| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | fan without ever actually engaging. |
| Of course the colossal media attention that | | | | Think about consumption. |
| Facebook has received - and it’s absurd | | | | The Produce Shop could include extensive details of |
| valuations - coupled with the increasing number of | | | | where their retail shop is located, including a map and |
| member has certainly been a pull for all sorts of | | | | a link to a section of their website where |
| businesses to harness the platform, but the question | | | | they’ve highlighted the nearest train and bus |
| is? How are they? And how are you - and your | | | | station and the best place to park. |
| business - harnessing Facebook pages? | | | | They could go further to include their opening times, |
| Have you just reactively just thrown up a Facebook | | | | their telephone number and web address, details of |
| profile without really thinking strategically about what | | | | new products that have come into the shop this |
| you really want to gain from it? And are you | | | | week, special offers, local events they recommend, |
| aimlessly collecting friends with no real clue as to how | | | | short interviews with local producers and farmers, an |
| to get these members to your website? | | | | up to date news feed of what’s happening in |
| The Facebook business pages go in some way to | | | | Sussex and the regular posting of photos both in the |
| organise the range of business that currently have | | | | shop, at local farms, at food fayres and school fates. |
| traditional profiles by offering an easy to manage | | | | This added value needn’t all be one |
| template where business owners can include their | | | | way’ either. |
| address, logo and contact details — and best | | | | Allow and Encourage Participation: |
| of all they’re free and easy to set up. | | | | Whilst we are aware of the large collection of users |
| These pages are, in my opinion, far sleeker than the | | | | and vast number of groups within Facebook it more |
| teenage bedroom walls of traditional pages | | | | difficult to predict how users will interact with these |
| — with the added difference that | | | | groups, but it’s safe to say that with any |
| Friends are in fact Fans who are | | | | communicative means, interaction and participation is |
| available to post reviews, comments, photos and | | | | likely to merit the more valuable response. |
| comments about the company. | | | | The Produce Shop could ask users to submit their |
| But benefiting from Facebook pages is not about just | | | | own images of what Local means to them, or |
| throwing a profile up, so before glancing over the | | | | perhaps photographs of particular meals they have |
| 'how to' guide, ask yourself, "why do I need a | | | | cooked with local produce including the recipe. This |
| Facebook page?" Is it for increased visibility? And if | | | | idea could be expanded by staging a |
| so, how do you propose to attract and keep these | | | | Facebook competition, to win, say a hamper, |
| customers? Or is the objective to be more | | | | whereby users are encouraged to submit |
| customer-centric by listening to their | | | | photographs and get involved’. |
| recommendations and criticisms in order to add value | | | | Posting thought’ provoking points for |
| to your business? And if so, do you have the | | | | discussion such as Is Tesco right to compete on |
| resource to manage this strategy effectively? | | | | price with battery Chickens? will encourage users |
| Whilst any tentative approach into arenas like | | | | to post their feelings within your profile as well as |
| Facebook are of course likely to allow one to learn | | | | check back for follow up comments. |
| from their mistakes, something has to be said for | | | | In this way, the fans’ (of your brand, |
| missing an opportunity to be great, to capture the | | | | product or service) become an active community. |
| attention of your customers once and have them be | | | | Post a Facebook’ event: |
| fans’ for eternity. | | | | There is nothing like a good wine and cheese |
| The following five steps explain how to get started: | | | | evening, but how about extending this and having a |
| 1. Visit and click on the Create a page button | | | | late night opening of the shop and offering |
| 2. You’ll then be presented with a range of | | | | customers a tasting session of a range of local |
| categories including Local, Business / | | | | cheeses and wines. The Produce Shop could post a |
| Product or Artist, Band, or Public Figure. | | | | Facebook’ event about this evening, which |
| Pick the category applicable for your business. | | | | would then be shared to all of the group’s |
| 3. On this same page, either the name of your | | | | members, who might in turn accept’ or |
