taking drastic action
Some will think this stuff and nonsense but I have been stewing about something for while and it has truly been bugging me.
Facebook Fan Pages.
Specifically, should I have one for my voice over marketing?
I have one for the Voice Over Entrance Exam and I have my own personal Facebook page…but do I need a “Fan” page? Sheesh!
Social Media clearly has a narcissistic component to it. Rarely are you asking people on Twitter or Facebook or LinkedIn or on your blog how they are doing – more likely you are telling people who, what, when, where and how you are doing.
There is no ME in team but there sure is ME in Social Media.
Yet most of us play the game and often times enjoy it especially when there is give and take, usually always pleasant.
But I guess it’s the term Fan Page that has bothered me (I think Facebook is trying to get everyone to call it a Like Page but you’re basically asking for fans or for people to vote that they like you.)
That’s awkward to ask and seems kinda desperate in appearance when the Fan Page is about me (the e-book is a “thing” and it helps people – I have no problem with a Fan Page there).
I have joined a ton of fan pages for other people and never gave it a second thought. No, I didn’t think they were desperate at all because of their Fan Page.
But I look at myself differently. It feels like I am being egotistical if I do this Fan Page thing. The old comic line “But enough about me, what do YOU think of me?” comes to mind. Again…awkward is the word that keeps coming to mind for me.
From a business stand point, it could help me communicate with people on Facebook who are interested in my voice over business (the same reason I participate on LinkedIn and Twitter). That’s the big “Pro” in the “Pro/Con” debate that’s been raging in my cranium literally for months.
Well, ultimately that was the deciding factor for me and shamefully, I am announcing I have a Facebook Fan Page now (talk about burying the lead). Peter K. O’Connell – Male Voice Over Talent is what its called (for the SEO lovers out there). In this context, it sounds as ridiculous as “Peter K. O’Connell – Male Model” but, in for a penny, in for a pound.
We’ll have to see how long I can stomach this. I make no promises.
Thanks for listening.
“From a business stand point, it could help me communicate with people on Facebook who are interested in my voice over business…”
That’s exactly how you should look at it, Peter, and not so much as a cry for acceptance or approval. 🙂 It’s another avenue for you to communicate with your base. Check out how fellow VO Walt Marsicano has his page set up with custom page tabs that direct folks that have yet to click the “Like” button to a welcome page giving further reason to click that button: http://www.facebook.com/voiceartist
It’s one of the best examples of facebook use I’ve seen. 🙂 The tricky part is definitely now that instead of “become a fan” one has to come up with some other call to action verbiage, Walt uses “Do you like us?” but an other examples could be a more direct “Click to follow me on Facebook!” etc.
Have no fear. It’s another communication channel for you to share industry insight, talk to to folks who “Like” you, and opportunity to market your awesome by being awesome. You got this. 🙂
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Peter K. O'Connell and Jeffrey Bartley. Jeffrey Bartley said: taking drastic action – https://blog.audioconnell.com/2010/07/09/taking-drastic-action/ […]
Hi Mike,
I enjoyed your comments and and the link.
My hope is that this page will do just that…interest people who are interested in my business. Then for me it will just be another web page to manage.
Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Best always,
– Peter
Peter,
You have made the right choice. One for personal comms, one for business comms. And more exposure for your services. I’ve been working on my own fan page for the same reason.
Be bold. No guts, no glory.
DS
Thanks Dave.
I guess I knew I had to pull the trigger on the page but it was almost a psychotic back and forth inside my head while getting the thing done.
Outwardly bold, inwardly cowardly…no, that’s would be a lousy positioning slogan. I need to work on that 😉
Thanks for visiting, I greatly appreciate it.
Best always,
– Peter
Hey Peter,
Thank you for sharing.
Social Media “is what it is.” We can analyze it 24/7, right?
I have been enjoying the busiest stretch in my 5-year voiceover career and have only had time to do 3 Voice 123 auditions this month and one for Voices.com as I work on large corporate elearning projects for long-term clients. I see no need to set up a Fan page for myself and feel people can get more than enough of “ME” at my blog if they choose. But I certainly respect you for your decision to set one up.
