A Small Biz Doing Facebook Right

I hear some interesting things in my daily journeys. And, given the nature of my business, many of those are things that business owners tell me they have been advised to do by other consultants and PR/marketing agencies regarding social media marketing and publicity. The one I find most amusing (read: aggravating), and that I've, sadly, heard again and again: "don't start a Facebook fan page for your business; market yourself via your personal Facebook profile!" I bite my tongue, except to say: interesting promotional strategy... the social media equivalent of only talking about your wares to friends, relatives, neighbors, and others you already know, then wondering why your business isn't growing.

So, rather than go on about the wrong strategy, I offer up an example of the correct one... my client, Sonia B. Designs. If you aren't familiar with designer Sonia Bitton, she's the fabulous French designer and vibrant personality behind ShopNBC's Galerie de Bijoux. She also has her own e-commerce website for her fine jewelry collection. The manufacturer behind her collection approached me several months back, curious about social media but, like many (most?) small businesses, wary of both public relations agencies and, especially, the ROI on investing in an unknown like social media. So, we started with baby steps... first: a Facebook-specific plan (with a minor Twitter effort).

Sonia already had a personal Facebook page and, sure, she could have started talking up her jewelry to her "friends". Instead, we worked up a Facebook fan page. Elements of the page, content, strategy and outreach were strategically planned by Miamore Communications and Sonia B. Designs and executed prior to the launch. Flash forward six weeks to the present. Sonia B. Designs' Facebook fan page now has 150+ fans... Not, I should add, fans who joined because they are related to the designer, or are friends/business associates invited from Sonia's personal profile. These are true FANS (from whom the company has already derived a number of sales).

To visit her fan page is to witness:

• Discussion among strangers (bound only by their love of Sonia's jewelry) about which hoop earrings to buy.
• Photos posted by fans of their favorite Sonia B. Designs jewels.
• Personal engagement between the designer and her customers. (Initially wary, Sonia now loves the interaction... and, clearly, so do her fans!)

Now (a note to those thinking their personal page is a way to promote businesses), Google search Sonia B. Designs and what do you find? Sonia's Facebook fan page comes up as the 3rd listing... inviting all the world to become fans and, ultimately, growing the designer's outreach and recognition.

There are many exciting additional features still to come on the Sonia B. Designs Facebook page, but, to those who question how a proper social media outreach works, or wonder how I work with clients to help them launch a successful campaign, I'm proud to offer up this awesome how-to example.