Last week I was talking with a non-artist friend of mine who runs her own business. She’s been using Twitter, but I was trying to convince her that she needed to be on Facebook. I said there were 250 million active users on Facebook and you just won’t understand the capabilities until you sign up, start a fan page, and get going. What was her response?
“I just can’t get excited about it.”
I understand 100%. I am rarely excited about one more thing to do–especially if it involves being on another social media site. But I have to take a deep breath and dive in. If I don’t, I won’t be able to understand the online world that my students and members are living in. If I don’t, I won’t be able to tout the benefits and pitfalls to you. If I don’t, I might get left in the dust.
But my friend doesn’t need to be on the cutting edge. She’s not trying to teach this social-media stuff to anyone. Why should she do it if she can’t get excited about it?
Because sometimes you do stuff that you don’t want to do. (Like bookkeeping for me!) You hold your nose and do it. Like spinach, it might be good for you. You just never know until you try.
Facebook is a powerful application. (Did I tell you there were 250 million are now over 400 million ACTIVE users?) It can help you make amazing connections. It can also be a huge time-waster if you let it. When someone asks me which social media site they must be on or need to start with, my response is always “Facebook.” If you can’t get excited about it, just hold your nose and do it anyway.
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17 thoughts on “You don’t have to be excited in order to try it”
This is a great post. I have given up on trying to get one of my best artist pals to sell on-line and do the easy steps it takes to set up an etsy shop. She just is not going to do it. Some people just do not like change I guess.
I’m on Facebook as an individual – I keep up with a lot of friends and family that way and it’s great for that.
I haven’t started a fan page yet because it seems like a weird sort of thing to do in that context. Facebook is such a relaxed social space for me that inserting an overt marketing thing into it seems a little gauche. I don’t quite get what I’m meant to DO with a fan page and honestly, I’m a bit embarrassed at the whole idea. It doesn’t mean that I won’t do it if I need to but I guess I’d like to know what the benefits are. Does anyone really want to become ‘my fan’? Eek, the very word makes me squirm a bit.
I agree with Kristy. I love Facebook for connecting with family and friends and I’ll post some of my work occasionally to let people know what I’m doing…but I don’t feel reached Fan Page status…lol.
Rebecca: All you can do is tout the benefits to your friend. Don’t get frustrated. You can’t make anyone do anything. Boy, have I learned that lesson! Your friend is lucky that you didn’t give up on her long ago.
Kirsty: I’ll be your fan! Check out Lisa Call’s article:
http://www.makebigart.com/2009/06/do-i-need-a-facebook-fan-page/
Michelle: My favorite use of FB is connecting with old friends, but as many or more people read this blog on FB as read it here. And I get lots more comments there. Something to be said for everything in a single place.
Another very helpful article from Lisa Call is more about setting up and using a Fan page:
http://www.makebigart.com/2009/06/facebook-fan-page-practical-tips/
Thanks for this, and the links to Lisa’s FB fan page posts.
There’s so much about work and life that I’m not excited about! Being a long distance traveler has really taught me one valuable lesson when faced with something I don’t really feel like doing: suck it up and get it over with.
Thanks for the reminder. My FB fan page is coming soon!
I have started a fan page as I keep my personal FB page just for close friends & family. But like Kristy’s comment above, I really don’t know what to do on it that I’m not already doing on my blog.
I think that people have to understand that the internet is a means that can be converted nicely to real life…Selling online by itself was a problem for me because I don’t like shipping…(too much cardboard & bubble wrap & trucks, & alot of risk)…But using Facebook, or Twitter or a website, is a nice way of enhancing the bricks & mortar experience, with easy access to cvs & statements as well as views of paintings not seen in the gallery(with notes saying anything can be brought in)…I hasten to add that when I work with a gallery, I assure them all commissions will still be paid-regardless of physicality of sale…If you are transparent about that fact, they will be happy to let collectors visit you online…But if you don’t remit commission to the gallery if the collector comes to your studio via online conversation, the gallery feels very threatened…(Just a heads-up- make sure your gallery supports your online life…& you support your gallery…)p.s. Facebook has been great for local communication…
How do you feel though about the fact that you are basically giving away royalty free rights to your artwork if you pop it up on Facebook?
Here is the clause from Facebook’s terms:
For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (“IP content”), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (“IP License”). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it.
Ooh, it’s always the fine print on these things that makes me back off.
A fan page! BRILLIANT! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before.
I myself have just joined Twitter, having been quite afraid of it for some time. I figure for the sake of my art it’s worth it, whether it ‘excites’ me or not. Any way of getting yourself out there is good if you wanna make it in this biz. *grins*
I know…the idea of a “Fan Page” just seems weird. But really, all it is is a profile on Facebook for your business. Since businesses aren’t allow to create “profiles” per se for their companies like you can with a personal page…the “Fan Pages” are a way to do this without mucking up the “personal” side of Facebook.
One of the things I do with my Facebook page is that I’ve hooked it up to my blog so that it updates every time I write a new blog post. I of course have some pictures of my work on the page. I’ve also done a few jewelry making classes, so I’ve posted some photos of my students and their work on my Facebook page.
Another thing I’ve done recently was I put a sign up box for my mailing list on my Facebook page so people can join my list directly from my Fan page. It’s a good way to get more people on your list…and it’s actually more useful than getting them to “fan” your page. A couple people asked me how I did it, so I make a video that shows you how here:
http://bit.ly/r9bQN
There are no limits on FB fan pages like on the regular page.
For instance, Ben Stiller has one million 6 hundred thousand plus fans. He
could not have that many *friends* in a regular FB account.
Alyson, Any comment on the above comment from Sandra Reid. I’m considering taking the plunge but hesitant when I read things like this.
Nicolette: Thank you for that. You’re right on target! Your Profile is personal and your Fan page is for your biz.
Marie: Appreciate that reminder.
Kimberly: If you’re sincerely worried about Facebook using your images, don’t sign up. But then don’t put your images anywhere online. The Internet is for sharing information. If you’re too afraid of © infringements, you’ll lose out. Put the © notice with your art and also opt out of any use by others that you can. There are ways to do this in FB.
Alyson~
You mention that one can opt out of any use by others on Face Book…can you supply or point us to a tutorial that explains how? Thanks,
Monica
I’ve been traveling and am just getting caught up on my blog-reading. This is great! It’s something I’ve been thinking about as a complement to my website. I’ve posted new work on my regular Facebook page, but that’s much too personal, chatty, etc. to recommend to collectors, potential purchasers, etc. I wanted to keep business separate from the personal (except for the people who overlap). And thanks for the Lisa Call links — they are just what I needed but didn’t know I needed until I read them!