Facebook... Business Help or Hype?

As an atypical member of Generation Y (a.k.a. the millennial generation), I was slow to join the social media bandwagon. Like the picky kid who refuses to try new foods - I avoided internet chat rooms, instant messaging, myspace.com, and even text messaging. So, if you are a part of the crowd that is doing their best to steer clear of the new era of communication, I can empathize with you.

That said… It’s time for me to make a confession. “I have a Facebook page, and so does YOUR Chamber!”

Whew... that was hard. But, confession is good for the soul, right?

Okay, so now that the secret is out… allow me to explain how I was converted. I’m currently enrolled in the IOM (Institute for Organizational Management) program - a designation program for Chamber of Commerce Executives. This year, social media was a major topic. I came home realizing that we weren’t taking advantage of the tools available to us, so I decided to check it out.

*WARNING* Reading the remainder of this post could cause you to drop what you are doing and create a Facebook page for your business!

Key facts:
Facebook is free.
Facebook is easy.
Facebook is helping thousands of small businesses get their message out to millions of people.

Let’s look at a few quick statistics from Facebook’s Press Page:
More than 250 million active users
More than 120 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day
The fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older

Now, when you take into consideration the massive size of the potential audience, the unbelievably direct marketing opportunities, and the cost… FREE! One must wonder why you are still reading and not logging on to http://www.facebook.com/ and creating a profile!

Every good opinion blog needs a suitable quote, so here you go…
“You can't expect to meet the challenges of today with yesterday's tools and expect to be in business tomorrow.” -Anonymous

If you are still using the same marketing tools from three years ago… read that quote again! It may be time for some new tools!

As an advocate for the business community in Texarkana USA, the Chamber is making every possible effort to promote Texarkana and our Business Partners. If you have a Facebook page, become a fan of the Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce. If you don’t, get one! You just might be surprised with the results!

Facebook is just one of many social media resources. Check back for future updates on Youtube, Twitter, and others!

Thanks for reading…

-Josh

P.S. After you get your page set up send us a fan request, we will further the Partnership between your business and the Chamber by proudly supporting your Facebook Page!

Posted by: Joshua Harris Partnership Development Coordinator for the Texarkana USA Chamber of Commerce