Facebook and giving
Creating value on Facebook starts with giving. Share something your audience enjoys, teach people something or inspire them. That is how I use social media, and it is also why I can sell something when I later offer a relevant product.
Here in February 2010, I want to tell you what I have actually gained from Facebook. I think social media is both overrated and underrated. It can give you a lot, but it is not a shortcut that makes all other marketing unnecessary.
Social media takes time you could spend elsewhere
I get tired of people who say that simply being on Facebook and Twitter will make you millions and let you practically shut down the rest of your marketing.
You can certainly make a lot of money through those channels. But Facebook and Twitter also take up quite a bit of time, and sometimes that time could be better spent elsewhere. You need to know what you are using them for.
My private profile is for the people closest to me
I have about 50 friends on my private Facebook profile. They are my immediate family and my closest friends.
Nice entrepreneurs, acquaintances and more distant friends do not get in. That is because the profile is my private communication channel. It is where I share pictures of the children, my wife and our family life.
That is nice for us and the people closest to us, but it is nobody else’s business, and it would not enrich their lives either. So I keep that part private.
On the fan pages, I share thoughts, tips and podcasts
I also have a Martin Thorborg fan page. Terrible name, but let’s leave that aside. Among other things, I announce new podcasts there and share thoughts, ideas and good quotes.
I do something similar on my E-pusher page. If I find an e-commerce tip, a great YouTube video or something else my audience might enjoy, I post it.
I do not use the pages all that much. At this point, I mention around 1,100–1,200 fans on the E-pusher page and a few thousand on my own page, but I cannot remember the latter number precisely. I could probably get more if I really spent time on it.
Creating value on Facebook sold more than 100 tickets
When I held a seminar in Herning last year, I sold more than 100 tickets through Facebook and Twitter alone. They cost just over 2,000 kroner each. I think that is pretty good.
Why do people do that? Because it is about sharing. I think about what I know, what I have in my network or what I have found online that might please the people interested in what I do.
That is also one of the reasons I am making this video. I want to give you something you enjoy and can use. I spend an enormous amount of time sharing.
But it is not just about being nice. I also know that if I keep enriching people’s lives, I will be in a stronger position when I bring out a commercial product that suits the audience.
Trust and the desire to give something back
First, I build trust. You get to experience how some of my knowledge can make you better informed, happier or more inspired.
I tell things as I see them. I can be wrong, but I try to do it with good intentions. And when I make mistakes, I am capable of apologising.
Second, I believe in the basic desire to return a gift. It is not necessarily something you think about consciously. But if I have contributed positively to your life, there is a greater chance you will help me too when the opportunity arises.
If, for example, I tell you that I have written E-pusher, you may think both that you would like to support me and that the book contains knowledge you can benefit from. That is a powerful combination.
I enjoy sharing. And I also think it is great to earn money so I can drive a nice car, buy good things for my wife and children and have a secure, good life.
One post brought Amino a fantastic salesperson
Another specific experience came in October or November, when I wrote a single post saying that Amino was looking for a salesperson.
A guy called Niels replied. I think there were two or three people interested, but he sounded the best. We brought him in, and my partner Nicolai ended up hiring him.
Niels is the best salesperson we have ever had. Here in February, I explain that he has generated more than a million kroner in revenue at Amino since October.
That has created a foundation that has allowed us to afford Amino Freelancer, a new programmer and an update to Amino Virksomhedsbørs. I also mention that we hope to launch something new the following week.
So when I look at the time I have spent on Facebook and Twitter, I think the return I have had is insane.
Come and buy is not enough
The problem arises when people think social media is about shouting: Come and buy! Look at my Herbalife stuff!
They have not built trust or given people a reason to be interested in them. It is the same approach as running around networking events handing out business cards left, right and centre.
It is about creating value for the people in the forum you are taking part in. How do you create value for customers, friends, your network and people you do not know yet?
I do not think people owe me anything. I want to contribute to their lives so they feel like contributing to mine too. That applies on Facebook and Twitter, in a trade association and on the nursery’s board. If you do not understand how to give, you get nothing.
If you do not give, you will not get anything either. Best wishes, Martin
Location:N Federal Hwy,Boca Raton,USA
Hej Martin,
Super fedt – Er blevet vild med dine video podcast, kort og godt.
Jeg synes det er en interessant tankegang bag det at give og derefter modtage. Jeg skylder dig godt nok en del.
Og så kan jeg ikke lade være med at kommentere starten hvor du siger at det ikke er nok kun at markedsføre sig på Facebook – Det kan du som udgangspunkt godt have ret i, men jeg har en lille sjov historie;
Tirsdag omkring klokken 16 sætter jeg en kampagne op på Facebook i forlængelse af en samtale med kunden tidligere på dagen. Efter halvanden time har det givet ham 66 salg (!) og det er folk der har betalt med kreditkort og alt det der. Salget ender op på 189 inden dagen er omme.
Hans gennemsnit ordre var 357 DKK og hans udgifter inkl. porto var omkring 75 – 80 kr. + vores pris på 55 kr. per salg.
– 222 * 189 = næsten 42.000,00 DKK overskud.
Det kan naturligvis dokumenteres.
Igen i dag satte jeg en ny kunde op som har modtaget 25 salg på 3 – 4 timer. Dog med en noget højere gennemsnit ordre
/ Simon Mørch