Has this ever happened to you? You get a new idea. You're all excited. You share your idea with someone near and dear to you and you hear, "Oh, that will never work," or "I knew someone who tried that once and it was a complete disaster."
People are often ready to rain on others' parades, especially those they love the most. I don't know if it stems from a desire to protect from failure or just a projection of their own fears, but people often tamp out others' enthusiasm and think it's a favor.
Recently I've taken a different approach. When someone comes to me with a new idea, I don't rain on their parade. I throw sunshine on it. I look for the good in their idea and how it can help people. I encourage them to pursue it, knowing that they're likely to grow from the experience regardless of the outcome. After all, it's often through mistakes and failures that we learn the most.
Consider this - a system of support is a major determinant of success for people trying to make a major change like lose weight or start their own business. Success is a social activity. While you think you might be protecting someone by pointing out the things that could go wrong with their endeavor, you are probably overlooking all the things that could go wrong if they fail to make a necessary change.
The next time someone approaches you with the beginnings of an idea, notice what is right about their idea and if it isn't dangerous, immoral or illegal, encourage them to give it a go. You never know where their idea could lead. Throw some sunshine around and see what happens.
Barbara Wayman, APR, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, a free monthly ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://BlueTreeMedia.com
© 2011 Barbara Wayman, APR, BlueTree Media, all rights reserved
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
10 Ways to Promote Your Facebook Page
Is your business using a Facebook Fan page? With over 300 million active users, many companies have found fan pages vital to their marketing efforts. But how to get your fan page going? Here are some simple suggestions.
1. Create your own URL - the URLs for Facebook pages often are long and ugly. Register a separate domain name for your page and forward it to your Facebook page. If you already have a website you can use a subdomain, like yourwebsite.facebookfanpage.com.
2. Create an incentive to join. Give people a reason to become a fan. Offer a discount to an upcoming event, or make special announcements to your page before you do it elsewhere. Bribe your list with something they want. Run a monthly or weekly prize drawing just for your fans where you draw a fan's name at random for a special prize, ideally connected with your product or service.
3. Create content just for Fans - Offer stuff they can't get anywhere else such as videos, tips, special gifts, coupons and discussion threads.
4. Talk about your page on Twitter - Not just "check out my Facebook Fan page" but something more enticing like, "This video from our costume/anniversary party is going to crack you up," or "Last day to join our FB fan page and receive a free ebook."
5. Promote regular contests - Have fans upload videos and give a prize for the best one. Or let other fans vote. Engage fans with simple things they can do to win. Celebrity Chef Hubert Keller asks trivia questions in exchange for dinner for two or passes to a special event.
6. Acknowledge fans - This is a big one. Please no one tell me they can't get fans to participate when they've never even welcomed fans who join their page. That's like saying you're lonely when you haven't invited anyone over for dinner in six months. When a new fan joins your group or writes on your page wall, respond by writing back on their profile wall. This help create visibility for you and them. Click "like" on their posts. Also, look for your fans on Twitter and send them an @ message. Remind them there are actual people behind your brand and you're interested in them.
7. Provide a place for interaction - Start a thread on your discussion board that allows your fans to promote and/or network with one another. For example, invite your fans to submit their own and their favorite blogs. Ask them what part of your common industry they find the most challenging. Ask their tips. The fact that they're your fans means they already have something in common with other fans.
8. Send email broadcasts - Send an email blast to your regular opt-in list inviting them to join your new Fan Club. Offer an incentive to do so. Show them what's in it for them. Also include an invitation to join your club on your email signature line.
9. Keep your page fresh - Don't neglect it. Set up a regular time in your calendar to focus on your Facebook page. Don't forget the viral nature of Facebook. When someone interacts on your page it may appear on that person's Facebook feed, promoting your page to their friends.
10. Put a button on your website - Grab a button and flaunt it on your website, your blog, your YouTube channel, your ezine. A button is a graphic link that goes directly to your Facebook page. Once people click on it they're on your page exploring and hopefully connecting. With these tips your Facebook fan page should be off and running in no time.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
1. Create your own URL - the URLs for Facebook pages often are long and ugly. Register a separate domain name for your page and forward it to your Facebook page. If you already have a website you can use a subdomain, like yourwebsite.facebookfanpage.com.
2. Create an incentive to join. Give people a reason to become a fan. Offer a discount to an upcoming event, or make special announcements to your page before you do it elsewhere. Bribe your list with something they want. Run a monthly or weekly prize drawing just for your fans where you draw a fan's name at random for a special prize, ideally connected with your product or service.
3. Create content just for Fans - Offer stuff they can't get anywhere else such as videos, tips, special gifts, coupons and discussion threads.
4. Talk about your page on Twitter - Not just "check out my Facebook Fan page" but something more enticing like, "This video from our costume/anniversary party is going to crack you up," or "Last day to join our FB fan page and receive a free ebook."
5. Promote regular contests - Have fans upload videos and give a prize for the best one. Or let other fans vote. Engage fans with simple things they can do to win. Celebrity Chef Hubert Keller asks trivia questions in exchange for dinner for two or passes to a special event.
6. Acknowledge fans - This is a big one. Please no one tell me they can't get fans to participate when they've never even welcomed fans who join their page. That's like saying you're lonely when you haven't invited anyone over for dinner in six months. When a new fan joins your group or writes on your page wall, respond by writing back on their profile wall. This help create visibility for you and them. Click "like" on their posts. Also, look for your fans on Twitter and send them an @ message. Remind them there are actual people behind your brand and you're interested in them.
7. Provide a place for interaction - Start a thread on your discussion board that allows your fans to promote and/or network with one another. For example, invite your fans to submit their own and their favorite blogs. Ask them what part of your common industry they find the most challenging. Ask their tips. The fact that they're your fans means they already have something in common with other fans.
8. Send email broadcasts - Send an email blast to your regular opt-in list inviting them to join your new Fan Club. Offer an incentive to do so. Show them what's in it for them. Also include an invitation to join your club on your email signature line.
9. Keep your page fresh - Don't neglect it. Set up a regular time in your calendar to focus on your Facebook page. Don't forget the viral nature of Facebook. When someone interacts on your page it may appear on that person's Facebook feed, promoting your page to their friends.
10. Put a button on your website - Grab a button and flaunt it on your website, your blog, your YouTube channel, your ezine. A button is a graphic link that goes directly to your Facebook page. Once people click on it they're on your page exploring and hopefully connecting. With these tips your Facebook fan page should be off and running in no time.
Barbara Wayman, president of BlueTree Media, LLC, publishes The Stand Out Newsletter, an award-winning ezine for people who want to know how to leverage the power of marketing and public relations. Get your free subscription today at http://www.bluetreemedia.com
This article may be reprinted when the copyright and author bio are included.
©2010 Barbara Wayman, BlueTree Media, LLC.
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