I see a lot of posts on the Etsy message board regarding the value of social media, especially having a Facebook Fan page. I admit that I've straddled the line for a long time, but I'm now diving in head first and have really seen some amazing results in my first month! I want to share these ideas with you and maybe they'll help you in some way. For every idea I've implemented, I have 5 more that are on my 'to do list', so I hope to make this a regular blog series while we navigate this new territory together.
In a previous blog post, I wrote about the importance of having your own website, even if you do all your selling on Etsy. I do believe it is so important for your branding to have an on-line presence in as many areas as you can conceivably handle. The obvious choices are:
- Your own website
- Etsy
- Blog
- Google +
Exactly one month ago today, I had 298 Facebook Fans. I now have 353 (as of this writing). So, in one month, I've gained 55 fans - an approximate increase of 20%. And it didn't cost me a dime - no advertising at all.
So, for this post I am going to list 5 super easy things you need to do first to get yourself going with your Facebook Fan page. I'm going to assume you already have a page and that you're just sort of neglecting it because you haven't really seen the value of maintaining it - that's the way I was for the last 2 years. :-)
The main thing to remember about Facebook is that it isn't about making sales today - it's about creating a community with your fans and current/future customers. This is all about long term connections. You may not see sales coming directly from Facebook for a while, but it's important to have the presence and to update your page on a fairly regular basis.
Here is my Facebook page:Facebook.com/TheresaRoseDesigns
1. Creating a professional FB page has to be your first step. This is the first impression your future fans will have of you and it shouldn't be a picture of your cute kids, dogs, or where you spent your last vacation. Create a cover photo and profile photo that is professional and showcases your product(s). Here is my cover photo:
2. Change your Facebook personal profile 'work' to your business page. This way anyone looking at your profile page will see the link to your business fan page.
3. Categorize your fan page as a Website. That way you can enter a direct link to your Etsy store. You want people to get to your products as easily as possible. To categorize your fan page, you need to edit the 'About' section. Click on the 'About' link that is displayed directly below your profile picture. Then on the 'About' page, place your mouse pointer over the big white 'About' section:
The 'Edit' box will pop up - click on it. The 'About' Edit screen will display. This is where you will select your category and sub-category. In the 'Short Description', enter your website link. Select 'Save Changes' at the bottom of the page.
Now on your Facebook Fan page, the link to your website will automatically be displayed underneath your profile picture. Nice and easy for anyone to find and click!
4. Add your Facebook Fan Page URL to your e-mail signature for all electronic communication. This includes the thank you e-mails that Etsy sends when you make a sale and the shipping notifications. Not to mention, you should also have the URL to your website (or Etsy site) there too!
5. Add your Facebook Fan Page URL to your business cards. Why not! People expect to see these links now and it doesn't hurt.
My next post will be about two specific things I did to start gaining fans.
Please feel free to comment with any suggestions or questions!
