Nevada Humane Society Attracts Support for Their Furry Friends via Facebook

Here is, once again, another great example of how businesses and organizations are utilizing social media for the greater good. Nevada Humane Society has engaging content on their Facebook page attracting the northern Nevada community to become new parents to any of their animals. With almost 5,000 Facebook fans, Nevada Humane Society advertises different events, features, and fundraisers that are happening at the shelter.

Before 1932, the homeless animals of northern Nevada were kept in a large pen “out in the country” where the standard for their care wasn’t very high. Enid Johnson and Genevra Kempton founded Nevada Humane Society in 1932, as a way to properly care for the stray and surrendered pets of our community. In 2007, Bonney Brown (Executive Director) and her team helped turn Nevada Humane Society into a no-kill shelter and one of the safest places in the country for animals. Here are some stats: In 2011, the save rates for dogs and cats were 93%.  In 2010, 9,668 animals were adopted. In 2011, 9,340 animals were adopted. Another stat to prove what kind of impact this no-kill shelter is having on our community- in 2006, (pre no-kill) 4,990 pets were adopted. That number was nearly doubled in 2011 due to the incredible efforts of the staff at Nevada Humane Society, and the no-kill policy implemented by Bonney, her team and Washoe County.

Nevada Humane Society has 80 employees, including part and full-time members, and 3 veterinarians. Also, don’ t forget the members of the community that volunteer their time each day to help find these animals a home, safely. Nevada Humane Society solely operates on donations and grants. Each of the animals within the shelter are either strays transferred from the county, or pets surrendered by their owners. There is a constant pressure to find animals homes, due to the high volume of pets being admitted each day. The shelter is always looking for volunteers to foster some of their pets that may be too young or sick to live in the shelter at the time of admittance. Nevada Humane Society has a wonderful place for these animals to temporarily call home, but they know that a life in the shelter is not what these animals deserve.

Kimberly Chandler, the shelter’s Communications Director, manages the shelter’s Facebook presence. Social media has been very beneficial for the shelter, especially for finding immediate foster homes when litters arrive. On their Facebook you can also find individual animal profiles. Once an animal has been in the shelter for 90 days, the staff will put together a marketing program to draw specific attention to the pet and get them a home as soon as possible.  Also, many volunteers have been found via Facebook due to the ads, campaigns and the ADORABLE pictures marketed. Nevada Humane society is creating change amongst our community, and they are always in need of volunteers and donations. Visit their Facebook page to see how you can help.

Grand Sierra Resort Excels in Customer Service via Twitter

One night one of my friends tweeted to me and said “Hey Kristin, you should interview the @grandsierra because they do an excellent job with their social media.” Before I could even respond, Ian and I already had a response from Grand Sierra thanking us for the compliment! So of course, I headed to Grand Sierra Resort to meet the face behind GSR’s social media.

The Grand Sierra Resort towers 26 stories and 1,990 rooms over Reno, just 3 miles east of Downtown. You may have once known this property as The Hilton, prior to that as Bally’s Reno, or even before that as the MGM Grand Reno (Hello Hollywood Hello, anyone?). The GSR still has a preserved chandelier from the MGM. The Meruelo Group saw the great potential in GSR and bought it in February of 2011.

Today, the GSR is undergoing a $25 million renovation. Many customers expressed concern with the lighting in the building as well as a need for more nightlife, and GSR is responding. Changes being made consist of: brighter carpet, more lighting, vibrant colors, Wet Ultra Lounge, the casino floor, an enclosed VIP Lounge, and much more. The GSR is thrilled to unveil the changes, which have all been requested by their guests. The GSR staff prides themselves in their ability to respond to customer demand. GSR has even given each individual the power to receive virtually instant answers via Facebook, Twitter and Miss Sara Robbins.

Sara Robbins, Las Vegas native, UNR graduate and GSR’s Social Media Manager- is the bubbly voice behind the 23,098 fan-based Facebook and 2,853 following on Twitter.  Being a social media manager isn’t just any position at the GSR, it’s an around-the-clock voice for the cusomers. Just last week, Sara attended the Florence and The Machine concert at GSR. While she was enjoying her evening rocking out to one of her favorite bands- her IPhone never left her hands as she instantly responded to the over 50 tweets from guests at the concert. Always within reach for Sara: IPhone, IPad and laptop.

“If our guests have questions, we have to give them answers. We don’t have a Facebook and Twitter just to have one. We utilize these tools to engage with our fans and customers. It’s also a way to monitor what people are saying about us- good or bad, so we can respond accordingly. It’s part of our success!”

