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How Important Are Facebook Fan Pages?

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

facebookSo, we all know Facebook is here to stay. They have conquered the social media space and even got a great Hollywood movie with The Social Network. But, what intrigues me these days is how seriously companies are using their Facebook Fan Pages to build relationships with their customers.

I think it’s fantastic. (Seriously, I didn’t intend that pun. Really… I’m considering rewording it now. LOL)

But, back to my point…

Companies have recognized the power of Facebook and many are doing an excellent job using the platform. When I’m online I see countless examples of brands getting on board with social media, but lately even when I’m out in the “real world”, I have been given customer surveys from stores and restaurants to complete via fan pages in exchange for great discounts and offers. It seems like a great idea to me as it’s not as intrusive as filling my inbox with email offers.

As you may know, Janice and I work with Rayovac to spread the word about their great batteries that are a fraction of the price of other brands but last just as long. And I think they are an excellent example of a company reaching out to their customers through their Facebook Fan Page.

For several months Rayovac has been interacting with social media users, offering truly valuable coupons, prizes and solving customer service problems through their Fan Page. In fact, I just read a wall message from a user asking for assistance getting the coupons to print on a Windows 7 machine, and within one hour — on a Saturday — she received a personal reply:

“Hello Debbie, I am sorry that you are having troubles printing our coupons. Please contact me at [email protected] and I can assist you. Thanks!”

Can you grasp how profound that really is? Try to imagine ten or twenty years ago, going online to print coupons at home (at any time of day) for a product you want and need, and then having trouble printing them, leaving a public message for the company online and receiving a personal response within an hour — on the weekend!

I love how social media is changing business for the better.

To see first hand how Rayovac is reaching out to consumers, click over and become a Rayovac VIP.

All you need to do is “Like” Rayovac on Facebook, then click on the Promotions tab and become a Rayovac VIP. Rayovac VIP’s receive exclusive first looks at upcoming promotions, special coupon offers, VIP giveaways and current hot deals at retailers.

They are doing such a good job that you’d be joining around 125,000 others by “liking” their page.

And don’t forget to sign up for Facebook Fan Fridays for a chance to win in Rayovac’s weekly giveaways.

So What About You?

Do you like seeing companies using Facebook to engage with consumers?
What are some examples of your favorite Fan Pages?

Do you have a Facebook Fan Page? And if so, do you find it tricky to juggle posting time between your Fan Page and your Personal Profile? (Janice and I struggle with that.)

If you have a Fan Page, feel free to leave a link in your comment and we’ll check it out. I’m sure we’ll “Like” it!

And we’d LOVE to have you join us on our 5 Minutes For Mom Facebook Fan Page.

Disclosure: We are Rayovac Sponsored Bloggers

Written by Susan, co-founder of the Mom Blog, 5 Minutes for Mom
Tweet with us @5minutesformom

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32 Comments

  1. I do love the power of facebook but am definitely struggling to gain “Likes” on my blog page. Out of my 450+ “Friends” I have only managed to entice 30 or so of them. Would love for you to check out my page and if you have any tips, that would be fabulous!

    http://www.facebook.com/momtopia

    Thanks!!

    Reply

  2. i really think facebook is the best and safest chat website place to be. you can conncet with family and friends all acroos the nation. i love facebook that is how i got to know and be with my dad. thanks to facebook. 🙂

    Reply

  3. We’re a new business trying to build an audience with very little budget. Facebook seems like the right way to do it because there are so many options for using it! Ways we’ve used it so far:
    1 – We have linked our blog to our FB fan page (using involver.com) to provide new content to our FB fans.
    2 – We’re also running a campaign in conjunction with our charitable partners… when we reach milestone fan numbers, we’ll make donations to ensure clean, safe water and much needed food for those who need it most. It’s a win-win!
    3 – We’ve used it to broadcast special promotions, etc.

    While we’re slim on fans, the numbers are growing daily (using FB advertising) and we’re looking forward to building lasting relationships here!

    We’d love to hear your ideas! Please come by for a visit at http://www.faceback.com/littlecardcompany

    Thanks for the article!

    Reply

  4. Hey there! I blog – but ONLY on facebook! I’m thinking of setting up on a blog site, twitter, etc. once I find someone to do the technical aspect – I’m a bit lost there. I’ve only been around for 4 months, but have a great group of mommies from around the world who share and enjoy the “lighter side of being a parent.”

    It’s all about laughing at what we go through – I have daily stories on a wide variety of topics, anecdotes throughout each day of my adventures, and we help each other solve problems and concerns.

    Check it out – it’s a lot of fun, a really small community – just over 700, and a really nice group of people. No judging, no pettiness, just support, interaction, laughter and sharing.

