I love Facebook Fan Pages ... And here's Why:

As a PR Consultant, I "sell" social media management and SEO Content packages to companies. In most cases, they look at me like I have two heads and proclaim, "Why would I want a Facebook fan page?" Seriously, imagine this same conversation about 10 years ago but replace Facebook fan page with website. Same people.

But here's why I encourage Facebook Fan Pages and why I push companies to get on board:

1 - Ego. Gosh darn, it feels good to see people hit the "like" button and become a fan of your page! It's like running for class president and getting all the votes! It feels good! If not for any other reason, have a fan page just to walk around saying, "They like me! They really like me!"

2 - Customer Feedback. Want to ask your customers/prospects what they think of something? Don't have time/money/staff to do a statistical survey or focus group? Oh, I'd say you could have a pretty good indicator in about 2 hours on Facebook. Yesterday, the TV show Glee asked its fans what they thought of the previous night's episode. In about 2 hours, there were over 1000 responses. Some loved it, some hated it. Some thought it was just ok. Some thought it was the best episode ever. But here's the key, they all said WHY. You can't beat that for instant feedback.

3 - Awareness. I have a client that holds regular electronics recycling collection events. I know this. Yet, it wasn't until I saw their post about their collection the coming weekend that I went around collecting my electronics and made a plan to attend the event. Yeah, I could have thought about it and checked their website but I didn't. People are lazy. If you put it out there to remind them and it's less work for them, they're happy (note: I'm not saying I'm lazy, right?)

4 - It's FREE! Hello, I said FREE! If I told you I had this great publication that literally hundreds of thousands of people read EVERY DAY, several times a day and you could find people directly interested in your product or service -- no matter what that is -- you'd beg me to let you PAY to be in it. But no, this is a freebie, friends. Take advantage of 400% growth every 6 months. GET ON BOARD! It's FREE!

5 - Foward-thinking. Maybe you say that your audience isn't social media saavy. Maybe you think they'll never join a fan page. Think about this. The FASTEST growing segment on Facebook is the 35+ market. The younger generation is already online. They expect to find everyone and everything on social media. And if they don't, they forget about you pretty darn quick. Prep for the future generation. You gotta be in it to win it.

And that's just my top 5. There's no reason WHY you shouldn't be online. If you say "Oh, I'll do it as soon as I have someone to manage it." Then you need to hire me. I'll write your social media plan and execute it, building your fan base and interacting with your audience. But if you don't, that's ok. Your competition will.

The Importance of Customer Relations

Slick ads and fancy press kits mean NOTHING if the person you're dealing with doesn't have a clue. Sadly, I'm about to break up with PetSmart today over that very problem. Here's what happened:

Me: Hi, I'm calling to confirm my dog's hair cut today. I can't remember what time. I think it's 2:30, 3 or 3:30 pm today.

PetSmart: OK, what's your last name?

Me: Luongo - L-U-O-N-G-O.

PetSmart: L-O-N, what?

Me: No, L- U - O - N - G - O

PetSmart: What's the dog's name?

Me: Trooper.

PetSmart: Pinker?

Me: No, Trooper. I think the appointment is sometime around 2:30 or 3 pm today.

PetSmart: Hold on.

<10 minutes of hold music>

PetSmart: Ms. Luongo? Has your dog been here before?

Me: Yes, many times. I think I called on Thursday to set up this appointment. I'm sure it's in the afternoon.

PetSmart: What kind of dog is he?

Me: Havanese.

PetSmart: I'm looking at the entire week and I can't find him. I see a Tanner but that's a collie.

Me: Can you look in his records to see if they noted the appointment time there?

PetSmart: That's just it, I can't find a record for him ever being here. How do you spell your last name again?

Me: L-U-O ... N-G-O.

PetSmart: I'm just not finding anything that even looks Chinese here.

Me: WHAT? CHINESE?

PetSmart: Or Japanese, whatever.

Me: Um, my dog is a HAVANESE. It's a breed of dog. My name is Italian, if that's what you're guessing.

PetSmart: Oh, here it is. 3:30pm today.

Me: Really? REALLY? Thanks so much.

Friends, it doesn't end there. I get a voice mail a few minutes later.

