Handmadeology University

Day 2 – Facebook

tim adam in 5 Day Course

Welcome to Day 2 of Handmadeology U

(Yesterday you blew me away with your comments!  Thank you.  I wish I had to the time to respond to each comment and email individually… unfortunately I just don’t have the capacity to do so.  But I do want you to know that I really appreciate each comment.  I’ve read every single one and am using them to help craft future messages.  So keep ‘em coming.  )

As promised, today we are looking at Facebook.  We’ll touch on some facts about Facebook, three ways that I use Facebook every day, and then I’ll touch on the six properties of influence that lay the foundation for motivating human behavior.  (It’s another one of those stellar marketing tips.)

So let’s talk about Facebook… Facebook is special because it is designed to be the most viral site on the internet. Viral marketing describes any strategy that encourages individuals to pass on a marketing message to others, creating the potential for exponential growth in the message’s exposure and influence.  (Also know as word of mouth viral marketing.)  Basically, viral marketing is the most effective type of marketing because it stems from friends spreading marketing messages, it costs nothing, and it happens rapidly.

The marketing options with Facebook are virtually endless and to try and touch on everything in one day would simply be overwhelming for you and me.  To mention a few things, you can:  build a customer base, sell products, run promotions and giveaways, share information, and interact directly with your customers.

Facebook Stats:

• More than 200 million active users
• More than 100 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day
• More than two-thirds of Facebook users are outside of college
• The fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older
• Average user has 120 friends on the site
• More than 3.5 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide)
• More than 20 million users update their statuses at least once each day
• More than 4 million users become fans of Pages each day

Facebook is so viral because anytime you do some sort of activity online, your entire network of friends are notified.

Think about this… Let’s say you have 100 friends on facebook.  When you share a link to an article you wrote on your blog, your friends can comment on that.  If 10 out of 100 of your friends like or comment on your link it will show up on thos 10 friends wall so all their friends can see it… If those people like it, they can spread it. Etc, etc. This process can spread like wildfire and that link could be seen by 100’s of people before you know it.

So what can you share on Facebook?

• pictures
• videos
• links
• events
• giveaways
• promotions
• sales

You can find me on Facebook Here>>> Tim Adam

Before you start finding your friends on Facebook , you need to set up your personal profile page correctly.

• When setting up your profile page you need to use your own name.  Facebook is built around the connections with people, and using your name instead of your Etsy shop name will benefit you in the long run.  Not using your name could also result in your account being shut down… and we don’t want that.
• Next you want to pick your profile picture.  Once again this is for your profile so make sure when you pick pictures they are of you and not your logo or products.
• Start adding your personal brand to your Facebook profile page:

Add a link to your website/ etsy shop

Add albums that have your product pictures.  You also want to add photos of your personal life, like family and friends.   This will help your customers identify with you on a personal level.

Fill out your info page!

Facebook is my of of my top 5 referring sites to my Etsy shop. Here are three marketing strategies that I use on a daily basis.

1.  Start a Fan Page

Facebook Fan Pages are an amazing way to connect and turn your info VIRAL.  Fan Pages are a lot like a Group and a Profile combined.  You have a wall
where you can post updates and your fans can add links pictures and more.  With a Fan Page you can add boxes link your etsy mini, notes, events, any
Facebook app you can find.  There are two keys to your Fan Page… One is you can send an update to all the fans at once, which is really an amazing tool.
Right now there are over 800 fans to the Handmadeology page …. imagine sending out a message to 800+ with one click!!  The second key is to use the discussion page… If the discussions are relevant to all of your fans, they’ll be consistently revisiting  your page and looking for info.

What has having a fan page do for your Etsy shop?

1. A fan page will allow you to keep your fans/friends up to date with the happenings of your business all in one spot.
2. If you are just spreading your Facebook profile link around, people can’t see it until they are your friend. A fan page allows you to promote your prodcuts to people who aren’t even your friend on Facebok.
3. Fan pages can be designed to be very interactive.  Through polls, discussions, pictures, videos, thousands of apps, and the wall, there are plenty of ways to keep your fans interested.
4. Having a fan page will also allow you to update all your fans at once with one click of a button.
5. Facebook provides you with stats for your fan page. This information is priceless… (See below)

Here are some screen shots of some of the Handmadeology Fan Page :

Front page:
Notice the Send an Update to Fans button.  The red arrow is pointing to the fan page info… make sure you add your website url here.

You will notice here the discussions you can hold on your fan page.  It is just like having your very own forum!

Adding Notes is a great way to display and get the word out about what is happening.  The note pages are fully customizable and can really stand out.

One of the most important tools that Facebook provides for your fan page is the Fan Page Insights.  This tool is built right in and can be viewed 48 hrs after your fan page is activated.

There is a ton of info to look at, from page views to how many times photos are viewed; Insights covers everything you need to know about your customers.  The best feature is the demographic information.  This will tell you who your visitors are male or female and their age… This info is so vital to marketing your business.

2. Adding your Etsy Mini

This is a customizable widget allows you to post a neat little block of Etsy item images onto your own Web pages. The Etsy Mini can show either items from your shop (for sellers) or your favorites (for everyone). The Etsy Mini automatically updates your own Etsy shop or Hearts list updates. Think of it as an outpost of your Etsy shop or a visual wish list of your favorite items, trailblazing out there in the big wide world of the Internet.

