OK, so I’ve hit another ranty roadblock. You see, the vast majority of my blog posts come from my life. It could be me personally, it could be conversations with friends, it could be chats in my group, it could be discussions with clients. This one however has been bubbling the past few weeks and one conversation today popped it. It’s about the focus business has on the technology of their Facebook Page and running an online business, rather than the users – their customers and how THEY use these platforms. You see, we’ve forgone connecting WITH clients for connecting TO clients. And then we wonder why it doesn’t work.

So what do I mean?

Friend last week was discussing the advertising budget at the large firm she works at. She is seeing great return from sponsored advertising on relevant websites, management want TV & radio ads. Why? Because it’s familiar. Management were looking to tried and tested ways of communicating with potential clients. Thing is that the way we behave is changing.

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How business looks at social media…

Tech! Tool! Algorithm! Layout! Copy! Content!

How clients look at social media…

Relationships! Information! Entertainment!

Business focuses on the ‘How’ of using social media and clients focus on the ‘Why’ of using social media.

They don’t match, they don’t even slightly align!

So how do business fix it?

Well, it’s hard when the vast majority of information coming at you is about how you use your facebook page as a business owner and that means tools, tech, content, and algorithm. Not to mention that taking it from a client perspective means a 180 and putting people first; and people are hard!

So, I want you to go to ‘People’ in your insights on your page and I want you to look at 2 things:people-insights
– age
-gender

While not the be all and end all, it’s a start. Knowing who follows your page will have you thinking about who they are. They’re the ones scrolling past your posts in their newsfeed.

Now understanding and profiling these people is more work than just this blog post. In fact, it’s a training course I offer. There is one thing I want you to do.

I now want you to go to the ‘Posts’ on your insights and I want you to look at 2 things: time-insights
– what days has the most people on it
– what time has the most people on it.

Here is where I get straight out of line with most of the marketing people you would have listened to about Facebook. They will tell you the best day of week and best time of day to post. BASED ON THEIR RESEARCH. Here’s a hint… their research is business owners (their clients) not yours.

Here’s what I know about my behaviour, a woman in her 40s with kids. (sound like most of your clients?)

I get on Facebook in the morning, after breakfast for a quick check.
I get on Facebook at lunchtime to do a bit of reading.
I get on Facebook at school pick up time for a quick check.
I get on Facebook during the ads of the primetime TV shows/movies I watch to look for entertaining things.

Most marketing people would have you not posting in the evening, when I’m mindlessly scrolling through Facebook just hoping for something to catch my eye. Your insights will show you if that is when they are on Facebook.16830929_10210020195555834_3897223521760075420_n

As business page owners we need to consider how our client uses the platform we share. They will not swap to how you want them to use it if it doesn’t suit them. Technology will not make them behave differently because you boosted a post, have specific keywords, or the latest layout. If they aren’t on Facebook at the time, they’re not going to see it. Plain and simple.

I want business owners to switch their focus from what they want and the ins and outs of the technology to their client. Technology is a tool that without customers is a burdensome expense. Customers drive your business, they pay your bills, they keep your doors open, hey they are why you have food on the table! Without customers you have no business!

So stop looking at customers as a commodity to be exploited and look at them as the people they are; with their dreams, goals, values, needs, and behaviours. Be a slave to those, not to technology!

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