Who needs to change/adapt

[Ms Monny]

I know quite a few very successful people that use facebook to enhance and promote their business...and it works!! One professional business person actually quit her main business in Real Estate and is now only doing business through FB and the web. The medium is very adaptable to what ever you wish it to be. I use it for social connection with family and friends, and have made a few friends overseas from it (with common interests). I do show my photos on it but only to family and friends, as I feel I am not up to the stage of showing the 'world' my photos and promoting my 'business'! I have seen some shockers though who think they are photographers and plastering their wares all over FB. I cringe when I see those images.

Which brings me to something I was thinking about the other day.....how many photography 'businesses' are there in FB Land that actually are NOT businesses???!!! I was thinking of a name the other day for a business and wondered if after obtaining the business name legally, how many FB 'businesses' out there would have the same name??

Anyway, that is off the track a bit!

[Tommo1965]

I think if you want to succeed in a modern age..you must use every available tool to your advantage ..FB is just a tool and as long as your clever in how its used..it can add to your bottom line ....just remember not every one is on FB so the more traditional approaches are also needed ...eg networking at the local pub....friends of friends and the good old local Rag ... obviously a web presence in a informative and easy to use web site

small town local people like it if your a doer rather than a taker..get involved...be part of the community...be accepted ....

[kiwi]

Facebook is akin to standing in a pub half drunk reciting your life story to all around. The next morning you're full of regrets. Just ask a few of our Olympic swimmers.
There's a big difference between "networking" and "bragging".

Only if that's the way you normally operate in person

Well used Facebook is a powerful tool , but not for everyone

[keith-killer]

Facebook is as good or bad as what YOU put onto the site, or allow on your wall etc. If you post drunken pictures or post the wrong comments, people will get you for it.
The same as being in a club etc. These days everyone has a phone camera to catch celebrities doing something 'wrong'. Years gone by celebreties were a lot better off in this regard. I ever recall a photo of Boonies legendary "100 beer can flights" from Australia to the UK for the Ashes. They were just rumors.

The overall advice seems to be networking, which most people agree to be very important in small business in a rural town/city. Facebook being just one of the methods.

[norwest]

But not being on facebook by listening about the odd issue is akin to not driving because there are crashes

It's a great tool for networking and marketing if you use it properly

Done, as of yesterday.

[William]

Starting to get out there this year , Facebook is working with us on Liquidboulevard

[norwest]

Well done. The network looks to be growing very quickly.

[Dylan & Marianne]

great stuff bill - you've got a huge 'reach' whatever that means lol
our page has lots of fans and likes and talking abouts but the reach is tiny !
Anyone know what that stat actually means in real life terms?

[ricktas]

great stuff bill - you've got a huge 'reach' whatever that means lol
our page has lots of fans and likes and talking abouts but the reach is tiny !
Anyone know what that stat actually means in real life terms?

From my understanding the reach is the friends of friends of friends (a friend being a person who has liked your page) etc. So basically all the FB members who could possibly find your page via friends. How deep it goes I am not sure. As in is it friends of friends, or friends of friends of friends..etc

[William]

This is what "Total Weekly Reach" means , It's the most important Metric to look at for Marketing and Sponsorship

And also an update from this morning figures ,




AA.jpg



A.jpg

[ktoopi]

Wow that is amazing Bill.....i don't understand a lot about how facebook works but how do you increase your reach or even get as many likers as that?

[William]

Just an update , Still going strong , This is from our Admin insights today , Seems to have leveled out in the last week a little , But the percentages are still increasing , Mind you we put a bit of work into it , Especially with the content and timing of posts , Joel and I are happy with the way It's going , Another couple of million and hopefully we should have Corparate Sponsorship

PS : The reason it dropped and is on the way back up was because we were offline for a week because of Cyclone "Oswald"

[William]

Something must be right , Latest stats from today Still going up , Thanks to the members that look every day

[Redgum]

It's easy to judge the value of Facebook or any other marketing tool that relies on statistics to promote itself. Simply apply its values to any increase in sales you may have. If you can't directly correlate improved trading from their statistics it has no value at all. Anyone can (and do) produce sales statistics but your gross profit is the only true measure.

[William]

True But our work is really increasing in areas that we had'nt thought of , Photographicly , Most of it has come from our website and Facebook , We are currently doing a two week product shoot with Billabong on their new range of Clothing and accessories , Better than a kick in the bum, Prints dont sell that well , But it's a hard slog , Never thought about Pencil cases , School Bags , Belts, Shoes etc, Boy they have some products , We are looking at a summer print range using our images , Board Shorts, Bikini's etc , Should look good

[Redgum]

Good work, William. There's nothing like a positive outcome but I would think that's due to many other factors rather than simple promotion. Billabong will look great on the CV even if they are going broke or overseas.

[William]

Getting in before they do , Quote RedGum : Billabong will look great on the CV even if they are going broke or overseas.

PS : Plus they are still paying good money Thanks mate for your interest , We're getting there , Slowly but surely


PPS : I and my son Joel appreciate your input , Not an easy game to get into these days , Still would'nt want to survive on the current earnings , Still amazes me how many new comers think they can make a living going Pro , Wrong , I'm retired, Joel still has a day job and is doing the shoot while on holidays , Well the Billabong shoot is paying way more money than his normal work , Still not enough to go full Income , Yet !!

[outstar79]

I'm sure you guys will be happy enough to supplement the income in what you make with photographic sales!

My wife said I can buy new cameras and gear when I start making money from photography - so you can bet your ass I'm pushing for it!
The DEC is just a good start, hopefully I can get a few more (lots more! [fingers crossed]) to get a FF camera and decent glass!