| Imagine you had a party that got reported around | | | | friends to the SpyBar Facebook page. |
| the world. A party that never took place at all. | | | | Result: |
| So here's what the fictional party looked like. | | | | Whenever Spybar has an event, all they have to do |
| "A birthday party invitation posted on the popular | | | | is post their event (and posters) on Facebook. And |
| social websites Facebook and Bebo attracted some | | | | send a notification to all their Facebook friends. |
| 400 guests and gatecrashers. | | | | Immediately there's a response. Party-goers have an |
| The birthday girl, British 16-year-old Jodie Hudson, and | | | | RSVP mechanism that enables SpyBar to then gauge |
| her mother Amanda learned too late the disaster the | | | | the numbers of likely attendees. |
| online invitation would cause to their luxurious Marbella | | | | Example 2: Gail Martin: Pre-selling Science Fiction |
| vacation villa. The villa suffered ruined walls, | | | | Books |
| destroyed carpets, and broken banisters,doors and | | | | Most publishers do diddly squat for their writers. In |
| furniture. | | | | most cases,publishers will promote the super-star |
| And apparently they threw a TV into the swimming | | | | authors, and leave the rest of the authors to do |
| pool." As I said: The party never happened. | | | | their own marketing. Gail Martin uses Facebook by |
| But month after months parties such as this do | | | | getting onto Science-fiction sites and driving visitors |
| happen. | | | | from there to her Facebook site. |
| If you were to trundle down to downtown Auckland | | | | This enables her to build a 'database of friends.' And |
| you'll find hordes of party-goers. They turn up. They | | | | when a new book is about to be released, she can |
| drink. They dance. They socialise. And more | | | | not only create a buzz around the new book, but |
| importantly they don't destroy furniture or throw | | | | can also use Facebook friends to promote her book |
| TVs into the harbour. | | | | to their friends. |
| And the primary source of attraction isn't an email | | | | Because a large number of her books sell in the |
| newsletter.Or posters plastered all around town.Or | | | | gift-giving period running up to Christmas, she can |
| someone making a call to invite you to the party. | | | | then manage a campaign that not only gets her |
| Amazing as it may sound to your ears, it all happens | | | | speaking engagements, and book-signings, but also |
| on Facebook. | | | | push up the sales of her book at just the right time. |
| But surely Facebook is for a younger demographic, | | | | And a lot of this activity is simply done by the |
| you argue. | | | | 'friends'. All Gail has to do is send out one notification. |
| And again, you'd be a lot of the mark. | | | | Then friends take over, telling friends. And the ball |
| Because savvy marketers across the planet are using | | | | starts rolling. |
| Facebook to gain supporters and customers. And | | | | Example 3: An Auckland DJ who's against bars closing |
| contrary to what you may believe, the demographics | | | | at 3am |
| of Facebook has changed rapidly. Suddenly, it's your | | | | On 10 July 2008, Auckland Police decided to submit a |
| customer that's on Facebook: And he/she is no teen. | | | | plan - which would dramatically alter Auckland's |
| But how do we know this to be true? | | | | nightlife - to the city council with a plea for the |
| There's proof, of course, but let's see why Facebook | | | | 24-hour licensing policy to be brought into line with |
| seems to work better than email or other media. | | | | other districts. |
| The biggest reason why Facebook works is because | | | | Immediately an Auckland DJ, decided to put together |
| it's a lot like how you get business offline. If you look | | | | a group on Facebook. This group would be dormant |
| at about 80% of your business, you'll notice one | | | | unless the plan went forward.The Auckland city |
| striking fact. That the chunk of your business comes | | | | council shot down the plan, but well over 1000 people |
| to you via word-of-mouth. | | | | had already signed in to the Facebook page, ready to |
| And that's how Facebook works. | | | | protest should they be deprived of their vodka and |
| You post your Facebook profile. | | | | martinis at 3am. |
| And people find you. | | | | Facebook as you can see, is a group-building activity |
| God knows how they find you, but they do. | | | | Most pages were initially set up just to meet others |
| And the reason why they find you is because your | | | | online. But that situation has morphed into something |
| customer is doing all the hard work. Because it's so | | | | bigger. If you're selling ice-cream as Movenpick does, |
| easy to put up a page on Facebook, most people do. | | | | you can start up an Ice-Cream Lovers Event. |
| The next thing they do is populate the page with | | | | If you're selling bread, as Baker's Delight does, you |
| things they like. And some of the things they like are | | | | can start up a group that adores Cheesymites. If |
| things that you sell. | | | | you're selling real estate, you can literally do |
| So let's look at the examples: | | | | open-homes for specific houses online, separating |
| 1) Gail Martin: Author of Science-Fiction books. | | | | each group based on the type of house they prefer. |
| 2) An Auckland DJ who wanted to prevent bars | | | | But there's always the question: How do you get |
| from closing at 3am. | | | | started? |
| 3) Barack Obama who wants voters to show | | | | There are three core ways to get started. |
| up--and vote for him. | | | | Method 1: If you've got a online list |
| 4) SpyBar that has theme-events that attract | | | | Method 2: If you've got a offline list or retail |
| party-goers. | | | | establishment. |
| 5) The All Blacks that gets support for the | | | | Method 3: If you don't have a list of any kind. Or no |
| Tri-Nations Trophy. | | | | store. |
| 6) Auckland Salsa Freaks for people of all ages to | | | | If you've got an online list, email them and ask them |
| learn a newdance move. | | | | to join be your Facebook Friends. And yes, send a |
| So let's expand on three of these many examples | | | | reminder or two as well. That will build up your |
| Example 1: SpyBar | | | | Facebook list quickly. With an offline list, you can do |
| In the past, SpyBar used to use email newsletters to | | | | the same. And make sure that you entice customers |
| generate traffic to their events. Despite sustained | | | | with some goodies, so that they can go online and |
| efforts, their email list grew slowly. This is because it | | | | register. |
| required party-goers to get to SpyBar's website and | | | | But what if you don't have a store or any online list |
| then register. | | | | for that matter? Well, you simply find other lists. Gail |
| Traditional methods such as printing posters, and | | | | Martin gets traffic from other sci-fi sites. The |
| sending out physical invites were costly and | | | | Auckland Dj simply tapped into various bars lists on |
| time-consuming. | | | | Facebook. Yup, it's indeed possible to visit other sites |
| Facebook has none of these constraints. | | | | and simply invite friends over. |
| The party-goers were already visiting Facebook on a | | | | Yes, Facebook is just another way of marketing. But |
| regular basis. And were just one click away from | | | | what makes it entirely different from other methods |
| landing on the SpyBar Facebook page. What's even | | | | is the instant word-of-mouth appeal. |
| more interesting, is that in almost every case, it was | | | | That alone should make you investigate. |
| the party-goers themselves, that introduced their | | | | |