Last summer, I got HelloTxt; a tool that allows me to update my statuses  in different social channels on the same time via MSN. Cool, I thought, and added Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Then I changed my mind. I only wanted to use LinkedIn and Twitter for business purposes, via HelloTxt, and Facebook for private stuff. It’s embarrassing, but I have to admit it, I didn’t succeed in removing Facebook from HelloTxt, so all my business status posts were shown in all 3 channels. However, I made a very valuable discovery. People were more active and responsive to my status updates, even business related ones, on Facebook then on Twitter and LinkedIn.

With over 350 million active users and growing, especially in the age group 35-65, as well as 3.5 million people becoming fans of a Facebook page every day (the business equivalent to a profile), Facebook is a marketing force to reckon with. And not only for B2C products targeting young people.

Possibilities for your company to ba active on Facebook:
- Start a page; connect with your customers, start discussions, keep up the dialogue
- Use event postings to promote off-line activities
- Use discussions as on-line customer service or recruitment
- Get photos and films from fans, and keep their interest by letting tag themselves in the photos.
- Entertain with apps, especially sticky ones that make your customers want to come back.
- Advertise – Facebook gives you a unique possibility to be very narrow and specific in communicating with your target group.
- Use social ads, they are very powerful (X is now a fan of Cordovan. Would you like to become a fan to?)
- Create a marketplace and sell your products
- Be mobile

Here are 3 great blog post from Social Media Examiner with different aspects on corporate presence on Facebook:
- Five Facebook-Only Strategies For Business Success
- Facebook marketing: everything you need to know
- 5 ways to promote your Facebook fan page

Sometimes,not succeeding in doing something (like removing Facebook from HelloTxt) can be a very valuable lesson.

/ylva.

Related post: What are you doing right now?

This summer, my friend Louise was upset because her broadband access was dead and she had to wait forever to get in touch with her broadband supplier over the phone. When she finally did get a hold of them, they were unpleasant and not very helpful. Haven’t we all been there?

Zappos, an online shoe store, on the other hand, offers excellent customer service via a live chat (provided that you, unlike Louise, have Internet access). Zappos is known for service and for letting their service agents be themselves. Todd from SiteLead, wanted to find out just how good they were and decided to test them. He was impressed. Here you can read how Jonathan from Zappos answered Todd’s pain-in-the-butt-questions.

In June, we held a seminar together with SHL about the possible effects of cooperation between the HR and marketing departments to strengthen a company’s brand. That’s another thing that Zappos is doing right. They’ve realized that if you have the right company culture, then all the rest follows, and guys like Jonathan will identify with the brand and be a great customer service agent.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post. And as Jonathan would have said: let me know if there is anything else that I can do for you.
Have a great day!
/ylva.