unless a) that business is worthy of the fire b) that marketer is very proficient. It sounds like neither a nor b were satisfied in this case. Were the owner to spend more time educating his or herself on social marketing, I feel t…

True but most businesses are small business without the time or resources to really do the research. Every unemployed twenty-something is now becoming a "Social Media Marketer" and telling small business owners they have to get on Facebook to boost sales. Along with that every business blog promotes Facebook and Twitter as excellent ways to boost business despite the fact that it only works for certain types of businesses and even then those that it works for need to do a lot of homework before they get the promised results.

I don't blame any business for a lack of success on Facebook. I blame everyone promoting it as a business booster. When the whole world is screaming that you've got to get on Facebook you can't blame a small business owner for believing it.

Re: I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

#32

Post by mpeg »

jrockway wrote: post #17

Clearly something is not right, so I decide to view the profiles of all those who clicked the ads. Whoa, what? Advertisers can see my Facebook profile if I click their link? Talk about oversharing...

No, they can't. This is a small page so he just assumed all new likes came from advertising.

Page owners can see who likes them, and if your info is public they can view them as any other fb user.

Re: I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

#33

Post by mpeg »

"Time to look at the number of our own website visits clicked through from the Facebook pages. Result? Two! €160 quid for two clicks, each of whom looked at two site pages."

If your wanted end result is for people to check our your website, use fb ads to link people to your website. Better yet, you can use a page post link ad that displays both your fanpage (with a "Like this page" button) and the link to your external site, with a thumbnail.

Re: I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

#34

Post by conradfr »

citricsquid wrote: post #12

> everything I read about maximising your web presence and impact told me that SMEs must integrate and embrace social media, especially Facebook This is where he went wrong; signing up to Facebook because a book said a business needs a Facebook page to be successful online is the wrong approach. If you can't explain why you're making a Facebook page it probably isn't going to work, even if you have no knowledge of Fa…

"Likes" are almost as meaningless as karma is on reddit.

Especially as there is no dislikes. What do 30, 1000 or 10000 likes tell about your company ? At what point do they measure success ?

Re: I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

#35

Post by macspoofing »

>Once my helpers stopped liking, I had expected the viral phenomenon of Facebook to generate more and more likes as the contagion of their likes spread to their friends and colleagues via their own Facebook pages.

You expected your page to go "viral". Your page for packaging products ... to go viral? The people who care about your packaging products are far between on Facebook. The people who care about packaging products will go into google and type "packaging products", or come from your existing referral base, or from leads generated by your sales department. It isn't critical for every business to have a facebook page or a twitter account.

// Cats love boxes, maybe you can go viral by hitching your wagon to that meme bandwagon =)

Re: I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

#36

Post by mratzloff »

jiggy2011 wrote: post #28
citricsquid wrote: post #12

> everything I read about maximising your web presence and impact told me that SMEs must integrate and embrace social media, especially Facebook This is where he went wrong; signing up to Facebook because a book said a business needs a Facebook page to be successful online is the wrong approach. If you can't explain why you're making a Facebook page it probably isn't going to work, even if you have no knowledge of Fa…

Exactly, case in point: My local sandwich deli has now decided to go all "social media". They have a big sign on the counter saying "please like us on facebook" and when you buy a sandwich the staff ask you if you are on facebook. Something about the whole approach just feels wrong in a way I can't quite put my finger on. It just feels like them asking me to do what is basically a meaningless mechanical chore. I've b…

To start, exclusive coupons for their Facebook fans, posted every so often.

Afterward, perhaps a create-a-andwich contest. The winner is voted on by the community and the sandwich is available for a limited time. Successful sandwiches are added to the permanent menu.

Engagement for a sandwich place can be light. Just simple things that either directly benefit fans or don't require much from them.

Re: I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

#39

Post by dasil003 »

conradfr wrote: post #34
citricsquid wrote: post #12

> everything I read about maximising your web presence and impact told me that SMEs must integrate and embrace social media, especially Facebook This is where he went wrong; signing up to Facebook because a book said a business needs a Facebook page to be successful online is the wrong approach. If you can't explain why you're making a Facebook page it probably isn't going to work, even if you have no knowledge of Fa…

"Likes" are almost as meaningless as karma is on reddit. Especially as there is no dislikes. What do 30, 1000 or 10000 likes tell about your company ? At what point do they measure success ?

Well, in the case of one partner of my startup, it tells you that the KPI for a given marketing campaign is number of likes added, and some companies are willing to pay out the nose to get them.

Re: I put my family business on Facebook. Here’s what happened.

#40

Post by joshwa »

Social media strikes me as inappropriate for the vast majority of B2B businesses.

In the course of some freelance work I came across a dental supply company where you could "share" or "like" every single product. I have yet to see business case for a customer publicly "liking" spit cups or custom-engraved toothbrushes. Or their FB friends wanting to know about it. Or any of that resulting in a sale.

For any marketing to work, you have be where your potential customers are. Yes, technically your B2B customer is on FB or Twitter, but for personal, not business reasons. Would you want your company's office supply company calling you at home?

Online marketing dollars for B2B are much better spent on search ads, where you have demonstrated interest and intent, or on display ads on industry-specific sites, or a social media presence where an industry-specific community already exists, e.g. on forums, or talking directly to your customers on Twitter.

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