The importance of having someone monitor all of a company’s social media sites is so crucial- and often overlooked. The GSR monitors Mapquest, Yelp!, Travelocity, any and all review websites, Google, Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter and blog…just to name a few! Sara has been designated the responsibility of assuring that each and every channel of info for the GSR is accurate, providing their guests with answers. Got a question or a comment? Tweet @grandsierra or post on their Facebook and you will hear back soon with an accurate answer.

As GSR’s Social Media Manager, Sara takes pride in her work. She can remember occasions when she would tweet to her favorite bands or Verizon- and they would reply instantly to her.

“It’s a great feeling when you get an instant response from an organization or business, it makes you feel so connected to that brand. I want to offer that to our guests. If I receive a question that I can’t answer, I will go find someone who can.”

The Grand Sierra resort is leading by example in the world of social media customer service. Hats off to GSR and Sara Robbins for providing a means for their fans and customers to get instantly connected with this resort and casino.

Nevada’s Discovery Museum Inspires the Youth of Northern Nevada

Discovery overload: A term coined by the staff of the museum to describe the event that occurs when a child finally reaches the top of the ramp to enter The Discovery Museum and first lays eyes on the all the attractions. The Cloud Climber is the first challenge to be witnessed, and conquered.

18 students from Austin, NV grades K-4 piled into a bus to drive 175 miles each way to see the Nevada Discovery Museum. How did they earn the funds to pay for the bus trip? They sold a sheep. Welcome to Nevada.

A mother and her daughter were skipping away as they were leaving The Discovery, an employee asked the mother, “Wow, most kids are battling to get out of here- your daughter is so cooperative!” The mother replied, “I had to tell her that we are going home to eat whipped cream! “

Great stories like these are consistently posted on The Nevada Discovery Museum’s Facebook page, and they often receive tons of attention. What great way to depict the type of excitement that is experienced by the children here. Patrick Turner is the Marketing and PR Manager at Discovery, and does a fantastic job at creating the museum’s culture through their Facebook. Videos, stories, and pictures are shared consistently each week to share individual experiences of the children.

In 2004, The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum was founded by Chris Riche. Chris and his two young sons frequently visited other museums; he realized Reno’s lack of an educational  hands-on experience for children. Chris formed a small board of individuals who would help develop his idea as well as look for donors. Over $20 million has been donated to this non-profit start-up, $5 million which was donated by The Terry Lee Wells Foundation. The Discovery Museum landed in the old City Hall building on Center St. Remediation began on September 8, 2010 to create an over-arching theme of contextual Nevada.

You want water? There’s the “Truckee Connects.” You want stars, fishing and camping? There’s “Under the Stars.” The Discovery’s board wanted to create something that was directly related to what Reno is. They didn’t want just any museum; they wanted a place to educate our youth on the history of this great state which they’re being raised in. Whether its wandering through a mine tunnel, crushing rock with a pick ax, or rooting through crushed cork to look for hidden treasures, The Nevada Discovery Museum is a hands-on representation of Northern Nevada. Tica Lubin was responsible for the museum’s content creation and design. Members from Indian colonies, University of Nevada, NV Energy, and miners from Virginia City all contributed to create an accurate and engaging experience for our youth.

September 10, 2011 The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum opened. To date, over 125,000 people have visited the museum. This is double the amount of visitors forecasted in such a short period of time. It was estimated that the Discovery would sell 2,000 yearly memberships by the end of 2011, almost 6,000 memberships have been sold.

Become a fan of the Nevada Discovery Museum on Facebook to live vicariously through these excited kids (and parents!) and get updated on the latest happenings like homemade hydrogen balloon explosions and mentos and tonic water geysers!

10 Facebook Faux-Pas for Businesses

I have been researching a lot of businesses in the area, and their use of social media.  I have met some wonderful business owners and I seen some stellar displays of brands upon Facebook. However, I have also come across many business pages that are…well… perhaps, misinformed. Here is my top-10 list of things businesses are doing wrong on Facebook.

