FEATURE STORY By Les Robinson
Five often untold things to expect when launching your Facebook page
Y
ou've decided to start a Face- book page. Here are five things the other articles tend to over- look.
1) You'll need a strategy. The issue: There are so many so-called
"experts" that the main issue is finding the advice that works for you. The good news is that you can cater your strategy to your business goals and objectives, and your plan will evolve over time. Remember, Face- book is about conversation and being real. Think how you would conduct yourself at a social event in person. Would you just start talking and trying to sell people something, or would you first get to know folks, ask questions, share common inter- ests, and have a two-way conversation?
What to do: • Know how often to post. Posting more
doesn't mean you'll get seen more often. If you post too much, it can also get annoy- ing for the audience. • What are they already talking about?
Launch your page with content that re- flects conversations in your store or online. • Get training. Free webinars are all over
the Internet, and there are tons of articles and books that can provide perspective.
• Look at other retailers. There is value in
building upon the ideas that are working for others. Spend time each day studying the pages of other brands.
2) You're going to have to lower
your expectations. The issue:You may wonder why you
only have nine fans after a month (and seven of them are employees). Don't worry. You're a local dealer with a local
After you implement a strategy and your fan base begins to grow, you need to invest time. Social media is, well, social. If you don't interact, your fans will stop paying attention.
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