30 days to Facebook Freedom – Day 30 – Congratulations
Congratulations on completing the 30 Days to Facebook Freedom. This was a thrilling journey and I would like to thank each and every one of our readers for joining us for this program. It has been fun, I am sure some of you were a bit frustrated, it goes with the learning territory, but you are now more knowledgeable in Facebook for tourism businesses, and your fanbase will show you.
What you learned during the 30 Days to Facebook Freedom
Your comments and struggles have showed us where the greatest learnings were. The next 5 points sum up the areas of learning from our readers. Facebook is frustrating and the constant changes make your learning curve….curvier……but once you are caught up on the strategies, the basic functions, and how to use basic marketing ideas with your social media platform, you are far ahead of the game, further than most let me tell you! As small business owners we live in a bubble, a bubble that is created by the daily demands of our businesses as we switch our caps from CFO, to marketing director to Human Resources VP to Operations maintenance. if you own a hotel that could mean fixing a toilet, if you run a tour company that could mean fixing an ATV engine, if you have an office of computer, you could then be the computer technician. No matter what you do, you are the number one guy or gal who just has to get things done. Facebook changes just make your day a bit more challenging….are you listening Mr. Zuckerberg?
Be consistent with your posts and voice
If this was not the number 1 learning that all readers had, then call me…..something. Consistency is important as your fans do like to see you chatting regularly. Be consistent with your posts but also be consistent with your fanpage voice. Determine when you are going to post with your new editorial posting guide, but also determine how you are going to voice this information. Are you going to be funny, are you going to be helpful, are you going to be a tour guide, are you going to be a little quirky. Like any writer, your voice will be remembered and if it is a great voice it will be remembered. Your voice will come through in the Videos, photos and daily posts. If you are boring, who is going to like you. If you are exciting, happy, energetic, interesting people will gravitate to you and like you a lot!
Determine your goals and review them
Many business owners shoot from the hip, they plan on the fly and they just do. This goes for small and large businesses, it is not just a small business trait. Public companies have to make it look good in their annual reports, in their board meetings, in their shareholder meeting but many times it can just be text on a piece of paper. Take a day and really think about your Facebook goals are. What do you want to accomplish with this social media network, how do your want to accomplish this, when will you know you are successful. What measurements are you going to use. If you d this once and then schedule a review every three months, you will soar in your success. Goals help to lead the way but they also keep you motivated. Posting day in and day out on Facebook without a goal in mind, is boring. Make is your personal challenge to reach those goals and you will. The mind plays funny tricks when challenge either yourself or your staff to met goals.
Be creative and have fun
If you just post and not think about your post, the reaction you get will be the same, little effort will be put into fan responses and you most likely will not get any at all. People are smart and they will read into you boredom or your lack of caring. Facebook is a cocktail party where you network, nurture relationships, talk to people and give useful information. It is a fun and creative space. Make it that way…..design your posts that way.
Be interactive and deliver two way communicaton
Your fanpage timeline is where you deliver your information, your fanpage wall is where you interact. The wall and the interactions that you have have on the wall as comments, shares and likes is an important part of creating two way communication with your fans. First make sure you are populating your wall by liking other fan pages. Second, put liking, commenting and sharing as parts of your editorial calendar, as tasks for your fanpage strategy. If you just post on your timeline, you are only giving information, you are not interacting. If you post and then move to your wall and interact, like, share and comment then you are socializing and showing these fans that are interested in what they are saying as well.
Accept that Facebook will constantly change
Find it in your work heart that Facebook will constantly change. Mr. Zuckerberg and his friends/staff will always be looking for the new and next thing to do. As a company they are new, and they are trying new ideas, new strategies and new options to get Facebook in a similar position to Google. OOps did I say that….have a heart, and know that there will be more changes and more changes but now that you are up to date, well almost up to date, as there have been one or two little changes in the last month, you can handle change better. One day Facebook will let us know in advance what is coming down the tube. One day the changes may be less but for now….there will be changes.
If you want to start getting some more likes, add your Facebook url in the comments section and start networking with readers of the 30 days to Facebook Freedom. Monday we are back to normal, with updates about other social media networks, what is the latest and greatest in social media trends for tourism businesses and how to make your social media efforts reap more benefits for your business!
Missed our program start on Day 1 of the 30 Days to Facebook Freedom and learn how you can increase your fan base, the tricks to Facebook and how to fit Facebook into your day so that you get results.
Photos courtesy of Let’s Swag it!
