Can't face Facebook!

Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Linkedin, Youtube, TikTok, etc.
costa-brava
Posts: 689
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:57 am
Location: costa brava spain
Contact:

Post by costa-brava »

Thanks everybody.
That's the fastest and best response I've had to any post. It seems much like I thought. People who are good at rattling the keyboard like to have a FB page but there isn't a big return for the time invested. Some very positive responses especially for the ongoing contact. I might give it another try but!!!
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

costabravarent wrote:Thanks everybody.
That's the fastest and best response I've had to any post. It seems much like I thought. People who are good at rattling the keyboard like to have a FB page but there isn't a big return for the time invested. Some very positive responses especially for the ongoing contact. I might give it another try but!!!
Image

:lol: :twisted:
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
User avatar
Nemo
Posts: 7062
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:15 am
Location: Norfolk

Post by Nemo »

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Don't do it if your heart isn't it. Social media allows no place to hide, if you genuinely want to start interacting. Yes by all means start a page, but the likelihood is it won't mean much other than adding somewhere else for people to find you. By all means share information about events etc, but personally I find them quite poor reach, especially now my likes are numbering over 1500.

You have to ask yourself, why people are on there? To be social! They want to chat and interact, read posts that make them smile or view beautiful photos and dream of coming to your place.

I really wouldn't bother, for any of you that don't "get" it. If you don't want to do it, don't like chatting etc, then why would you think anyone would want to interact with you? :wink:

I get many bookings from facebook now, one definite from twitter although I'm taking a sabbatical from there at present, so yes it works, but only for those that put the effort in.
costa-brava
Posts: 689
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:57 am
Location: costa brava spain
Contact:

Post by costa-brava »

What I am really looking for is followers!
Presently, I am trying to make friends outside of Facebook while applying the same principles.
Every day I go down to the street & tell the neighbours what I have eaten, how I feel, what I have done the night before & what I will do tomorrow night.
Then I give them pictures of my family, my dog, my garden &, of course, a 'selfie' or two. I also listen to their conversations and I tell them I "like" them.
And it works..............................
I already have five followers:
Two police officers, a psychiatrist & a case worker from the Adult Protective service and I think there's somebody from GCHQ!
User avatar
CSE
Posts: 4414
Joined: Mon Nov 06, 2006 3:34 pm
Location: Galicia

Post by CSE »

Followers, no matter who they are, are better than stalkers.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Hells Bells
Posts: 13173
Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
Location: French Alps
Contact:

Post by Hells Bells »

I don't solely post on my business page to advertise. I often share posts from the Tourist Office, ski schools, locals posting photos of the latest snowfall, and some of my favourite restaurants. The inevitably seem to get more traffic to my page, and I've had several likes that way. I've recently boosted a post of my own, which cost me less than £10 and got a lot of interest and likes from potential French visitors.
User avatar
Alan Egan
Posts: 38
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:12 am
Location: Bornholm, Denmark
Contact:

Post by Alan Egan »

As some of you know, I specialise in teaching owners social marketing.
This is not the same as marketing on social media which in itself is anti social.

When TV first came out advertises actually played their radio ads on TV. They didn't work, obviously.

When social media poped up owners just put their old ads (property photos, offers, etc.) onto social.

These ads didn't convert so everyone started saying it doesn't work. You can see these same comments in this thread.

Selling on social media doesn't work. You need to be social.
It's a longer game a bit like dating. You need to form relationships but the rewards are huge.

Taking Sandra as an example (see above) she has 35 weeks booked for NEXT year, 15 weeks booked for 2017 and a waiting list for 2018 - All by being social.

