by Donna Maria on February 27, 2010
Yesterday was another fun FaceBook Friday! If you missed the previous FaceBook Friday about ways to attract people to your Fan Page, you can read it here.) This week’s question was aimed at getting a sense of what small and independent business owners consider when decided whether or not to join a competitor’s FaceBook Page. Turns out, they think about a lot!
Below are a few of the many well articulated thoughts of the people who responded to the question. You can read all of the comments here. As always, IBN members are marked with the Indie leaf, and the links are to their Fan Pages, if I could find them! (If you’re here without a Fan Page link, it’s because I don’t think I’m a fan — you must let me know how to fan you in the comments!) Continue Reading…
by Donna Maria on January 6, 2010
UPDATE: 1/29/10: While this is an informative post, I discovered that it is against FaceBook’s Terms Of Service to have more than one FaceBook account, so I deleted the personal account.
Last September, I shared my new FaceBook social networking strategy, designed to help me stay connected to business colleagues and friends, as well as intimate friends and family members. Because FaceBook presumes that each person will only have one profile page, it can be challenging for small business owners like me to fully portray the numerous aspects of our personalities online. In September, I thought my new strategy would allow me to wear a business hat and a personal hat without compromising either. I was wrong.
So, I’ve adopted a new 3-pronged approach to FaceBook, and this time, it’s one I can work with (at least until FaceBook changes something that forces me back to the drawing board). In order to put this into context, a little of my FaceBook history is in order. Read About My 3-Pronged Approach To FaceBook
by Donna Maria on December 11, 2009
I hosted IBN’s first Site Party on Cyber Monday and had a great time doing it! The best news is that our featured Indie, Charlene Sevier of The Bead Dreamer sold 11 pieces of her beautiful handmade jewelry in under 60 minutes! As you know from the post announcing the party, Charlene makes combines a passion for beads and jewels with en eye for color and style to create jewelry that makes real fashion statements. I purchased this beautiful African trade bead bracelet. See the beautiful rust colored chain link? Charlene fashioned them by hand from brass wire, darkened them, and connected them one by one.
Just look at the detail! Now that I’ve seen first hand how much fun these parties are, and the huge potential they have to help my members increase sales, I am planning to host even more of them! Here are some of the things that make a Site Party great. Continue Reading…
by Donna Maria on November 27, 2009
I am pleased to announce IBN’s first online Indie Site Party on Monday, November 30 — Cyber Monday — at Noon New York time!! Our first party will be hosted at our social networking site and will feature IBN member Charlene Sevier, The Bead Dreamer, of Newport News, Virginia. Indie Site Parties are just like home parties, only online. They are designed to make it fun and easy for you to meet and learn from an Indie Business artist or crafter “up close and personal.” As you can see from the graphic below, you’ll be able to call in from the comfort of your home or office and enjoy the party via conference call.
You’ll also be able to log onto a website (instructions shown in the graphic) where you’ll enjoy Charlene’s one-on-one attention as she presents her jewelry to you and shares exciting information about her business. You’ll also enjoy a 25% discount on all items purchased during the hour-long party! Our parties make shopping fun, informative and entertaining! Meet with the designer one-on-one and get your questions answered about her work before you buy! Continue Reading…
by Donna Maria on November 24, 2009
In the 1980’s, a popular commercial for a chain of fast food restaurants featured two elderly ladies praising the “bigness” and “fluffiness” of a hamburger bun. A third lady looks more closely and hollers, “Where’s the beef?” The circus-like music in the background reminds of us how ridiculous it is to praise a flashy hot dog bun if the burger inside is practically invisible.
(If you are reading this post via email or an RSS reader and cannot view the video, please click here.)
It’s kind of the same way with you and your business. Think of the products and services you offer as hamburger buns. No matter how great they are, the real meat is what’s inside the buns — you! Everyone has fancy buns these days. What set your buns apart from their buns is the beef on the inside! Continue Reading…