| business, product or artist name and click the | | | | decline’ their invitation. The beauty of this |
| Create Page button. | | | | feature is that their decision will be posted within |
| 4. At this stage, you’ll be presented with a | | | | their mini feed’ (a sort of list of what they |
| template which you’ll need to populate with | | | | have been doing on Facebook — viewable by |
| your business information. A short description, web | | | | their friends) which feature promotes the event. |
| address, contact details and a company logo is a | | | | Photographs of the evening (which could be doctored |
| good place to start, which you can include by clicking | | | | with a Produce Shop’ logo could then be |
| on the Add Information link at the top of the | | | | posted on the Product Shops Facebook page allowing |
| page. | | | | users to tag themselves. Again, this is excellent for |
| 5. Once you are happy with how your page is | | | | branding, and using free tool to your advantage. |
| looking, click back to the Add Information’ | | | | Start a Facebook group: |
| page and click on the Publish this page link. | | | | Facebook allows members to start and join groups, |
| (You page will not be accessible by the Facebook | | | | ranging from all sorts of subjects and the produce |
| community until you do this). | | | | shop could start a group, such as I vow to Keep |
| Now, you’ve got your basic Facebook page | | | | it Local or I love Sussex Produce which |
| you’re a third of the way there
and whilst | | | | might feature a lengthy description and photos on |
| in this article I won’t discuss promoting your | | | | the excellent range of produce available within the |
| profile or recruiting friends I will instead brainstorm a | | | | region, where to buy it from and why it’s |
| few ideas as to how you can add value to your | | | | important to think locally. The Produce Shop might |
| page by encouraging users or prospective’ | | | | wish to team up with other retailers, cafes and shops |
| fans to interact with you and your business — | | | | who can all promote this Facebook group, which |
| this is, after all, Social media. | | | | might also venture offline as well as they all campaign |
| Let’s say, for instance, that my client is a local | | | | for local product, whilst also championing their |
| produce company that sells via its central Brighton | | | | businesses. |
| retail premises in addition to having concessions in a | | | | But with any foray into social media you have to be |
| number of farm shops and cafes. Their online sales | | | | prepared to listen to your customers, who might |
| are increasing steadily, particularly its hampers at | | | | have both good and bad things to say about your |
| Christmas time, however with competition from the | | | | business, your staff and/ or your products. |
| major supermarkets they really want to step up | | | | Don’t just burry you head in the sand or |
| they local’ exposure online. They known | | | | delete any negative comments; instead use this to |
| their produce is far superior than that of their | | | | your advantage. |
| competitors, but they just need an avenue to | | | | If a user was complaining —at length- that |
| communicate this to both their existing and | | | | their Christmas hamper didn’t turn up until the |
| prospective customers. | | | | New Year as a result of an administration error then |
| They’ve already ventured into Facebook (as | | | | this is an idea opportunity to post a response asking |
| just one tool in their arsenal) but this has had limited | | | | for them to contact you, or perhaps offer your |
| success, they now want to know how they can | | | | apologies and promise to send them a gift voucher |
| use’ their Facebook page to increase | | | | or a complimentary bottle of Sussex wine. |
| awareness and ultimately drive traffic into the shop | | | | Demonstrate that you care about your customers; |
| and the website. My advice would include: | | | | you are prepared to listen and make the necessary |
| Add value to your page: | | | | amendments to ensure complaints are minimised by |
| Adding value’ or usefulness’ to | | | | tackling the root of the problem. If you have failings |
| your page is essential in order to increase the time | | | | within your business, then you can guarantee your |
| spent on your page and ensure your Facebook | | | | customers will point them out, but by being seen to |
| fans’ return to it. A worst case scenario | | | | listen to your customers, the perception of your |
| would be that prospective users, on their first visit to | | | | brand will be heightened, over competitors who are |
| your Facebook profile merely decide to become a | | | | busy burying their heads in the sand. |