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that don’t work!”-Thomas Edison

1. Using a personal page as a business page- This is probably the biggest faux pas I have seen. If you are a business or an organization, you need to create a business page- not a personal. It is a Facebook violation, and they have every right to delete your page if you are caught.
2. Shouting!- Put the megaphone down and stop making announcements. Keep your content 20% about you, and 80% about your fans. Thinkinbound…Offer content which allows for your fans to respond and interact.
3. Over-posting- If you are posting more than 2 times a day, this can get a bit “spammy.” If you post too much, people will tune you out. It’s important to stay consistent, but don’t post too often.
4. Selling- There is a time and a place, but not here. Facebook is not for sales. If you try to sell to people, you will have zero fans. Let your page be a space for your customers to interact with your brand and create an online community.
5.  Self promoting on other pages- If you worked for Coke, would you set up a booth inside of Pepsi and sell Sprite? No. Don’t utilize someone else’s space to advertise your business, unless it has been requested.
6. Forgetting a social media policy- This is something that is frequently overlooked. If your business is being represented on Facebook it is important to implement policy and procedures so that your business is not misrepresented.
7. Deleting complaints- Social media for your business can be great, but it can get difficult when it comes to dealing with complaints. It will happen. Rather than deleting these complaints from your timeline, DEAL  WITH THEM!
8. Neglecting to interact with fans- If your fans are asking questions and making comments, respond to them! You will soon lose their attention if you ignore them.
9. Not posting current info- If I scope out a business’s Facebook, and their last post was weeks ago- I will move on. It’s important to keep your page updated.
10. Not having a Facebook page at all- Why wouldn’t you want to hang out where all of your customers are gathering? There’s a big, very big, conversation occurring on Facebook, I highly recommend joining it.

Misty Young, Thrilled to have Squeeze In Involved in the “Sogital Revolution”

“I am a true believer and user of all things Sogital, I think and KNOW this is the phase shift we’ve all been creating, that social media is an important tool in the consciousness changes we’re anticipating, delivering and participating in. It’s awesome because we’re writing history and observing it at the same time; in a way humanity has never known. It’s terribly exciting and fun to be part of the Sogital Age. I dig it.” –Misty Young

Misty Young was born and raised in Southern California; her family lived above their restaurant, The Souper. Misty and her 6 siblings were raised peeling potatoes, washing dishes and mopping floors. Misty never thought in her wildest dreams she would eventually be a restaurant owner. She left CA to attend UNR, where she earned a degree in Social Psychology and Speech Communications. Misty chose a career in politics and public relations. But, something was missing…

The Squeeze In, in Truckee, CA was once owned by Nevada’s former Homeland Security director Jerry Bussell. Bussell passed away in 2010 due to a short battle with kidney cancer. Misty and her husband, Gary Young were very drawn to the atmosphere at The Squeeze.

“It’s a place of love and peace. It was very palpable, and you can just feel the love when you walked through the doors.”

Bussell sold Squeeze to the Young’s in 2003, and before Misty knew it- she returned to her youth and was mopping floors, peeling potatoes, and washing dishes. The first couple years were crazy busy and the Youngs did a tremendous amount themselves, serving, shopping, cleaning up, books, payroll, setting up systems — they needed help! In 2006, Misty and Gary brought their daughter and son-in-law, Shila and Chad Morris, aboard as full business partners. Shila and Chad opened the Northwest location in 2008, and the South location in 2011. Sparks Squeeze In will be open this Summer!

On Facebook, Squeeze has over 4,000 fans. Misty has truly embraced the power of social media marketing and leveraging it to its fullest potential. Misty created the business’s Facebook page in 2008, with little strategic thinking. Soon, many of Squeeze’s customers were on Squeeze’s Facebook talking about them and Misty realized she needed to step up her social media game.

“It was finally clear to me that it was ‘the thing’ to do. Facebook and Twitter are a public means to show people who we are. We are a family business, we have amazing associates, and we love our community. People will pull me aside at the grocery store and ask me how the family is. They aren’t asking cause they know me, they are asking cause they’re a fan on Facebook and they see what we have got! Reno/Tahoe/Sparks, this is our hood.”

In 2009, Misty made it a goal to hit 10,000 Facebook fans, and she is well on her way. She has 2 other ladies helping her keep up with the Facebook and Twitter, beloved daughter Shila and the amazing, talented, diligent, strategic, super cool-Eva Lipson, Communications Manager. It has been a coordinated effort and it has been done in a way that meets diverse needs. Whether you are the type of person who likes to visualize, read, hear, research, or click through links- Squeeze has it covered. Misty has her business on Google+, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. Check this out!

