Facebook Should I do it ?

[Leadbelly]

I don't have a Facebook account of any sort (SHOULD I DO IT ??) obviously i'm being told it's the only way to go, and in my case a business account.
However I am also being told I have to have a personal account first to get a business account!!?.

Ok lets say I bite the bullet what are the pro's and con's of Facebook from a business point of view.

Yes I know not to take selfies of anything that might make others feel inadequate:redface:

LB

[Justin]

My personal opinion.....

I could quite happily live without a personal Facebook account. I see the same drivel day after day that I really don't need to see. yes, people still post photos of every meal they've had. How did we managed before camera phones, take a photo of that pretentious teeny weeny piece of £250 cabbage, shoot down to Boots and wait 3 days to get it developed and then rush around all our friends houses to show them!?!?! That same person then has something life changing happen to them, marriage maybe and they don't share!

I don't wear my heart on my sleeve/life on my Facebook page and I'm considering making it private. Remember any potential employers will search on here to see if you're the sort of employee that goes out drinking and posts they're ill every Monday morning!

OK, maybe a little unfair. I do get some useful posts that keep me up to date with industries etc. but on the whole, nah, don't need it.

Where I DO see Facebook working for me is business. I neglected my social media for a while and have recently got back up and running with it. I've spoken to a number of experts, advisers etc. and they confirm the positive benefits of a business account. That said, it take a lot of time and effort to make meaningful posts and you can't underestimate the time required. You either pay someone to generate these posts and schedule ahead of time for you, which can be very expensive or, like me, you do it yourself. I've tried working with freelancers on this particular task and keep coming to the conclusion I may as well do it myself. I repeat, this is very time consuming.

To take it one step further, there's little point in being on Facebook unless you're on Instagram and Pinterest. Then you need to get involved in groups, campaigns, boosts, the list 'can' go on and on.

It takes a long while to get this to pay off in any shape or form and depends entirely on the effort and time put in.

I guess the final answer rests on what type of business you have and if you have the budget and or time to do this?

[Fletcher]

My opinion,
For the amount of time it takes, to what orders you actually get its not worth it. I'd rather spend my time emailing local companies my standard email about what I do. Then following it up with a phone call a week or 2 later.

[GoonerGary]

There are some businesses who do well on Facebook, because they can build up local community interest which would probably suit your location. However, if you upset an idiot, that spiteful person will only be too keen to announce it on your Facebook page. I've had great success on Facebook with products going viral, but none of it was of my doing. I got thrown off my business facebook. I've no idea why..think it was something to do with using the wrong name to open the account. Who cares, I ditched the personal account several years ago.

[pw66]

However, if you upset an idiot, that spiteful person will only be too keen to announce it on your Facebook page.

I have only ever had one review on FB, and that was from an idiot who wasn't even a customer. I was unable to print what she asked and politely told her so and she left a negative review saying I was 'unhelpful'.

When I post I share on about twenty local business to business sites. My posts regularly get seen by 2-3000 local people (according to facebook) but I rarely get any business from it.

[Leadbelly]

Thank you guys I am very grateful for your detailed and honest response and it has confirmed my suspicions in relation to the Facebook option, which are originally based on my personal lack of interest and bloody lazy commitment to possibly keep it up-dated.

Since posting this thread I have been talking to someone who has experienced and come to the same conclusion as you guy's and was also taken off Facebook and has no clue why. ( This fella in question really plays by the rules ) and added the time and trouble would have been far better spent on making a small website that would still have a presence and I guess with pointing local promotional ads and calls towards it as mention by Fletcher would be the way forward.

A really good point was in relation to up-setting an idiot, at times I really seem to be very good at doing this kind of thing without any effort:biggrin:

I'm now thinking of riding a big white horse naked through our local town, it should go viral BUT WHAT SHOULD I DYE-SUB to get the best results.

LB

[GoonerGary]

I'm now thinking of riding a big white horse naked through our local town, it should go viral BUT WHAT SHOULD I DYE-SUB to get the best results.

LB

Do that on the 12th July and you'll definitely go viral! lol.

[webtrekker]

I'm now thinking of riding a big white horse naked through our local town...

To be honest LB, all the white horses I've ever seen have been naked!

[Leadbelly]

I'm embarrassed:redface: to admit it would not be my first rodeo assisted by some of that falling over liquid.

[mr-gobby]

You have to be in it to win it as they say. Generally speaking fb and all social media is a time sucking mechanism devouring thing in our lives but on the other hand all those being devoured may just get to see you and your offerings and buy something.

You can also cunningly use software to schedule posts (so minimising effort) and there are those who offer a service of being your social media butterfly if you so want one.

Sometimes it's for rebeloius reasons and others it's a security reason but there are plenty reasons not to partake in social media but depending on what you do your local profile is raised by using it.

We get lots of enquiries via social media and you will find all types of fool from wise ones to stupid. Today for example we've had three enquiries, one purchased over £100 worth and the other two well who knows yet but we got one sale and two possibles to come back for tomorrow.