PS. The search engines do rank social
Kitty thomas
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:37 pm
Location: Eskdale Cumbria

Post by Kitty thomas »

I purchased my two small cottages in September this year. The very first thing I did was create a business facebook page for them. Second was a hastily put together website. These were both complete within about five days.
I have no experience of this industry but I have another busines which is based around customer service and relationships which then creates a loyal client base. Using the same skill set I have got a Facebook following of 1350 on the page in less than six weeks.
I chat and post daily. Photos. Scenery. Offers. Things to do in the area. Guests photos. Etc etc. the reach is pretty good most posts reaching 400-600 people.
In the five weeks I have been 'selling' my cottages, I have taken deposits for 32 separate bookings - all most all full weeks. 24 of these have come directly from Facebook ! 3 from previous guests. 5 from google searches.
As yet I haven't paid a penny. To any agent. Or any sites. No commission. No annual fees. I only pay pmp six ish quid a month to host the website.
Another great thing about it is I have a pretty good idea of who is staying. I can get a gist of the kind of person they are by looking at their fb profile! Tbh I have turned two away as I didn't totally trust they would 'behave'!
I have pretty immediate communication with them too. They post, it comes in on my phone, I can reply immediately.
So.
Facebook does work.
For me.
It doesn't take much effort.
It's very enjoyable chatting with people. Hearing their adventures on their holidays with us. Seeing their photos etc.
my hope is that I am building a loyal client base who will become repeat guests in the future. And all for free. :-))))))
If at first you don't succeed, put the kettle on.
tavi
Posts: 2578
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 9:07 pm
Location: Algarve

Post by tavi »

great to hear your story Kitty....of course it does help to have some experience in the field of marketing/pr etc. But it's fantastic to hear that.

Out of curiosity, I just cleared my cookies, logged out of Facebook and then did a search using my town and the word Facebook. My apartment's FB page came up on page 1 of Google............(note: small town - not many FB pages related to it yet!!)
Bunny
Posts: 3387
Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 8:48 pm
Location: South of England

Post by Bunny »

Yeah, my current guests have 'checked in' at my cottage on Facebook and have posted loads of photos. So far it's been seen by about 200 people. So, now to encourage more guests to do that!
User avatar
Nemo
Posts: 7062
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:15 am
Location: Norfolk

Post by Nemo »

Kitty undersells herself. :wink: She has marketing and people skills plus customer service in her blood and it shows. There are others out there who just don't understand what it takes and despite their best efforts don't do nearly as well as Kitty.

The only thing I question in your statement Kitty, is I thought you did some paid facebook promotion during this time? Not trying to catch you out but just want others to realise it's not easy to reach those facebook numbers so quickly. I only have a few more than that and have had a page for years, but I have never used it as my central marketing hub; I drive traffic to my website to ensure that facebook could never destroy my business if they shut my page down for some obscure reason! I'm only a little bit paranoid, but I've seen it happen several times now!

I'm pleased it's worked so well for you though. :)
Kitty thomas
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:37 pm
Location: Eskdale Cumbria

Post by Kitty thomas »

Hi. Yes. I absolutely did. I paid for two boosts of the page to get it off the ground in the first three weeks of its life. It's a funny thing because my reasoning behind it is this - if a potential customer looks at a fb page and sees over a thousand likes they think the page and business has credence. A hand full of likes makes a business seems perhaps a bit of an amateur outfit. Please, this is only my opinion and is not a slight on anyone else's page.
The fb page is a way to sell the brand, if you will. It's a collection point for stories and info. And somewhere people can ask things and give their own comments. It isn't for direct selling. It's almost like a brochure in its own right. I 'sell' elsewhere on fb and direct people to the cottage page for extra info. Etc. no more boosting now however. Am happy with quantity of followers and it can spread organically now.
If at first you don't succeed, put the kettle on.
Kitty thomas
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:37 pm
Location: Eskdale Cumbria

Post by Kitty thomas »

Ps the boosts cost me £45 in total.
If at first you don't succeed, put the kettle on.
User avatar
Nemo
Posts: 7062
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 10:15 am
Location: Norfolk

Post by Nemo »

Great advice Kitty, thanks for clarifying. A bargain compared to an advert on a listing site which may well not have brought you as much business - plus your time, which of course is priceless. :wink: :D
Kitty thomas
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2015 3:37 pm
Location: Eskdale Cumbria

Post by Kitty thomas »

Hi Nemo. I cannot do 'nothing' so I was floating around fb in the evenings anyway. Now I have a focus. Which is great. And it makes money too. ;-) I sit and post and stuff and it only takes a few mins. You're doing well tho on dfha aren't you?
If at first you don't succeed, put the kettle on.
Post Reply