Leveraging Social Media to Display Your Community

A Facebook page for your business should be viewed as a window into your company’s soul. Now-a-days, when people Google your business (or even just YOU… creepy…) they will select your Facebook page over your website. Why? When individuals view Facebook pages, they are viewing actual human interaction, feelings, personality, professionalism, customer service and all! Also, Facebook is much more “now” than compared to a website. Customers want to see fresh content. Think about it: how often do you update your website, a couple times a year? How often do we update our Facebook pages? For some of us it’s hourly! So because Facebook pages are starting to become equally if not more prevalent than websites, I can’t stress enough how important it is to create a community on your page.

Each and every business has it’s own culture, it doesn’t matter if you sell pencils or are the hottest nightclub in town- every company has a culture. Here is a list of things to think about: your personal story, your beliefs, your employees, your product, your service, your mission statement, transparency, your physical business presence, the city and state you operate out of, YOUR CUSTOMERS, their story, their kids, their pets, THEIR testament as to why they love YOUR business. All of these things are factors, which create your business’s culture. In Jason Falls’ and Erick Deckers’ book, No Bullshit Media, they discuss the idea of “creating a kumbaya effect.” You got it. Think of everyone gathered around the campfire, swaying back-and-forth, maybe holding hands, and singing kumbaya. Develop a strategy to show your “kumbaya” culture on your Facebook to create an online community.

How would a business exude their culture online? Here are some ideas:

• PICTURES: Include your staff, YOU, your physical location, your product or service, your logo.

• Videos: Nothing is more powerful than a message delivered via video. YouTube anyone?

• Content: Encourage customers to leave comments, let them tell everyone else how good your business is. Post valuable tips or advice related to your industry. DON’T SELL. Focus 80% of your content on your fans, and 20% on you and your business. Ask questions; open all kinds of doors that will allow your customers to respond.

• Provide and nourish a place for your fans to interact.

• Timeline Photo: This is a new tool, which Facebook recently added. This is the first thing a person will see when person looks at your page. Make sure the picture clearly depicts what your business is all about. See examples below.

Some Reno businesses that are doing a great job displaying their community:

• Campo-Reno
• BoBo’s Mogul Mouse
• Squeeze In

Check out these pages and let me know what you think. Do you feel what their business is all about? Do you sense a community amongst their fans? When you leave these business pages you can have a pretty good understanding of what it would be like to step into their business- and that my friends, is a display of culture well executed.

Mark Trujillo and The Hub Coffee Co. Do Coffee and Social Media Right

“It’s always just been about bikes. It’s always just been about coffee.” -Mark Trujillo

I was wandering down Cheney St. in MidTown Reno looking for The Hub. Owner Mark Trujillo saw me aimlessly looking around before pointing me to a small opening, a former 2-car garage, where I found Reno’s beloved coffee shop. Beginning from the small and discrete location, to the old bikes hanging on the wall and roll-up door on the outside, to the raw brick walls, modern art, and tiny service station on the inside; this place is one of Reno’s best kept secrets. A REAL and authentic coffee shop, The Hub offers the best cappuccinos and coffee in town. If you are looking for a quiet place to study, a low-key place to have private conversation, get a meal, or a sugary flavored non-fat-latte-macchi-frapp-a-what? Then do not come to The Hub. This place is busy, has a “Cheers” like atmosphere, it’s small, gimmick-free, and they are serious about coffee.

Reno native and avid cyclist, Mark Trujillo sold Walden’s Coffee House in 2009 to search for something different; a place, which solely focused on providing the best coffee around. In June of 2009, Mark opened The Hub Coffee Co. in Reno’s MidTown District. Businesses (Sup, Crème Café, Sushi Pier 2, Midtown Eats, etc.) in this district, often unknown to all the tourists, are tiny gems nestled right below the big buildings of Downtown. Mark and his son Joey, 22 and Jessica 20 have created an atmosphere, which depicts the personality of their coffee- raw.

“If I am going to provide a product, I want it to be the best and I want it to be as raw as possible. We do not manipulate our coffee.”

You will not find any blue, yellow, white or pink sugar packets in the building. Non-fat milk doesn’t exist. The only additive they offer is a homemade chocolate sauce for their mochas. Best chocolate I have ever had. Mark gets his coffee from small, intimate, culturally-sound farms that have processes which have been handed down from generation to generation. He receives the coffee bean raw, roasts the beans in-house, and serves his drinks with no fuss or over processing.  Watch Mark make yours truly a cup of coffee:

Mark and his son Joey are responsible for creating the buzz around town about their coffee on the expanding world of social media. With their location being so small and discrete, they rely on social media to help spread the word. Did you know that coffee has 300 more properties than wine, and that it’s the 2^nd highest traded product in the world next to petroleum? Facts like these can be found on their Twitter. Want to see a never-ending review list with pictures from all of their fans? Check out their Facebook. Want to know about the various coffee beans produced worldwide? We have bloggers on our hands, people! Check out their blog.

