Archive for the ‘Social Media’ Category

Having witnessed the many atrocities committed on Facebook first hand, for many small business owners NOT participating in the online network could be the better strategy.

In the last 6 months there has been an explosion of coaches, online marketers and other small business owners emerge on the social media giant, geared with the purpose of marketing their product or service online. Like most trends people follow, some do it well, others horribly wrong.

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Facebook Marketing needs to follow a process, a sequence of steps, that if done successfully creates a higher probability of attracting more leads, generating more referrals and potentially increasing sales.

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Here are the top 4 reasons why Facebook Marketing isn’t for everyone:

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. 1. Time Consuming: In a world where there are not enough hours in the day, days in the week and weeks in the month, social media can vastly leach from the most precious asset you have – TIME. Most social media experts suggest spending between 1 – 3 hours per day across all platforms; messaging, sharing and replying to posts, tweets and videos. With this type of investment, it’s clear why many view Facebook Marketing as an ineffective marketing model.

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2. Who is your target market? I hear phrases like ‘Everybody needs to be on Facebook’ thrown around all the time. The honest truth is depending on the type of business you’re in, it’s overall structure and most importantly who the target market is  – Facebook marketing may not be a viable option. A financial planner targeting retirees in the 55 – 65 year old demographic would be a good example of this.

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3. Facebook Etiquette: Proper Facebook etiquette utilises many of the same protocols and formalities as real relationships, however most small business owners seem to forget that. By constantly spamming your friends and posting consistently self-promoting content, you run the risk of not only missing out on future opportunities but also damaging your virtual reputation forever.

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4. Lack of Strategy: Facebook marketing isn’t as simple as it seems, hence why so many small business owners get limited results from their social media dabbling. Without the proper information, the right resources and an overall marketing strategy, Facebook marketing could be just as ineffective (and expensive) as poorly executed direct mail campaign.