Facebook is going to implode (if you believe the headlines).
Whether it does or doesn’t, I’m not hanging my hat on it.
I love Facebook. It’s re-connected me with long-lost friends from college, high school, and my youth.
It helps me keep up with family in Nigeria, and friends all over the world, from Ecuador to the Philippines.
Facebook has enabled me to build a large community and business without spending a dime on advertising, but…
My Love Affair with Facebook is Diminishing
I’m seeing the writing on the wall, and I’m not going to wait around until it all plays out.
At some point it’s going to get expensive to have a FB group, it’s going to get more restrictive with what I can do there, and it’s going to become less effective as an advertising platform.
Their turf, their rules. I’m just renting space on their property.
Unlike a lot of people, I’m not lamenting it at all. There are plenty of other options, and I’m making plans now to get ahead of it. I already have, in a lot of ways.
My recommendation to you? Do the same. Don’t let one social media platform control your business, regardless of how good it’s been to you.
What should we do?
Don’t Rely on One Main Way to Build Your Business
I’m building my foundation on 7 pillars that can’t be swept out from under me, the way FB could (or the way any one social media platform or marketing method could).
This is a cornerstone of The Cafe Way. We Cafe Writers don’t rely on one hot marketing method of the month, or one social media player of the moment to dictate how we run things.
Just like we shouldn’t rely on one main client or one main service. Putting all your eggs in one basket is dangerous.
I’ll stick around on FB while it still serves my needs. A year or two from now? I doubt I’ll be renting space from them anymore.
If you’ve been relying heavily on social media, I recommend you change your strategy.
Here’s Where I’ll be Spending my Time and Energy:
1. First and foremost, I'm spending my time right here on my own website! No one can take that away from me.
Your website is your main asset. It’s your piece of real estate, and real estate values typically go up (if you live in a good “neighborhood,” e.g., have a good, in-demand niche and service) and you take care of your property.
2. Old school tools - phone and email.
These aren’t going away either. We still need to connect and have good conversations.
If your website is your main asset, valuable “real estate” on this piece of property, your email list is like the gold in the safe in the basement of your mansion on that piece of property. Pure gold, baby! A good email list is better than any traffic you could buy.
3. Direct mail is coming back into my marketing rotation this year.
All signs point to this being a solid recession-proof marketing method. It stands out more than ever because fewer people like us are using it.
Direct mail is also not going away, as evidenced by the U.S. Postal System’s $6.3 billion investment in a new vehicle fleet a couple years ago. It’s here to stay, and statistics show its as effective as ever.
4. Video is huge. Get on this wave now!
FB Live, YouTube, your own embedded videos on your website, Vimeo, whatever. Let people see you! It’s very easy. I shot my Home page video on an iPhone in my dining room.
5. Live events. You know I'm a big fan of these!
I’ve hosted a 14 Big Ideas Retreats, 8 two-day seminars, and some one-day events. The next one is coming up in Phoenix. There’s nothing like the power of getting together live with people.
How can you do this for your own business? Find a way to put on an event for your clients, either a paid event where they tap into your expertise, or a free event to thank them for your business. It’s a great way to get to know people on a deeper level.
6. Local meetups.
Over the years I’ve made a habit to meet with local clients. You get a much different feel for clients when you sit down face-to-face for coffee or lunch. They tend to stick with you longer and give you more referrals.
This is something the internet marketing crowd seems to ignore all together. Again, it’s another old school tool in a modern digital marketing world that still works.
7. Amazon.
I know I said I’m not putting my stock on other people’s property, but Amazon is in a different league than FB. Not better, just different, and it’s not experiencing the growing pains and backlash that FB is.
Amazon is a great way to get your name out there in a different way, and really set yourself apart from your competition.
If you don’t have an Author Page on Amazon, make this your year to do it. I’ve helped a lot of people with this. Let’s talk.
These are the seven pillars I’m building my business foundation on.
If FB goes completely south, I’ll have these other things in play and it won’t bother me.