“It’s not about specials or sales. It’s about our customers, coffee, how it’s served, or our process. We use social media to excite our customers and depict what we are all about. We are a hidden, local hot-spot and we leverage that mystery and build it up with our social media marketing. I respond to every single comment or complaint, I am building relationships with my fans.”

Mark and his kids are running a business that profits pennies at a time from their coffee, and it has taken time for him to figure out what works best for him. He never makes the same mistake twice, and that he will not lose to competitors. Mark and Joey Trujillo are leading by example on the social media-marketing front; follow these guys to see what’s going on in that 2-car garage on Cheney St., and at their new location in The Discovery Museum.

Marc Digesti Displays PerformancEDU’s Community on Facebook

Marc Digesti, (I say it loud and proud) is a Reno, Nevada native. Graduating from Reno High School in 1999, Marc played baseball and football. Marc took his baseball career to the next level and represented the Wildcats @ Chico State University. It was during this time that Marc battled several shoulder injuries inhibiting his abilities to perform on the diamond. Marc’s interest and passion for athletic performance and injury prevention was piqued. It wasn’t long before he left Chico with a degree in Exercise Physiology- and headed to the mecca of sports training, Los Angeles.

Marc did an internship with Athletes’ Performance in Carson, CA. Up to this point, Marc’s experience and education had been related to a traditional athlete’s background, heavily involved with strength and conditioning training. All of this went out the door once he was introduced to the culture and methodolgy at Athletes’ Performance.  Marc’s internship dove into how to exploit movement dysfunction and how to implement it back into a training program.  One of the tools he was taught to administer was the FMS (Functional Movement Screen) to diagnose movement dysfunction.

“Most of us have the same types of dysfunctions, but each person requires a different process to increase their  movement quality.”

During his time in So Cal he also trained the US Disabled Ski Team and was mentored by  big names in the industry like: Todd Durkin, Mark Verstegen, Omi Iwasaki, Darcy Norman and Anthony Slater. Marc fell in love with the Ski culture and has created a niche in his training for these types of athletes. In 2010, Marc took his 3 years of experience working with some of the best trainers and athletes in the nation and moved back to his hometown, in an effort to start training in the Reno area.

On October 18th of 2011 Marc and his wife Jenny Digesti opened PerformancEDU.

“This place is me. I have taken my experience and philosophy for performance and I am exuding a culture which people can adapt to, that’s what I want to do here at EDU.”

Have you ever trained barefoot before? Me neither, but I did when I worked out with Marc. It’s unreal how much more you pay attention to your movement when you have no protection on your feet. Ideas like the barefoot training are examples of Marc’s philosophy on the attention he gives to the body’s movement.

How has Marc been getting people through the doors of PerformancEDU? Word of mouth through social media! Marc began his social media marketing journey on Twitter, then Facebook was soon to follow for PEDU. Marc believes that social media is huge for businesses especially for start-ups. Here is Marc’s daily social media strategy:

Marc utilizes Facebook as a hub for live updates, and he loves the idea of being able to virally get his messages and health tips out about his business. PEDU also hosts an informative blog that offers valuable information. Visit PEDU for more information, and like their page! Tweet on Marc!

The Abbi Agency’s Abbi Whitaker is Transparent on Facebook

Abbi Holtom Whitaker is from a town in south Warwickshire, England and she is the oldest of 8 kids. When she was 13, she moved to Fallon, NV. Abbi attended University of Nevada, Reno where she pursued her degree in Journalism, and met her husband Ty Whitaker. What does she think of Reno?

“I love Reno, it is such a rad town! It is so cheap to live here, the weather is beautiful and there is so much to do, especially outdoors. This town does get a bit of negative attention from outsiders, but I personally don’t know why you would ever want to leave here.”

Being somewhat new to Reno once again- I have heard this woman’s name float around quite a bit since I have been researching social media marketing, and I knew I had to meet her. After getting the opportunity to have lunch with her for only 2 hours, I felt cheated! Abbi Whitaker is a Public Relations maven, and myself being a student of social media marketing- could hardly keep up with the information I was being dealt.

