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closeBusinesses using Facebook to expand connections
Chamber of Commerce continuing the three-part social networking workshop
Neil Pierson/of The Herald
Sumner resident Tiffany Anderson has seen the number of people interested in her online advertising business grow exponentially since she created a Facebook page.
Anderson operates AllCityBucks.com, a website devoted to small businesses. She began using Facebook this year and has more than 400 fans known as “likers,” which she hopes to expand through a partnership with local real estate agency I Love Lake Tapps.
“I got my business started because I thought it was very expensive to do advertising for small companies,” Anderson said.
Anderson was one of about two dozen members of the business community who attended a July 15 Facebook workshop sponsored by the Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce. Two more workshops are scheduled for July 22 and 29.
Justin Piger, a Pierce College-Puyallup student and chamber intern, organized the three-part workshop. A business major who plans on transferring to the University of Washington, Piger has used social media outlets to help out two candidates for the state House of Representatives, Bruce Dammeier and Hans Zeiger. Prior to graduating from Rogers High School last year, he was also part of a committee that designed the Puyallup School District’s Facebook page.
Piger offers plenty of advice for business people who are Facebook novices.
“Use it as if you are face-to-face with the individual, shaking their hand,” he explained. “You are kind of coming into their personal space and they need pictures of you so you have eye contact.”
Last week’s workshop brought Facebook newcomers like Jeff Keating to the chamber office. Keating markets reverse mortgages through two companies. The Puyallup resident maintains a personal Facebook page but says he needs to spend a lot more time on the site to understand its business potential.
“Especially my product — it’s very information sensitive,” Keating said. “(Reverse mortgages are) a very misunderstood product. People don’t know a lot about it.”
Piger helped some participants set up a Facebook page while others got advice for best designing their space. Piger said a crucial first step is deleting excess information: Facebook tabs for boxes, notes and links tend to clutter pages.
“It’s wasted space that people don’t like, so get rid of it unless you have a very specific purpose for it,” he said.
Another tip when registering a Facebook page is listing it under “professional services” rather than “local business.” Some workshop participants said that allows more details about the business to be published.
This week’s session, Piger said, will focus on creating custom Facebook tabs and using Google Analytics to measure the demographics of site users. Next week’s focus is on attracting customers and helping them find the services and products each business offers.
“Ultimately, we want to get people to buy and sell and create economic growth and development for this area,” Piger said.
Keating said he would be returning for the final two sessions.
“I think I took away that I don’t know enough about (Facebook),” he said, laughing. “I’ve got a lot to learn.”