Apr20
A Week in the Life of a Facebook Marketer
Kim Taylor at The Retreat Day Spa and Salon is one of my small business consulting clients. Over the last year Kim has gone from not having a Facebook Fans page at all to—at this writing—more than 1,100 fans. With robust daily activity and a passionate fan base, Facebook has become Kim’s number one marketing medium.
Kim, what do you do each week on your Facebook Fans page?
Our fans page is about interaction, not selling stuff. So I post three conversation starters each week and interact with the responses.
What do you mean by “conversation starter”?
We ask questions like, “Why do you think the bachelor picked Vienna over Tenley” or silly things like posting a picture of two feet with the question, “Which stylist do you think accidentally wore two different shoes this morning?” Anything to get people talking.
We also post pictures of hair styles and colors for people to vote on. That’s a great way to gather information. A conversation starter we have also used is a simple contest. Everyone who comments on a question we ask or a statement we make is entered into a drawing for a free salon service.
Why is interaction so important?
For one thing, social media is not traditional media. It’s about two-way communication not one-way communication (That’s what the word “social” in social media means). The good thing about that is when people are talking with you, they cross that all important know-like-trust barrier and are more comfortable using your services.
How do you stay on top of your Facebook fans page?
It takes time and a commitment to stay engaged. Each work day I check Facebook every hour or two. I scan the prior month of posts to make sure I’m the last person who’s posted on a stream of comments, and I check for new messages. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it.
Do you ever sell on Facebook?
Oh sure, every other week or so we post a special if we need to fill some open spots in a stylist’s schedule. But not too much because the site is about building relationships. And one of my biggest considerations is being careful not to cheapen our brand. So when I post specials, I rotate them around.
What else do you do in a typical Facebook marketing week?
I use Facebook to communicate with my existing customers. Our customers check Facebook more than they do their email or voice mail, so when I know someone’s come in for an appointment because of Facebook, I send them a message thanking them. I also publicly praise our employees on Facebook and ask our fans to do the same. That’s a lot of fun!
Have you used Facebook advertising?
Yes, when we were first building our fan base. Facebook advertising is very targeted and surprisingly affordable. But after we crossed 500 fans or so, the momentum of our fan base and the contests we did carried us over 1000.
Do you get negative feedback on Facebook?
Oh sure, that’s part of the mix, but I never scrub our page. If something is written that’s negative, I don’t delete the post. I think people notice when a post disappears, and I’m committed to having Facebook be an honest, authentic forum.
What advice would you give to a small business wanting to get started using Facebook?
Ask for help. Getting your first group of fans can be hard, so reach out to friends, clients, employees, family members and ask them to recommend your page to their existing Facebook network. And get help building your page. Look at others in your industry whom you respect and emulate them. Look at other great fans pages and model some of the elements of your page after them.
Remember Facebook is a visual medium, so pictures—like before and after shots and photos of real people do real things—are important. Fill your page with pictures (and videos if you have them). And, no matter what anyone tells you, Facebook is not a magic marketing wand. You have to work at it and stay consistent with it to get results.
Kim Taylor is the owner of The Retreat Day Spa and Salon in Corvallis, Oregon. The Retreat is a full service salon offering the finest in hair care, nail care, massage, facials, body treatment, and tanning. For an appointment call 541-738-7328.
Free Facebook Seminar on Friday, April 30
Join Kim, myself, and our friends from ProWorks on Friday, April 30 from NOON to 1:30 PM for a free Brown Bag Lunch and Learn, How To Use Facebook to Build Your Business. We’re meeting above The Retreat on the top floor of the Cannery Mall and giving away hundreds of dollars of prizes. The Cannery Mall is located at 777 NW Ninth Street in Corvallis.
Thanks, this is a great article and timely for me! I’m planning on attending the brown bag on Friday… see you there.
— Jim Ordway · Apr 20, 07:31 AM
Bill! This is a fantastic post. I’m going to have it be a daily tip for all Hearsay Labs users later this week. These insights are really valuable.
— Chris Andrew · Apr 28, 06:09 PM