    Enjoy!

    Reply

  5. I agree that “social media is changing business for the better.” It’s wonderful to see big companies, celebrities, politicians, and mom & pop places interacting with their customers and constituents directly!

    I do have a FB Fan page for Metropolitan Mama…and I’ve struggled with how to use it effectively. For now, I publish links to my posts there (and I know that many people click over)…but I’d like to figure out an intelligent way to engage more people in that space.

    Reply

  6. I have a fan page that I use for my musical endeavors. It is mostly just for fun, a place to share my music, but it has taken off pretty well considering I’m not a recording artist or anything. I’m having fun with it. I don’t post on it every day, but maybe I should. It would be a bit difficult to balance posting there and posting on blogs. My fb fan page is facebook.com/staceynicolmusic If you want to support me just “like” me. Thanks.

    Also, I would love to get in to creating these pages for companies. Susan, do you have a blog that tells what would be the best way to offer that to businesses? Do you tell them a package deal, or get paid for stats or fans. I’m just not sure how that works, but I would love to get involved. I love your blog by the way. I’m a new follower.

    Reply

  13. I love my fan page. It’s easy for me to interact and it’s where the majority of my traffic currently comes from. Many people use it as an alternative to a reader like Google. They can find out about their friends and their brands all in one place!

    Reply

  17. Like most things, I was very slow jumping on the Facebook bandwagon. Now I wish I’d started a lot sooner! The balance does become a struggle, especially between three different pages (my personal, my blog, and our farm business) but I’m gaining ground on learning how to strike a balance between them. A lot of it (IMO) comes from understanding the distinction between who you’re interacting with…family and friends, blog audience, and customers. I’m still learning the ropes, but it’s a fun learning process! You can find my blog page here: Life of a Barefoot MomLady

    Reply

  19. I like the idea of companies having their fan pages, but only if they are using them to engage! I have tried to talk to a couple companies through twitter and facebook only to never get a response. That is NOT the point of social media. I think it is awesome the way Rayovac is using it to really engage with the with their customers.

    On a personal note I do have a blog fan page facebook.com/melsboxofchocolates and I have really struggled with how to engage my readers there. I did recently link up my Twitter account with the facebook page so now I can use my Tweetdeck to update. I find that it helps to put more than just links back to my blog. I’m still trying to figure out how to get the conversations rolling though! I’d love to hear any thoughts or comments that you all may have.

    Blog on!!

    Reply

  21. I’m in the process of setting a page up for my mops group…but can’t decide between making a fan page or creating a group. Do you know what the difference is and what would you recommend for a mops group? thanks for your help!

    Reply

  23. I love Facebook fan pages both for businesses and for blogs. I often click through to posts on FB that I might miss on Google Reader. I have a FB page for my blog (www.facebook.com/merrywithchildren) where I post my blog posts. I kind of stink at posting status updates on my FB fan page or my personal page. I kind of feel like if I add more than my one post per day I will be “talking” too much. It’s definitely a balancing act!

    Reply

  25. I think Facebook Fan pages are a huge boost to great customer service for brands and businesses. I only “like” pages that are of products/groups that I want to keep updated on with events/sales/posts, etc. I feel that brands who use it effectively are winning long-term customers by going above the call of duty, as mentioned in your post above.

    As far as my own blog FB fan page, I’ve found that I get a TON of traffic from posting links back to my blog.

    My FB fan page is http://www.Facebook.com/CarrieWithChildren

    Would love some new visitors!

    Reply

  28. I think using Facebook is a great idea! And I’m a fan of rayovac and a few other companies. Not too many. I like to be discerning and not “like” everything under the sun, but the companies and products I really believe in.

    Reply

  30. Having a Fan Page is important to us, not just for business, but to feel like we can connect with our Fans, beyond the realm of traditional e-commerce. Even if a customer is not happy and posts on our page, we want to know so we can help. Its also cool for bouncing off ideas on new products and having them vote or comment to see what their reaction is before we even introduce the products. It really has brought us closer to our customers and makes business fun and interactive. Here’s our FB fan page link : http://www.facebook.com/myfancyprincess Hope you “like” it! I love your blog!

    Reply

  32. I LOVE fan pages. I have too many favorites to list, but I really enjoyed those who offer coupons right from the fan page (like Wheat Thins and Zatarains); those who have giveaways (like Magnets.com and Select 55); and those who sometimes just take the time to talk to their customers (like Target and American Eagle).

    At times I too feel I have a hard time balancing between my personal FB and my fan page. But I love chatting with my fans so much! Feel free to check me out: http://www.facebook.com/savingobsession

    Reply