Facebook for business benefit - Please Advise . . .

[esonscar]

Hi all . . . need some advice and opinions . . . .

I have a surfboard brand and design all legally registered and have been told it’s actually a very good business (and surfing) proposition.


I have been told that I need to get onto Facebook to further my cause;

So . . .

A question to you my honourable surfing guys and gals of surfing waves . . . . .

PRO SURFERS:
Does Facebook further you cause ?

PRO SURF COMPANIES:
Does Facebook further you cause ?

PRO AM SURFERS:
Does Facebook further you cause ?

Non Pro Surfers:
Does Facebook further you cause ?

Humble ordinary surfers and surf schools:
Does Facebook further you cause ?

Ultimately is Facebook worth the maintenance hassle to promote a young business?

All opinions and more than welcomed.

Hwyl’i chi [cheers]

[drowningbitbybit]

Hi esonscar,

I run a business these days and my opinion regarding FB and Google+ (and whatever is the next big thing) business pages is they they're essentially a waste of time, but that you have to have one.

They generate very few new customers (zero so far in my case) but can be a good way of keeping in touch with old customers to offer deals etc.

The other major factor is that assuming you have a 'real' website for your business at some point, your google ranking (which these days is a major issue, unfortunately) will dramatically suffer if you don't have links to FB, Google+ and Googleplaces.

Make no mistake - if you're just starting a business, you'll spend more time on the internet promoting your business through every avenue you can think of than you will actually doing what you do. It's infuriating, but necessary

Having said that, the internet is so big that people won't come to you - you need to get out there and get them, whether by networking, tradeshows, local advertising, fliers, etc etc.

So, yes, get an FB page, and a Google+ page too (noone uses it, really, except for Google and they're kinda important...)
Oh, and a Googleplaces business page.

And then be prepared to watch your life get sucked down a big internet shaped hole for weeks at a time

[esonscar]

DBBB:
Cheers loads for the response . . . totally informative and most welcomed.

OTHERS:
Any more input . . . ?

(no offence intended bytheway dbbb)

[longboarder]

I would very much agree with DBBB.

As a general tool it's not great but once you get people to like the page it gets much more interesting.

We do all our announcements first on FB - whether it be a new product, seminar or activity or a special offer. We have often had people respond to a special offer within minutes of it being posted.

The major advantage of FB is that once somebody is a fan they get your message automatically whereas you can spend all day updating a website but nobody will see it unless they have reason (and make the effort) to visit it.

So the big challenge is to get enough people to find and then like your page.

Apart from your time it's free and that, in a startup situation, is not to be sniffed at!

Good luck with the venture.

[esonscar]

Hey longboarder, glad facebook is working for you and to some degree I totally agree that the auto inform you speak of is a major benefit (dunno how it works but it sounds good!) . . . I'll take on board both your and dbbb's comments and have a go! . . . Wish me luck! [the enterprise is my pocketboard REG by the way].

P.S thanks surfing-waves for the opportunity to reap (and give) advice on a forum populated by decent people . . . Cheers all

[esonscar]

Oh . . . come purchase one if you like!

[garbarrage]

Depends on your business. I've seen it work well for some, and work poorly for others. For small local businesses where you know a lot of your customers personally, I think it can help maintaining brand loyalty. For getting new customers, I'm not convinced. I have been tempted to put my hand in my pocket once or twice by certain FB adverts, although I've never actually done it.

Like all forms of advertising, I think it ultimately comes down to you. Can you use it as a tool in a new, tempting, or interesting way? Promote your product, offer better deals than other places, and still make it pay?

Also, can we see this product anywhere? Might let you away with posting a URL.

[longboarder]

Hi Esonscar,
The "auto inform" is just the fact that your FB postings will appear on your fans' pages like any other of their friends postings. So the point is that they will see it without having to go look for it.

The downside, of course, is that the message is almost immediately buried by other posts. So thats where your website comes in.

[esonscar]

Awesome replies . . . thanks y'all . . . . .

I have to mention I do not wish to pay for advertising on FB . . . I just aim to somehow promote my pocetboard (REG) and other ventures.

Irrespective let’s keep the tips and info coming . . . all snippets combine into the bigger picture. . . . . I already can see some spooky potential FB friends ! Arrrrghhhhh . . . lol.

[billie_morini]

econscar,
Just returned from Florida. While there, my sister wanted to try SUP. We settled on a private lesson for her and rental for me. The proprieter was a one man operation based in a van. We did not know this until we met him at at the beach. He uses FB a lot for his business and it helps him. Finds establishing and maintaining the site is not a tedious chore.

As somepne stated previously, everyone must have some kind of website in today's business world. As stated in the futuristic business model book, The World Is Flat, websites help small businesses appear large and, therefore, levels the playing field among small, medium, and large business. Add the fact that FB is free and you have a useful tool available to you.

[esonscar]

^ billie . . . Good info thanks, FYI (For Your Information): I have gone to facebook to 'have a look' and now find loads of pics of that bloody David Hasselhoff smothering my incoming new things stuff on my page! How can I 'unfriend' someone - can others see this assault on humanity ? (I am good ol' esonscar on facebook http://en-gb.facebook.com/esonscar). I have no idea how the hell to utilise the dam thing ! HELP!

[sonfollowerssurf]

We you facebook for our beach ministry. It works check it out and follow us at Son Followers Ministry Cocoa Beach.

Impacting the coast for Jesus

[Hurricane]

Facebook is actually where I got hooked up with my first sponsorship, of course after a few sessions and a portfolio, I have four sponsorships in all. It helps you connect to surfers and once you get reputable enough then you might get a few sponsorship requests. So coming from a sponsored surfer trying to go pro, it helps.

[esonscar]

@ Hurricane - cheers for that dude . . . I just published my FB carbon fibre custom surfboard page (I think!) . . . It pictures my brand/design/logo registered http://www.pocketboard.co.uk . . . see what happens I guess!
Oh, and as a four season Gower surfer (and ex government specialist research engineer) I found an awesome Sachs scooter . . . check my http://www.madass125.co.uk blog - started just now in Jan 2013 (dang, I need to take and upload a pic of my pocketboard next to my Madass!)

Hey, if I get customers I'll throw you a board or two in exchange for some 'being ridden' video footage . . .

Best of luck and good fortune to you matey.