Special offer

Facebook Page test a success! Here's my secret...

By
Home Stager with Round Rock Home Stager Austin Home Staging

The Stage Coach in the conversationI managed to overcome one of the biggest shortcomings on my Facebook Business Page!  I have always felt like I was not able to participate in the conversation as a person, but only as a Company.  And that's not what I wanted for my company.  It's important to me to coexist with The Stage Coach - I can't really explain why - I just feel it is a necessary part of the mix of building my reputation and The Stage Coach's Brand.

There's a couple of solutions for this.  The easy one, and the route that I took, was making someone else the Administrator of the Facebook Page.  My wife was willing to do this.  She was also willing to let me set up a Hootsuite Account and connect to her FB. This allows me quite a bit of freedom to post updates from either myself, or The Stage Coach, via web, email, TXT, or the Hootsuite App on my phone.

 

The Stage Coach and Michael engage in the conversation

In the sample above, you can see where I shared a link to a blog about the Page Notifier App, compliments of Tech Savvy Agent, by going to The Stage Coach's page and posting a link.  Then at the same time, using Hootsuite and it's Schedule function, I posted a link to a really neat Christmas Light exhibition in my home town. [with Hootsuite, you can spend an hour entering posts for your personal and/or business page, set the timer, and forget about it. Then your updates trickle out during the day, instead of only coming while you're on the computer. You can post to your business page, then set up a similar post with a delay of 12-24 hours so it goes out to both.]

My favorite part: I can now participate, as myself, in the Friday feature: "What's Wrong with this Picture?"

The Stage Coach and Michael engage in the conversation

The only hiccups I had with this system was some of the Apps I was using for the page had to be set up on her profile.  And they actually worked for quite a while after I removed myself from the Administrators. Now those have all been migrated to her profile.

Another idea: a Home Staging friend of mine has two Facebook accounts.  One for the Home Stager, using her business email, and one for her personal life. I'm lucky to be friends with both, I guess. :P  By setting the Personal account as Administrator, it would allow you the same freedom.  I know Facebook doesn't want you to "conduct business" on a personal profile, and I do not believe she does. At least, any more than I already do.

Any one else found any strategies that work for this?

 

Comments (23)

Fred Griffin Florida Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Well done, Michael.  Your Page looks great, the Tabs are completed, etc.  Nice job.


I am still working on my FB Business Page.  Everything I post as Links to News Articles is Landing on my Wall!  Hopefully I can figure this out today.

If I may point something out to Barbara (#2) - When you first look at a Business Page, you land on whatever Landing Tab that Administrator has set .  But once you "Like" the Page,  from that time on you will be Defaulted to Land on the Wall Tab of that Business.


FredGriffinRealEstate on Facebook

Dec 01, 2010 03:07 AM
Melissa Marro
Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL
Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

That seems to be a good solution.  I know on our SAR Home Staging Training Fanpage I have (on purpose) not added my team as admin for this very reason.  Still, I show up as the Fanpage logo when I comment or add links, etc.  I don't really mind so much and often I'll just add (Melissa) after my comments - your idea is a good one though.  I suppose I could move admin to one of my assistants if I really wanted to.

Dec 01, 2010 07:14 AM
Michael Fontana
Round Rock Home Stager Austin Home Staging - Round Rock, TX
@ The Stage Coach

@Leah: Thanks for stopping!

@Barbara Good luck!

@Todd: Thanks for stopping!

@Fred: Thanks, Fred. I appreciate you taking the time to look at the page.  Just became a Fan to see what you're up to on Facebook! (Sorry - I can't stand "Like" - Fan works for mem though!)

@Melissa: I was going to suggest using an assistant for this, but there's a big Caveat: if your assistant becomes your Admin, they have the power!  Even if they agree to allow you access, once they change their password, you're kind of at their mercy. Not trying to say your assistants are not trustworthy. Just pointing out a security issue. You really have to trust the person you turn it over to...  Thanks for the Re-Post/Blog!!!!

The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!

 

Dec 01, 2010 07:38 AM
Melissa Marro
Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL
Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

Good point... fortunately my admin assistant is my daughter.... I think she's not going to lock me out =)

Dec 01, 2010 08:45 AM
Michael Fontana
Round Rock Home Stager Austin Home Staging - Round Rock, TX
@ The Stage Coach

that might depend on what she wants for Christmas this year!

Dec 01, 2010 08:51 AM
Melissa Marro
Keller Williams First Coast Realty - The Marro Team - Orange Park, FL
Jacksonville Real Estate and Home Staging

lol.... I got her what she asked for, so hopefully she won't... lol.... but I know where to find her if she does (and she still lives at home... lol)

Dec 01, 2010 10:30 AM
Kevin Htain
Identity Home Staging LLC - Long Beach, CA
Lifetime Master ASPM Stager

THANK YOU MICHAEL!!!  I too, have been searching for a way to do this but resorted to adding my CAT to Facebook.  Much easier way, thank you! 

