Social media has definitely changed the way we all reach out and connect with our targets. In many ways, this is a great thing. But some of us are not using the technology as well as we could. There are two main problems: under-connecting and over-connecting.
Under-connecting is an easier problem to fix. Simply put, post more. It’s not going to do you a lot of good to have a blog and you don’t blog, or a Facebook account and you don’t share, or if you are on LinkedIn and don’t make connections, you aren’t really using these tools.
You can’t be passive. You have to reach out. Of course you can’t post just anything (for example, don’t post to your full list about potty-training your children or your medical procedure–ew!), but there is so much information out there that if you can’t find something interesting to add to the community dialog on the subject of photography and/or design and/or art and/or advertising and/or publishing and/or…
…well, you get the point.
Over-connecting is the harder problem to fix. Over-connecting can be caused by integrating all your media so that every time you post one place, it shows up everywhere. Now, this sounds like a good idea, but it can result in multiple repeats for your receivers. This gets annoying really fast. There are some photographers who do this and because I am connected to them via Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn (at least) I’m getting everything at least 3 times, often more since a lot of my media is forwarded to my email. Ouch ouch.
Quick way to tick off your targets. Remember, buyers are busy people and one of the worst things you can do is hijack their time. Check your settings, ask your friends how many times they get your posts, try to manage it so that you are connecting once with any post (twice at the most, but once is better).
Another related issue is the request to fan your Facebook page. Here’s the rule for this: send an invitation no more than once every 6 months. A year may be better, but really, no more than once every 6 months. If someone doesn’t fan your page, leave them be!
That includes me, by the way. In fact, I don’t fan photographers’ FB pages at all. Why? Because I would be overwhelmed with posts/info if I did. I have hundreds (thousands?) of photographers and other creatives who want me to follow them. It would take up all my time to weed through their posts to get to the ones I actually need to see. I make note of the pages and I look at them at times, but I don’t want the information overload that would occur if I opened the floodgates.
Think about what your buyers must be facing in that realm. All those photogs and illos trying to sell to them! Ugh! So, if they ignore your invitation, respect them and leave them alone. Move to more passive nudges like mentioning in a “friend” post that you have posted something interesting over on your fan page, but that’s it. And if they do fan your page, take that as a very good sign. This is someone who is interested in you and your work!
Oh, and yeah, for the record, Burns Auto Parts does have a fan page, and I do post more often there–mostly quick links to industry info. You should check it out. 🙂
I don’t ‘fan’ photographers’ facebook pages either. Not because I’d be overwhelmed by too much info, rather because most simply don’t deserve fans. Unless you’re really famous, you’ve done something incredibly stupendous, your name is Avedon, Penn, Maisel, Liebowitz or Steiglitz… please don’t ask me to become your fan.
Good points.
And I second what Joseph says.
I think the above comments miss the point of having a fan page. It is just a customer relationship management and marketing tool. Fan may not be the right word but fan pages do allow a photographer to stay connected to his/her customers and contacts. Unfortunately not everyone works in NYC and in fashion to be noticed – it is through avenues like Flickr and Facebook that many get their recognition. If nothing else Web and Social Media in particular have leveled the playing field for many creatives. If you are good and have a presence sooner or later you will be discovered. Sometimes you may have to do some self-promotion even if it means sending out invitations to become fans. So instead of holding your collective noses embrace technology and what it can do.