Social media is a vast topic. It covers so much territory I thought we could try breaking it down into smaller pieces. It’s sort of how you would eat an elephant, one small bite at a time. Becoming involved in any of the social media areas can be daunting. I find that taking advantage of webinars and seminars as often as possible really helps. At some point your just have to jump in and just dog paddle until you can swim. I am no expert by any means but I am giving it a try and learning as I go.
So, let’s start our discussion with Facebook. Are you on it? Do you have a business Facebook page? How is it working for you? For those of you who have a retail location or are a vendor to the trade a Facebook page may work differently than those of you who are independent designers. Even IFDA chapters have Facebook pages.
- This is the logo on the Richmond Virginia’s Facebook page.
- Here’a a the cover photo from our Washington DC Chapter’s Facebook page!
Again at a seminar we were told that if you are an independent designer it is not necessary to have a Facebook page for your business. A personal page is good because people tend to do business with people they know. They like to find out about you and can sometimes identify with you through other areas of your personal or business life. How do you feel about that?
A client may want to know more about you so she/he might check you out on Facebook as well as other social media sights. What does your Facebook page tell people about you?
Let’s say a potential client sees through Facebook that I love antiques (or yoga, tennis, French cuisine, environmental causes, etc.) and so does she, and now feels more interested in hiring me knowing we have that in common. No, that alone may not make her want to work with me but now she knows me a little better, perhaps better than some other designer whose ad she saw in a magazine.
A Facebook page can also be a place to post photos of current or completed projects, talk about what’s going on in our industry or just things that inspire us. It is easy to let people know what you are doing and is a form of an on line portfolio. Take a look at a recent post on the Capitol Lighting Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/CapitolLighting1800Lighting
What are your thoughts about social media in general? Do you have a Facebook page for your business and if so how does that differ from your personal page? Do you use a personal Facebook page for business? How has Facebook been beneficial to your business? Do you think our Florida IFDA Chapter should have a Facebook page?
We invite you to share your ideas and experiences in the comment box below. Come to think of it we are on social media right now!
I think I got two clients from being on Facebook! One of my “Friends” on Facebook is an old client. She has moved away but it is fun to “see” her on Facebook, and I would think she also “sees’ me too. One day I got an email from her saying a friend of hers had a friend who had bought 2 condos here and really needed help. She told her about me. It was 6 months before that person called me but she did call and now I am involved in both condos and her sister has also bought in the same building and we will be working with her too. Would she have thought of me if she hadn’t seen me on Facebook? Who knows, but I am grateful just the same.