Adding your Etsy mini to your Facebook profile page gives your friends a look into your Etsy shop.  The Etsy mini is a super easy application to install.
Your Etsy mini will update about once a week and it serves as a direct link to your Etsy shop!

3.  Posting and being active on Fan Pages and in Groups:

When you are active on the Fan Pages you are fan of helps spread your Etsy shop all over.  In the screen shot below you can see Etsy’s fan page:  The key thing you want to pay attention to are the tab bar and the wall.  The tab is where you will find discussions, photos, and info for the page.

In the box that say write something you can post a link, photo, video, or just write.

Below you will find a screen shot from the Handmadeology Fan page.  This is straight from the wall.  Those are links that I shared.  When you share a link on a wall other fans have some options…  They can comment, like, or share it with others.  All three of these options will automatically show up as activity on the that persons profile wall.

This is what makes your links viral!  Always make sure you add a picture to your links and write a bit about what you are posting.

Four Basic Facebook Tips:

1.  To gain more visibility for your Facebook page join groups and become a fan of pages.  Try to pick pages and groups that have fit your niche.
You can also just join pages and groups that are very popular.  Once you have joined be sure to be active on that fan page or group.
Post pictures, links, videos, and leave comments.

2.  Update your fan page often.  Change it up… add pictures, videos, links, change your status.  It’s better to mix it up.

3.  Promote your fan page on your blog and other social networking sites.

4.  Go friend other Etsians!!

Here are some fan pages and groups to look for:

Handmadeology Fan page

Handmadeology Group

Timothy Adam Designs Group

Etsy Fan Page

Etsy Groups

Lastly – A daily marketing tip… This tip is going to focus on the Six Properties of Influence.  It’s the foundation for motivating human behavior.  Anytime you find your self being influenced by someone or something, one of these properties is involved. Simply remember the acronym SPARCLS

• Social Proof - People are naturally inclined to follow the people around them.  You’ll notice this if you ever find yourself in an unfamiliar place.  If you’re in a situation where you don’t know how to react, you’ll look to others around you to see what they do.  Social Proof can be seen on Etsy by looking at a seller’s feedback.  You know they are good if they have a lot of sales with positive feedback. You can also use your feedback from your Etsy shop on your blog and your other sites… Your feedback is yours to use and I use some of my best feedback on my website. (You can see it HERE)
• Authority – Experts are automatically given credibility. A 1993 study in Public Opinion Quarterly showed that a single expert-opinion news story in the NY  Times was associated with a 2% shift in public opinion.  People think, “They’re an expert and they believe in (insert product here.) They have to be right!” So do you know of any experts that can endorse your products?  A good way to find experts in the handmade scene is to submit your items to major blogs that are reviewing product.  Once they review your item and post it on the blog, you can then use the review and share the link on Facebook and all over.
• Reciprocity – Have you ever received address labels in the mail from a charity?  If so, it’s because of Disabled American Veterans Organization.  They had a fund raising letter that was getting an 18% response rate… When they included free address labels, the response rate jumped to 35%!   The point is, if you do a favor for someone, they are naturally inclined to want to re-pay the favor.  So if you help someone else promote their products on Facebook by joining their fan page, they’ll be likely to do the same for your.  (You can also apply this to your blog and Twitter, but will save thoses for the upcoming days.)
• Commitment and Consistency - People want to be viewed as being consistent with the things they value.  One study in 1983 asked participants in an apartment complex to sign a petition supporting a recreation center for handicapped people.  Two weeks later they returned to ask for money.  50% of the residents who weren’t surveyed gave money… On the other hand, 92% of those who signed the petition donated!
  Commitments are even more powerful if they are made in public.  That is why it’s important to tell all your friends when you’re starting a diet, quitting smoking, or having some other lifestyle change.  When you tell people that you’ll do something, you want to follow through with what you say.  This can be a powerful motivator.
• Liking - All things equal, people do business with people they know and like.  All things unequal, people STILL do business with people they know and like. It’s the whole idea behind Tupperware parties… if you like the host, you’re more likely to buy the product.  So when you’re on Etsy, it’s important to focus on building relationships with your customers.  They are the ones who will be more likely to buy again.  (This is why it’s important to have a blog… which we’ll talk about tomorrow. )
• Scarcity – Objects increase in value as they decrease in availability. It’s simple economics, really.  Supply and demand.   If you a create one of a kind items (ooak), you can bump up the price.  For example - I once sold a table on Etsy for $2300 (The Les Paul).  This was possible because there was only one table that I created.  The harder it is to create a product and the fewer of them there are, the more expensive they will be.

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So that’s everything we’re going to cover on Day 2.  Tomorrow’s lesson is going to focus on the power of creating a blog and how you can leverage it to build relationships with people not on Etsy.

Did you learn something new today?  If so, there are MANY more ways to drive traffic using Facebook that you probably don’t know about.  Facebook is one of the fastest growing sites online and continues to be one of the largest sources of traffic to my Etsy shop.

If you want to learn more, buy the Handmadeology University guide to Facebook.  It highlights some of the strategies that I use to generate hundreds of visitors to my Etsy shop every single day .  As with everything I do, there’s 100% money back guarantee.   If you don’t like the book, I will gladly refund your money.   And you can even keep the book.  There’s absolutely NO RISK to you.

So check it out and tell me what you think.