Facebook

AMac · 21 April 2013, 16:19

Hi does anybody know of any training courses for Facebook. / twitter use as a business etc
I'm to long in the tooth now to try learn on my own!!!!!!

C2 RIBS · 21 April 2013, 17:33

British marine federation regularly run courses for members and non members also Federation of small business do similar . Non members fee is usually more but I have been to a few FSB ones on evening seminars . BMF are usually day courses

Poly · 21 April 2013, 17:56

AMac,

I'm sure SE ran/run some stuff (they might call it "inbound marketing"). Which bit are you not sure about -
1. the practicalities (i.e. setting up an account, structuring it right for business use?
2. the general what are they and how to use them (as an individual first?) or
3. how to get value out of them as a business?)

I would start with (2). Set up an account on each as yourself. Very easy to do. Then get used to how people use them. There is a difference between facebook and twitter but its subtle and if you are using them "lightly" rather than to share every innane detail of your life then you can link the two so you post on twitter and it appears on facebook.

Now do (1) - google if you need help to set up business accounts - but its fairly simple. You can still login to your personal account and post through the business page. There will be tutorials online for getting started.

The hard part is (3). But I'm not sure you can learn it from a course. Its about common sense, realising anything you write is in the public domain and that anything anyone else wants to say about/to you will also be in the public domain.

For your market it might be worth looking at trip advisor too.

However before you do any of that I would suggest you sit down and say out loud to yourself what it is you are trying to achieve. There seem to be lots of people using social networking because they feel they should but running around clueless. Is the aim to engage with existing customers? new customers? encourage people to spend more/more often? get customer feedback? create a loyal following? open up a way of communicating about changing situations (e.g. about weather, the dolphins you saw today and that you will be running extra trips tomorrow in the hope of seeing again).

How will you know if it is working? I know a few people who say they spend 2 hrs a week promoting their business on-line but have NO idea if any of it is working. So don't just say "10% off all midweek cruises" say "10% off all midweek cruises IF you quote 'TWIT13' when you book".

There is a very real risk that people will use it to publically complain about you. You need a good, quick and robust way of dealing with them. I would generally suggest getting any 'argument' off line as quickly as possible is wise - but you want to make it clear to the public that you are being proactive at fixing it.

At the end of the day its mostly common sense. Think carefully about what you say (don't post anything when pissed off) and who you will trust to post on your behalf. It might make sense to let "the receptionist" post an update on weather / cruise plans each day - but do your want her responding to the customer who says it was a dull trip that wasn't worth the money?

willk · 21 April 2013, 17:56

Ian, how do you rate your FB page over say, your website? Do you think it generates business or is it just another "marker" on the web?

I was at a seminar recently where the industry specific marketer said that for us (non-marine

) social media was a complete waste of time and that we should be dedicating no more than an hour a month to it....

C2 RIBS · 21 April 2013, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Ian, how do you rate your FB page over say, your website? Do you think it generates business or is it just another "marker" on the web?

I was at a seminar recently where the industry specific marketer said that for us (non-marine

) social media was a complete waste of time and that we should be dedicating no more than an hour a month to it....

I run two websites and have third about to go live as the presence on web searches generates good contacts/work. Also referrals give good work . I see FB page, twitter, YouTube as add ins for giving live updates , offers, and a link for regulars to look whAt we are doing. It also gives Another web footprint on searches as do blogs. They have to be managed and read in case feedback needs attention .
I do get work from FB and twitter but in lower numbers so not to be ignored. Also these are free media presence

Tim M · 21 April 2013, 18:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Ian, how do you rate your FB page over say, your website? Do you think it generates business or is it just another "marker" on the web?

I was at a seminar recently where the industry specific marketer said that for us (non-marine

) social media was a complete waste of time and that we should be dedicating no more than an hour a month to it....

From the perspective of a young person who has heart palpitations if I'm unable to connect for more than half an hour or so... I would say Facebook and twitter are useful ways of keeping your brand in peoples minds. To put it into a RIB context, Seadogz in Southampton take photos of all of their customers on board and put them on their facebook page. You have to "like" their page to see the photo of yourself. By "liking" their page, you are essentially subscribing to all their promotional messages and offers which they post as statuses. Very clever! I don't think fb or twitter is any kind of replacement for a proper website, but works very well as an add-on, as I mention to keep your brand/company/product in peoples minds. #goodadvice

C2 RIBS · 21 April 2013, 18:11

Mentioned by Poly is the stupidity of comments and updates about what food you eat etc etc use it as a business tool don't link twitter and FB as they are different tools, put good info about the business updates and offers and changes. DON'T let someone in the business run the account unless they are there for that media process to develop leads. As states damage can be done with crazy comments and I have deleted posts when re-read again. Be professional with words and pics and it can help

Here is a link to BMF courses http://www.britishmarine.co.uk/news_...ArticleId=3873
I find these very expensive even as a member. The FSB evening seminars have been excellent, cost me either £5 for an evening of two hrs or sometimes a free input- we have had, FB, Twitter, Linked-in and all are different animals. Worth knowing that FB and Twitter are massive with a massive following and cannot be ignored. I would say dont hard sell but offer info on what they can do and what you have done, if it is interesting you will get a call

chris.moody · 21 April 2013, 19:07

With Facebook getting people to comment on, or like, a post (an image, video, audio, web link or just text) you have made is key. That's because then some of the commenters friends then get to see it. For example recently I posted a quiz question about bouyage on my business web page. Ian (c2ribs) liked and commented, along with a couple of other watersports instructors. That post reached over 400 different people on Facebook and received lots of comments.

AMac · 21 April 2013, 19:13

Hi guys
Thanks for the replies
I already have both personal and business facebook and use twitter i need to be shown how to use them correctly as I only want to use the business side I'm not interested in it personally
I need someone to sit with me to show me the basics to start with as the online tutorials are too slow and use terminology im not familiar with and we have terrible slow Internet access here
I know about being carefull of what you post and to be proactive about negative comments etc
I have already signed up to trip advisor and realise its very good as I use it myself before going on hols etc

Cheers again and any tips will be welcomed

Tim M · 21 April 2013, 19:39

Do you run a charter/sea safari business?

AMac · 21 April 2013, 20:22

I run Glasgow Sea Safari
We are based in the Holy Loch, Dunoon on the west coast of the Clyde.

chris.moody · 21 April 2013, 20:29

What's your Facebook page name, and your business twitter name ?

C2 RIBS · 21 April 2013, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris.moody

What's your Facebook page name, and your business twitter name ?

It's on their web pages with links Chris

willk · 21 April 2013, 20:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris.moody

What's your Facebook page name, and your business twitter name ?

http://www.facebook.com/GlasgowSeaSafari
@glsgwseasafari

T 15 · 21 April 2013, 22:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris.moody

With Facebook getting people to comment on, or like, a post (an image, video, audio, web link or just text) you have made is key. That's because then some of the commenters friends then get to see it. For example recently I posted a quiz question about bouyage on my business web page. Ian (c2ribs) liked and commented, along with a couple of other watersports instructors. That post reached over 400 different people on Facebook and received lots of comments.

Enjoy ur wee quiz questions....

Don't get them all correct......