PetSmart: Ms. Luongo, I show that Trooper's rabies expired last year. Please call me back. The phone number is ... (voice in background telling the number)...

Now, I know his shots are up to date so I call the vet and confirm. Yep, sure enough, he's all up to date. So, I call back.

Me: Yes, I'm returning your call about Trooper's shots. He's all up to date. Doesn't expire until May 22nd.

PetSmart: Oh, really? OK. Just bring the paperwork with you.

Me: Well, PetSmart always just calls the vet and confirms and they said that if you wanted to confirm you could call.

PetSmart: Ok, what's the phone number?

Me: Really? Is this your first day or something?

PetSmart: (pause) um, no.

Me: Wow, ok here's the number.

IN the 3 years I've had this bundle of fur, I've never once had to bring in anything from my vet. They have ALWAYS called and confirmed any questions directly with the vet. Also, his records ARE up to date because I just had him in there not too long ago for boarding. I'm sure of it. I'm not sure what this rocket scientist of a clerk thought she was reading but it wasn't anything about my dog. The Chinese, Japanese Whatever dog breed.

So, here's the point. Make your fancy ads and hire your big gun PR and Ad agencies. Make your stores pretty and have some fun with social media but please, don't hire idiots. Spend some time getting everyone -- even the brand new person in the dog grooming salon -- on board with corporate policies, philosophies and messaging. This experience today couldn't have been more of a trainwreck and in the hour that it has happened, I've put it on Facebook, Twitter and now this blog. You can bet, I'll tell at least 5 friends today at some point too.

Poor PetSmart. One person, one clueless person who was allowed to answer the phone, is giving them all the negative publicity they just don't want. Sad part is, when I tell my friends, they'll inevitably share a story of their own. To think, all of this could have been avoided simply by TRAINING this person. Take a lesson from PetSmart's mistake. Make sure everyone in your company lives and breathes your mission, goals and messaging. If not, they're not worth having on your team.

Are Blogs a PR Tool?

I got a new computer last week and transferred all of my files to the new computer. I was a bit surprised to see that I had 14 GIGS of email. What?? Who the heck saves that much email? I'm afraid I do. I'm an admitted Email Pack Rat.

So I started cleaning it out by going into those vague folders that you put stuff you want to read "later." Guess what? If 5 years pass by and you still haven't read it, it's not only old, it's OBSOLETE! Yes, friends, I have email going back to 2004 in my email archives. Surely, it'll come in handy someday, right?

So what caught my eye was an email titled, "Could Blogs Be a PR Tool?" I had to laugh out loud! What the heck year was this written? Turns out, 2005. My how much has changed in just five short years! But if you're still wondering, the answer is a resounding YES! Blogs are an EXCELLENT PR Tool! Here's five reasons why:

1) Journalists search the web for information. They find your blog, or blogs written about your company/product/service, and they have more information than a press kit can possibly cover at 2 a.m., the morning of a deadline.

2) People search the web before they buy. More than 85% of all purchases -- personal and business -- begin with a search on the web. Sure, your website could be found and browsed but a blog gives you a chance to address many different topics in one forum, giving people more information in one place.

3) Blogs build keywords. OK so this might not be a true PR tactic but PR is assuming the role of SEO content builder. The more keywords, the better you rank. So write away and build that content!

4) Blogs create a forum. If you don't create a place for your consumers to voice their concerns, complaints or praise, they'll find a place to do so and it'll be harder for you to find it and address it. A lot of complaints are simply poor information but end up on sites like "BIGGESTSCAM.COM" or something similar. Don't tarnish your name with bad PR like that -- blogs give people a chance to interact with you.

5) Blogs give your company/product/service a personality and a step into the social media age. No longer are we operating on the traditional PR model of Business-Message-Journalist-Media-Consumer. In fact, it's all completely jumbled. It's now Consumer-Message-Business. The Consumer owns the message. Businesses and the media strive to keep up with what is on top of the consumers mind.

So yes, 2005, Blogs are a PR tool and if you're not blogging by now, then I should tell you that 2005 called and wants their press kit back. (LOL!) If you don't know how the best way to implement this PR tool, give me a call.