This is part 6 of our series: 31 DAYS of Setting Up Shop! You can find the entire list of days, in order on our Setting Up Shop Index Page. I'll add each new entry to this list as it is published.
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{using facebook}
Facebook. Some of us love it. Some of us hate it. Most of us spend more time on it than is probably healthy... But when it comes to getting the word out about an event or new business, it is easy and fun.
As I told you yesterday, we have created a "community page" for our market!
By liking our facebook community page, our friends, family, customers, and fans can have easy access to everything going on as we work toward setting up our shop.
Instead of having to search us out to see what's new, our latest photos, news, and promotions will show up as part of your regular time-line feed.
We have decided to use our facebook page for several purposes:
:: announcing the vendors that we are inviting to join us in the shop
:: sharing photos of finished product that will be included in our inventory
:: sharing information about pre-show sales and sneak peeks
:: using giveaways and gift-certificates to generate excitement about opening day
I'm sure there's more--we just have to think of it!
I have been using facebook for Lasso the Moon for a while, and I love how it serves as a hub for everything else that is going on in my personal and business world. I update the page with blog posts, sales in the shops, new product, works in progress, funny kid stories that are too short and sweet for the blog, discussions about business decisions, and instagram photos.
One thing I love about it, is that it is separate from my personal facebook account, and my friends and family have the option of following it, or not following it. Because friends and family really need to have the choice to "opt out" of the business side of my life. (I have very strong feelings about this, which I will spend more time on in a later post!) On the other hand, people who don't know me personally, but love my "brand", get a sneak peek behind the scenes at all the pieces that work together in the world of my creative business.
I think it's a win-win.
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We are still tweaking the look of our facebook page, and I'm sure it will evolve gradually as we get closer to opening. In the next week, we are going to start introducing you to our vendors, and we have some really fun contests and prizes that we are eager to get started on. So get over there, and make yourself a part of the fun!
And if you have a friend who would like to follow our progress, or shop at our event, be sure to invite them to join the fun, too! The more, the merrier.
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Does your business have its own facebook page? If you want, share the link in the comments, and tell us a few ways that you've used it.
See you tomorrow~!