Dec 01, 2010 10:43 AM
Tessa Skeens
Hampton ReDesign, Home Staging and Redesign - Grand Junction, CO
Staging For Realtors, Builders & Investors

Thanks Michael for posting this. I am still on the fence about Facebook. There seems to be no easy way to link your personal and business account and everyone I have invited ends up on my personal page instead of my business page. That leads to having to send out an email to get people to "like" your page which I find annoying. I'm sure FB does this intentionally as they make their money selling ads and seem to be more aggressive about getting direct revenue from businesses.

Anyway thanks for the tip and good luck to you!

Dec 02, 2010 02:25 AM
Michael Fontana
Round Rock Home Stager Austin Home Staging - Round Rock, TX
@ The Stage Coach

@Tessa: that's one of my least favorite things as well!  I wish they would allow direct contact from a Business Page to Personal accounts.  But I guess they're also blocking spammers, as well as trying to sell ads.

@Kevin: I'm hurt! Your Cat has not friended me yet... :P

The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!

Dec 02, 2010 02:38 AM
Renee Marrs Caperton
Marrs & Associates - Corsicana, TX
Realtor - Corsicana Texas Real Estate

Thanks for the tip...I seem to go in circles trying to figure out how to make something happen or appear a certain way on facebook...

Dec 04, 2010 12:09 AM
Amy Bly
Great Impressions Home Staging/Interiors - Montville, NJ
Styling Homes for Selling and Staying

Just became a fan, Michael -- thanks for the info!

Dec 04, 2010 04:09 AM
Michael Fontana
Round Rock Home Stager Austin Home Staging - Round Rock, TX
@ The Stage Coach

@Renee: I've got a secret: I'm constantly going in circles as well. But like they say, to make an omelette, you have to break a few eggs!  I just don't post about my "fiascos". :)

@Amy: THANKS!  I see you on LinkedIn all the time!

The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!

Dec 04, 2010 11:45 AM
Amber Boyd
Novus Real Estate - Wylie, TX

this is a great post ! please keep them coming as i learn a lot from them.

looking forward to reading more.

Dec 05, 2010 02:00 PM
Michael Fontana
Round Rock Home Stager Austin Home Staging - Round Rock, TX
@ The Stage Coach

@Amber: Thanks for stopping!  I'll see what else I can come up with for you!

The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!

Dec 06, 2010 03:33 AM
Virginia Tatseos
Stage-Show-Sell - Bloomfield Township, MI

I've saved this post for days so I could actually read and do it.  Not just read and post.

 

Your link above goes to http://wwwhootsuite.com/  not to hootsuite.com

Not I'll read and learn and hopefully get back to say something really positive.

Dec 06, 2010 08:56 AM
Michael Fontana
Round Rock Home Stager Austin Home Staging - Round Rock, TX
@ The Stage Coach

Thanks, Virginia!

Fixed up that link...

The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!

Dec 06, 2010 09:16 AM
suzanne welch
Coldwell Banker - Croton on Hudson, NY

good post! I am very active on FB, and have learned much from Chris Smith 9tech savy agent)...another good tool to getting updates on who is posting on your biz page is

http://www.postling.com/dashboard.php

Postling.com is a social media tool that sends automatic email notifications when there is any activity on your Facebook business page. Postling's scans your Business PAGE looking for new comments and wall post. If new comments exist, you will receive an email notification with the comment and the link back to the original post. I just heard about it and thought you would appreciate.. Its free for one PAGE.

Dec 17, 2010 01:45 AM
suzanne welch
Coldwell Banker - Croton on Hudson, NY

another thought to get around posting as yourself...what about making a faux account/admin but its really yourself?? What you think?

:)

Dec 17, 2010 01:47 AM
Michael Fontana
Round Rock Home Stager Austin Home Staging - Round Rock, TX
@ The Stage Coach

Hi, Suzanne:

I follow TechSavy agent as well... And saw his Postling review after I wrote this blog!  I have not tried it yet because the Page Notifier Ap he blogged about it before is treating me well!

A Faux account is another excellent option - right along the lines of the Stager I mentioned who has two accounts.

Yesterday, AllFacebook posted about an update to Pages that actually allows you to act as Administrator (and post as Page) or User (and post with self).  Before I could even start thinking about a blog update, they updated the article and said it was just a Test, and would not be permanent.

Read about it here: http://www.allfacebook.com/huge-facebook-lets-page-admins-switch-between-accounts-2010-12

The Stage Coach - Austin's Home Staging HandyMan!

Dec 17, 2010 02:53 AM
suzanne welch
Coldwell Banker - Croton on Hudson, NY

yup, i heard about that. Thinking the faux acct. might not be good, but I do have a daughter with an acount...albeit, she is 8, but it just might be my ticket. I also have a community page where no one know I am the admin, thepage is doing very well but that would be a way for me to promote myself, too.thanks!

good to virtually meet you!

Dec 17, 2010 05:09 AM