I find it rather amusing to receive constant requests for liking or joining a Facebook page of various voice talents yet they do not engage in what I would call 2-way social media with their regular Facebook accounts. Is Facebook just a popularity contest? I am a real person – not just a statistic:)
There is a lot of “push comes to shove” or “gush comes to love” as people in any industry market themselves (ie. LeBron James).
ALL the best Peter!
~ Ralph Hass
you should bill your page as “the amazing o’connell” because you’re a mind reader once again.
i’ve been wading through this same swamp about facebook, twitter and such, trying to see where it helps business and where it’s just grandstanding. you’ve come closer to the answers than i have.
only recently have i put effort into trying to write on the “clogged blog” more than a couple of time a week (okay…a couple of times a month, as it turned out last month). and for that effort, i feel i’m just honing my writing skills while five or six of my friends are mildly entertained (thank you for being one of them).
are you using the facebook fanpage to steer people to your website and blog? i’ll “follow” you on this just to see how it’s done.
rg
Hi Ralph,
I think many of us have been blessed with work this year but unfortunately, the busy times are when we should be marketing. If we market only when business gets bad, we’re already assured of being late. Marketing during the busy times is a kind of “pay it forward” philosophy.
As for whether my Facebook Fan Page will work better or worse than my blog…I really have no idea, as is usually the case with an inaugural effort. If there was a big budget behind this effort, that uncertainty would be scary but because this is free, it’s just fun (maybe a bit mortifying) but hopefully fun.
I don’t know what to offer about the one way communication but I do understand what you mean, though I notice more on Twitter (“just did another commercial and boy are my lips tired” kind of posts abound there).
I’m glad your business is going well and I hope it continues. As always, I appreciate your visits here.
Best always,
– Peter
RG:
Thank you, I think you’re the first person to call me amazing in a good way 😉
I think Ralph’s point previously gives good insight into how we need to remember to view social media, as a two way engagement. So maybe for you, the answer might be to see time-wise where you feel you can offer that two way communication and just focus there.
The great thing about your blog, aside for the insight you offer from your impressive years of professional broadcasting and voice over work through your content, is your ability to communicate via the written word. It makes for entertaining reading and it keeps the search engines interested in you. As long as they keep reading and posting your stuff, you’ll rise up ever further in those profitable organic searches, allowing prospects to find you.
At the end of the day, that’s what we all want!
Best always,
– Peter
Hey Peter,
I’ve recently been wrestling with the same thing… creating a Fan Page on FB. So the other side of my brain won out. I TOO have created a fan page. Now I’m just trying to keep it interesting with it’s content.
I’m not sure yet how to cross reference it with my personal FB page.
Good luck to both of us!
Rick
[…] I shared that thought moments ago on Peter O’Connell’s voxmarketising blog. You can read the rest of my thoughts and Peter’s heartfelt post here:taking drastic action […]
I have a FB fan page and have recently realized that just talking about yourself and what you’re doing is probably pretty boring for your fans (and Twitter followers, if you pipe your status updates into your Twitter account as I do).
So, I’m trying to make my updates amusing and informative – a fun video from YouTube, an informational piece of some sort, or just a random humorous thought.
Of course I also mention my activities as well (the point of the fan page IS self-promotion), but with the overall strategy of being useful and/or entertaining to the audience.
I really don’t know where the social media phenom is headed, but it can’t hurt to get your name in front of a few people as long you make it as much about them as about you…JM
Hi Rick,
Good luck to both of us indeed. For a short time on Friday, I was like a high-schooler waiting by the phone for a promo invite – me watching to see if anyone “fanned’ the page.
Then I slapped myself and got back to work. That’s exactly the kind of thinking that made me not want to do the fan page thing. Human nature at its most vain, I guess.
Congrats on your new page, I hope it rocks and too your VO career. Thanks very much for visiting and commenting.
Best always,
– Peter
John,
I think that is a good point – make the page informative and entertaining for the READER and not just self-promotion.
Walking that line on occasion, though, I imagine will be tricky.
Thanks for visiting and commenting AND welcome to the audio’connell blog roll.
Best always,
– Peter