4 years ago, Abbi was in San Francisco working for Lyman Public Relations. When they offered her the opportunity to become a partner, Abbi turned down the offer to open her own business. In 2008*, Abbi and her husband Ty created The Abbi Agency in Reno.

The Abbi Agency specializes in public relations, social media and marketing. Abbi Agency works with nationally recognized brand names, but to name a few local businesses: ShortStack, Legacy Sports, Legends Outlet , Oxygenics, Burger Me, and Campo. Abbi is one of the few PR specialists who has a personal social media presence. When it comes to social media, Abbi preaches transparency for businesses.

“If you want to know about my kids, my marriage, my cancer, and my life then go to my personal Facebook page. If you want to know about my business, trends, social media, public relations, what we are doing on a daily basis then go check out my business Facebook page. I practice what I preach.”

Abbi emphasizes the importance of being able to answer every question her clients and team asks her, which is why it is so important for her to lead by example. She utilizes social media to tell her story. Businesses must tell the story of what’s going on, and not try to sell.

“You can try to buy as many fans as you want, there are tools out there to help you do that. But businesses have to earn media in order for these social media platforms to be effective.”

Here are some tips from Abbi on social media:

1. Know the rules on social media, and know when things change. Abbi likes to follow PR Daily, Mashable, CMO IBM, Smartbrief, Social Media Today, Emarketer, Chris Brogan and Jason Falls to name a few.
2. Watch what big brands like Red Bull and Victoria’s Secret are doing. What is working for them?
3. Don’t worry about your fan #, focus on engaging with who is following you now. It’s about the quality of interaction, not large numbers.
4. Blog, build credibility.
5. Be transparent.

Abbi will meet with anyone who asks her for a meeting in an attempt to share what she has learned in her journey. She is an open book with a wealth of knowledge.

“I’m me. I take it all in and then I roll with it. I will never try to be someone else to get a client, because I know I am not a perfect fit for everyone. You will never see me wearing a business suit- that’s just not who I am.”

On top of being a PR maven, business owner, wife, and mother of 2 (Ever, 5 and Eden, 2) Abbi is also winning her battle against cancer. Abbi learned of her illness in 2011, and just weeks ago received the free and clear results of her PET scan. How did I first find out this news? Facebook. Abbi attributes the continued success of The Abbi Agency to her amazing team and the support from her husband and business partner Ty Whitaker.

“I love my husband and I love my team. I couldn’t have done it without them. They are all so real, and I tell them that if we are real our voices will be real.”

The Abbi Agency is planning to open another location in San Francisco as they continue to grow! I look forward to following this group as they lead by example in the world of social media marketing.

What’s the Big Secret, Anyway? Businesses and Transparency on Facebook

Before I step foot into a new business I will almost always stalk-them-out on the Internet. I will check out their website first, then if there’s a Facebook button, I of course will click. It’s very refreshing when a business is interacting with their customers on Facebook. It shows that they care. But, one of the most attractive things businesses can do on Facebook, however is to be absolutely and completely transparent. Besides, what’s the big secret?

People are nosey! This is just how it is. Some are more than others. But we all have a natural instinct to associate ourselves with groups and individuals; we are human. The new and current way to assess if someone or something is in our league is to check them out on Facebook. People want to gauge whether or not a business offers a service that they are looking for and if it’s provided in an environment where they will feel comfortable. As a business owner, you need to be aware of this, and let it all hang out! Potential customers are checking out your content to see how approachable and friendly your environment is. Show them! When it comes to content on social media platforms do not keep any secrets! Be see through. Be transparent. There are no secrets anymore, and honestly the customers are way smarter now. With the tools available to us in these times, anyone can figure out pretty much anything if they tried hard enough. Have you checked out Google Maps? It’s terrifying.

Show your face and tell your story.

A very common tip I share with business owners is to be more open and presentful of themselves on Facebook. Show your face and tell your story! Remember that bit of people being nosey? Here ya’ go. I love hearing success stories, so does everyone else, and I wish more businesses would present theirs. Let Facebook tell your story and show who you are as a business owner. Post pictures of yourself. Trust me, people want to meet you. If people can associate your business with your face they will feel more connected with the product or service, which they’re paying for. When customers interact with your business on Facebook and consistently see you, it will feel so much more personal than interacting with just a business logo or a mascot.  On top of being nosey, people also love attention- so when we feel like they are getting direct attention from the owner we feel pretty dang special. What’s better service than that? Leverage the ability to personally connect with your present and future clients utilizing social media.  Be yourself, show yourself, and be transparent.