Networking? What is that?

Question came in a few days ago!

"I don't understand how to gain fans? Some people who don't have really 'great' work have a 1000 or more fans, and I am just curious are they really selling anything or just get the numbers to seem like they have customers?"

Honestly, it shouldn't matter if you have a lot of fans or not, just fans that are purchasing your product, but exposure is always a GOOD thing. I bet a lot of our boutiques out there maybe wondering about something similar to this, or this exact question.

When you are scanning through the many pages of Facebook, just browsing and jumping from pages to pages, keep in mind 'Networking' is a key importance of having a successful fan page. :) You want that exposure and you want to bring in that interest to your fan page and list why your product is GREAT, why should they purchase from you. Don't know what networking is here's the definition...

network - communicate with and within a group {source: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:networking&sa=X&ei=svdLTd3fKcnpgAemsaAs&sqi=2&ved=0CBYQkAE} 

These fan pages you see with 1000+ fans, definitely know how to network. Networking to find a common ground of how you can work with other pages.

You as a business should network, don't waste a majority of your time on a page if you aren't networking and getting exposure. At first of course, but if your number is at a stand still of +4 or -4, it might not be worth your time to keep updating constantly if there's no feedback!

Feedback also plays a good key in knowing if you are getting anywhere with your page as well. Fan numbers can tell you a lot or very little but feedback let's you know who can see your posts, and who is most likely to respond.

A good thing to do is network with those either who make the same products, or network outside of your circle and find your ground, that will help you gain fans. :)

There are networking sites, for instance Meet the Boutique! Send in your boutique to the Trusted Seller's, Get a review, Donate for a Giveaway, or Read a story or 2 about other boutiques. Or do all of the above! Meet others and get to know each other! :) Use your resources.

Keep warm!

Finally a Question! :)

{Note: Meet the Boutique is here to answer your boutique questions, kind of like "Ask Sally" or what not, but these are about Boutiques/Businesses}


Be sure to send in your questions via meet.the.boutique[at]gmail[dot]com :)

First off here's the question:

Here's a question for MTB, how do you say no to custom orders? Do you say no to custom orders? Do you have a limit? I would love to wake up every day and just make stuff. No rhyme or reason, just whatever comes to me. Etsy would be a good way to go for individual listings, but there's no customer interaction like with FB. I don't have time to create because I'm swamped/overwhelmed with custom orders. It's 2 am, but all of my ABSOLUTELY necessary orders for tomorrow are done. I'm having to stop orders next week so that I can work on taxes. I hate saying no to people, maybe other boutiques can help. Might make a good blog. Or did you already blog something like this?

Honestly, I have a problem saying "No" sometimes as well, BUT back to your question(s), you could either A) state it on your site, that you will no longer be accepting "custom" orders, but people can inspire {suggest ideas} you. :) B) You may always put a limit on how many you'd accept during a month of time, and that you have slots open if they'd like to purchase, but make sure that they are certainly interested. {pay before you make or deposit (something)} C) Put together color combinations, and show styles of what you do they can pick a color combination and the style, a little custom but not fully.

I totally hear you on having too many orders, and being overwhelmed! I've been there, so I get that! Etsy is definitely a great place to get the items you'd like to make sold :) definitely you should aim for Etsy for the individual listings and more!

But do what's best for you! These are just some suggestions, and Boutiques be sure to leave some feedback of what you think might help or what you would do! Have a great day!

Post Promised

First off, sorry it's been one of those weeks, where I can't catch up on anything... actually maybe that's been this whole month.

So breaking down your page is what I want to talk about here on MTB today! :)

Have you ever noticed the Insights that is labeled underneath your status posts from your fanpage?

You must have, if you are admin, only you can see them.

Ever wonder if people are seeing your posts, and how many of the impressions actually "like or comment" then here's the in depth of that. :)

You want to know what your impact is on some of your viewers? Then you take a look at impressions.

I've highlighted both in this screen capture..

So on Tuesday at 7:17p only 365 impressions on people, that could mean a multitude of things, like from the time of 7:17p to the time that I checked back approximately 6 hours later, only 365 times was this post appeared on the wall by my "likers". It counts how many times it was shown up on someone's newsfeed. It could be approximately 20 people's walls this same post in their news feed and it appeared 365 times. The break down on impressions is that not necessarily are people going to "see" your post but how many times it appeared on their news feed.

Notice the Feedback says 1.10% meaning that's a guesstimate of how many views actually liked or commented on your post. Generally it can give you an idea of 1.10% of 100% left feedback. Like my general statement above is that it could appear on 20 people's news feed whether they see it or not, but only 1.10% left feedback (comment, or like).

I hope this gives you an idea of how to work with those mini-insights. :) I always try and aim for the time of day that people would be on the computer, and I always try to leave it an open-end question that will get me Feedback! :)

More to come for the in depth insights that aren't quite clear! :)