Social Networking: Part 1, Facebook

Does your business need a Facebook page? Are you hearing rumblings that the only way to market these days is lose the old ways and go web 2.0?

I’ll be focusing my posts on what’s going on with social networking and how it can help your business and when it might just be a waste of time.

Lets look at Facebook first. Facebook started as a site for college kids and many folks thought it jumped the shark when it opened it up to the rest of us. But it’s just not the case. Facebook currently has more than 120 million active members.
Depending on your business, having a Facebook page could be an excellent way to communicate with clients and potential clients.

So far the best use I’ve seen on Facebook is for businesses that host events (wine stores, bars and pubs, clubs, event venues). Itn  has the potential to be a good outreach tool for designers and programmers too. You can post design portfolios and link to web applications you’ve written plus add an RSS feed from your blog. Other groups that are learning to use Facebook successfully include higher ed, alumni group, non-profits and anyone involved in fundraising.

Facebook allows for business profiles and groups. In both cases, people can become fans of your page or group and you can send notes and invitations to all of your fans at once. Because this is “social networking” you’ll have to get used to the fact that your “fans” can post on your page and add comments good, bad and ugly.

The old method of broadcasting to your audience is dead. Now, your customers and clients can talk back which is scary  but can be a really good thing.

The first question to ask yourself is <span style=”font-weight:bold;”>how old is your target audience</span> Since Facebook started disproportionately as a tool for  college kids, it still skews young. I don’t know too many people over 40 on the site.  (This is from experience not trusted market research.)

Some bars are sending out notices for every band that plays or updating their beer and wine list, but why not go a step farther and offer trivia quizzes, and small give-aways. You could give 5 free drink coupons to the first person to bring you ten new fans or put together some kind of “easter egg” hunt for local businesses where the first person who becomes a fan and answers a question about each participating business wins a gift certificate to one of the stores.

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While I will continue to throw in my design posts, count on this blog to focus on Social Networking and web based tools for small businesses. I’ll help you figure out what the most cost effective tools, what communication applications matter for your business and which ones help you with search engine optimization.

Neck Warmers

I’m a Californian living in upstate New York. If it was possible to wear a cashmere nose muff, I would. I’ve just discovered the world of “neck warmers”:

Frilly, warm, with buckles and buttons and toggles. And the best part is, most of these projects use maybe one skein of yarn.  I just finished crocheting the one on the right. I’ve finally found a yarn project that I can manage with a worklife and toddler at home..

Both of the above can be found on Etsy: Pumpkin & Ruffle

I just joined a new social networking site too, it’s called Ravalry, I’m not sure I’m enough of a yarn junkie to hang around but I found tons of links to other fun neck projects..and then I couldn’t help myself, I bought the best bag to hold one of these wee projects:

Available on Etsy.

Between this and Obama, I don’t need holiday gifts this year!

Illustrator Crush: Maira Kalman absurdist, delightful

My first children’s book author crush was Maira Kalman. Her illustrations are fantastic and her stories absurd. The first book I read by her was ‘Chicken Soup Boots’ – a Richard Linklater style of book with characters bumping into each other and the story following the latest character down the street, out the window or how ever she’s introduced them. I tried reading her books to munchkins a number of times but it didn’t beat out Elmo’s Brush Your Teeth book. I put her in the ‘kids books made for adults” category which might explain why she’s done so many covers for the New Yorker and illustrated the latest edition of Shrunk and White’s ‘Elements of Style.’

See more of her talents here.

MD (My design): Ithaca Motion Picture Project

I’ve been working with Diana and Connie since the winter to help them reach their serious goal of turning Ithaca’s former silent film studio (now the city of Ithaca snow mobile storage building) into a newly renovated film education center.

Here’s the postcard I designed for this summer’s fundraising fete:

Design crush: Shoes

“Design is everywhere” she says, stating the obvious. “Cute shoes! Sha-zaam!”

Blind Faiths Mid Calf by Fluevog

And Cape Cod by You By Crocs