Once upon a time, if you wanted your business to be on the internet, a major and ongoing investment was required. Once upon a time, you had to do a lot of legwork. Pay and trust others for their advice. Work hard at marketing your website. That was yesterday.
I'd like to introduce a groundbreaking alternative. A practical, clever business use of social media. No one is advising on this but I think it should be sung from every roof in New Zealand, for every businessperson to hear.
In March, Facebook enhanced the "fan" pages that a brand, product, organisation, artist, band, public figure - or a business - can create. (See www.facebook.com/pages/create.php). The new features enable even the most technically challenged business owner to create, maintain and update what is essentially their website. Easily. Immediately. From a phone or computer. And it's free.
I'd like to share my marketers' vision of what someone can do with a Facebook business page. First let's distinguish between a profile and a business page.
Facebook profile: Simply put, this is your private visual online chat room. You invite whoever you want to allow in. They're called friends. Only friends can view and interact with your profile and vice versa.
Business pages: These, on the other hand, are open to anyone (registered with Facebook) to view. Individuals can maintain a relationship and interact with your business page by signing up as a fan. (For more, see www.facebook.com/advertising/FacebookPagesProductGuide.pdf).
Calling it a "page" is a misnomer, because you can have many pages. Like websites, the pages are tabbed. A sample of the standard page tabs are:
* Wall - for comments by you and your fans.
* Info - all about your business, your products.
* Picture and video pages.
* You can also add pages such as newsletter sign-ups, products, services.
Okay, okay. You can't do online transactions as you can on a website. But look at the phenomenal benefits.
* It's free - no domain, hosting, web design, or maintenance costs.
* It's easy - no previous web knowledge is needed. It's all there waiting for you in normal Web 2.0 fashion to fill in the details, upload pictures.
* It's upgradeable. A little nervous about the initial setup? Want to add in a few of the advanced offerings? I'll share my secret. I use Student Job Search (www.sjs.co.nz) - a fabulous source for cutting-edge, knowledgeable, quick, inexpensive assistance as often as you need it.
* It's growing day by day. Statistics from Facebook's website show: it has more than 250 million active users; half of them log on at least once each day; more than two-thirds of users are outside of university, the fastest-growing demographic is individuals aged 35 and older; more than 8 million users a day become fans of pages; and 70 per cent of Facebook users are outside the United States.
* It's interactive. Normally, websites are one-way - you pushing information out, you loading new content. With the pages, your clients (um, I mean your fans) can write on your wall what they think of your product or service and post pictures of themselves with it, and send links to colleagues. Clients can also load testimonials.
* It provides statistics. Each business profile comes with graphically rendered statistics - of page views, unique page views, wall posts...
* It gets searched, so Google and other search engines find and list your pages. When you have more than 100 fans you are allowed to customise the web address of your tabs. Instead of Facebook.com and a long string of numbers and letters, you can have www.facebook.com/YourCompanyName.
* It offers add-on applications such as videos (how nice not to have to use YouTube), slideshare, business cards, telephone and conference calls.
* There are mobile phone updates. I have a confession. Most of my time spent looking and learning about Facebook has been after 11pm, in bed, using my iPhone with the sound turned off and hidden under the covers so the light didn't wake my husband.
It's not just the iPhone. Many smart phones have an icon to take you straight to your Facebook account for catching up, editing, commenting, uploading pictures. Interaction via cellphone is significant and business-changing. It replaces the barriers of time, effort and procrastination with the immediate, quick and easy.
* You can use photos. This is where the explosion of clever thinking and creativity can transform what was a vehicle for hot tub, baby and raising-the-glass photos to practical business use. Product pictures. Examples of work you've done. Oh my goodness - even an online catalogue.
Back in 1999 I was one of the first to sing the song about using email for marketing.
I grew hoarse and frustrated with two years of banging my head against the wall with the message. Time has proven me right. Am I Lady Gaga number two, or can you see the stunning, practical, free, easy, interactive, portable benefit for the countless thousands of business owners who have ignored promoting and putting their businesses online? Or those who do understand Social Media, but haven't yet found the "what's in it for me?"
Come take a look at my new Facebook business pages at www.successis.co.nz/facebook (sign up as a fan). Then create your own. The return on investment for your time can be enormous.
Putting Facebook to work - some practical ideas
HAIR AND BEAUTY SALONS
* Photos of hairstyles, cuts, colours, makeup artistry
* Introduce stylists, with photos of their specialties
* Special of the week or month, contests
* Clients' before and after photos, taken on the spot with mobile phones
RESTAURANTS, CAFES, VINEYARDS
* Special offers
* Events, concerts wine tastings
* Menus, catering, recipes
* Where to buy their wine
CLOTHING, RETAIL, JEWELLERY STORES
* Specials of the week, contests
* New inventory
* Online catalogue
* Facebook-only specials that fans can tell their friends about
* Upload videos of clothes being modelled
SUPERMARKETS
* Specials of the wee
* Daily Facebook specials - have a unique code displayed
* Videos of recipes being cooked
* Food or wine discussion page
TRADES
* Clients post testimonials
* Facebook referral specials
* "How to fix it" videos
* Pictures of hardware options
* Tip of the week
VETERINARIANS
* Photos of animal problems
* Weekly animal health tips
* Invite fans to post pictures of their pets
DENTISTS, GENERAL MEDICAL, OPTOMETRISTS
* Before and after photos (eg, tooth whitening)
* Photos of spectacle frames
* Video of proper brushing technique, or fitting of contact lens
* Weekly health tips
* Specials
* Testimonials
FINANCIAL SERVICES
* Event/seminar invitations
* Video or audio introducing yourself
* Videos of client testimonials
* Different service pages
* Slideshare - presentation on risk, mortgage choices, types of insurance
Debbie Mayo-Smith is a best-selling author and international speaker.
Website for Motivational Speaker Author Debbie Mayo-Smith
