Facebook

[element009]

I'm working on a website right now, but I also want to put my company on Facebook. I did a very quick search, and most lawn care/landscaping companies I found on Facebook have a very minimal presence. Pretty much just a picture and maybe a sentence or 2 about the company. I'm looking for suggestions to take it further than that. Is there more I can do? Has anyone here actually gained customers by using Facebook? If so, what does your company's facebook page consist of?

[CHEESE2009]

Lawn care business tips

Originally Posted by element009 I'm working on a website right now, but I also want to put my company on Facebook. I did a very quick search, and most lawn care/landscaping companies I found on Facebook have a very minimal presence. Pretty much just a picture and maybe a sentence or 2 about the company. I'm looking for suggestions to take it further than that. Is there more I can do? Has anyone here actually gained customers by using Facebook? If so, what does your company's facebook page consist of? It's useless. Personally, I believe that only your current customers would make the effort in searching up your NAME over your company. Just to snoop around and be like, well... we're all like that. When I'm involved with people of sorts, I often check to see if they have a FB profile... It's true, people aren't really what they seem to be. For grabbing attention, consider it useless unless you're Mr. Popular and everyone joins your group/page -etc. Main Point: Facebook is a very crummy directory. It doesn't hurt to have a presence though!

__________________
Keeper of Peace
Security Officer Cheese2009
Gopher Security Central (G.S.C)
4th Floor, office 112

[Simpkins]

I have to agree with Cheese here. I don't see you gaining customers by having a facebook page. On the other hand, most everybody today has a facebook account. There is no doubt some of your current customers will "like" your page (and as Cheese mentioned) snoop around. I think it is highly valuable for this reason. It can add a personal touch to the relationship you have with your clients.

[cleancutlawncare5382]

I ran an ad last week on FB. I elected a very low daily balance $5 just to see if the phone would ring. The $5 bucks were gone in less than 1/2 day. I let it run another 2 days and pulled it. Fast $15 gone.

Just my 2cents

[Steve]

Personally, I believe that only your current customers would make the effort in searching up your NAME over your company. Just to snoop around and be like, well... we're all like that.

There is no doubt some of your current customers will "like" your page (and as Cheese mentioned) snoop around.

What's your thoughts on the downside to snooping? How can it negatively effect your lawn care business?

[jymie]

Thats the dangers of pay per click advertising. Yahoo paid employees to click ads all day long just to get more money out of their customers. Google adwords seems to be honest, but I still do not trust pay per click advertising.

[The Cleaning Doctor]

I have gotten customers off of facebook but here is the advantage

You post on the page and your customer likes the post now all their friends see it. It does work. I have people posting about the sites I have built lately and I now have 2 others in the works plus one more of my own. Make that 2 more....LOL

Some it work and some it does not but if used correctly it can bring you in work or even add to the link power to your site.

To answer your question, yes you need to be on facebook. Many searches I have done for the deck staining site, the facebook page has popped up.

[Hedgemaster]

I can see it being useful for someone new like myself, where most of my jobs are from "word of mouth".
Facebook is "electronic" word of mouth.

That said, I still don't have an account because I have never used it, and don't fully understand it. I'd like to use it for my business and not for personal use, but it seems that there are limitations to doing it that way that seem to defeat the purpose of having JUST a business profile.

Steve asked about a "downside", and here's one that I can think of that is partly why I haven't signed up...

All those people who are linked to your account (friends, likes, whatever it's called) are a reflection of you - like it or not.
What if you have a "friend" who posts something nice on your page, but a potential customer clicks on his/her profile because they were curious about them... what if that friend has posted all sorts of immature, douchebaggery everywhere you look? I dunno... maybe I'm overreacting, but a business has an image to maintain.

Another thing that I am concerned about is that I am a firearm enthusiast. "Guns" are a very polarizing issue for some people. Mostly it's a problem for those who oppose gun ownership, and unfortunately, those types are more likely to avoid my services if they "discover" (gasp!) that I'm a gun owner.
I mention this because many of the people who would be linked to my page would also be gun owners - unapologetic, unashamed, GUN owners. Could this be an issue? Judging from the bias I see people use against others with differing views (really I'm only talking about one group here), I'd say it could be a problem.

I probably should have started a thread on that topic. Hopefully I don't derail this thread too much.

[element009]

I found this article about the uses of facebook for business. It's got some good ideas to maximize the use of a facebook page.

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/f...usiness-guide/

[Simpkins]

Originally Posted by Steve

What's your thoughts on the downside to snooping? How can it negatively effect your lawn care business?

Just as Hedge pointed out. You (and by you I mean your company) are being judged from EVERY angle "like" it or not. (no pun intended) If you do employ this method (and I think it's a good idea to do so) you have to be extra careful about what you post and monitor your "friends" activity as well.


PS I hate using that "no pun intended" after reading this. \

Disclaimer: The link above leads to a site that not all will appreciate the humor.

Double Disclaimer: Cheese, the above disclaimer wasn't for you. I think you'll love it!