# Facebook Etiquette



## jimandpj

This is a general rant not targeted at anyone (but I thought I'd put it here so people can learn).

If you wish to post on my business page (or anybody else's soap business page), please post as yourself. I'd love to hear from you as a fellow goat owner.

Do not post on my page as your goat milk soap business. That's not right.

I'm nice and will just delete you the first time. The second time I will ban you. If Jim sees you do it before I do, he will ban you the first time and maybe even report you as abuse depending on how flagrant your post is.

Please don't do it. It's not proper FB etiquette.

PJ


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## MayLOC

don't worry... I didn't do it  but I am just trying to figure out what you mean. 
I guess you are just saying one soap business shouldn't post on another soap business page?

Personally I can't even figure out facebook - and I think I am pretty computer literate. :sigh I can't seem to figure out how to "Browse" or find things on there! Where is the search button?

At this point I simply have a beef business page. I was able to browse through a few other beef pages and several had comments and were "chatting" with fellow beef sellers. Is this against the rules? I may have done the same I guess w/o thinking anything of it if they were having a conversation I wanted to participate in.
Or... do you mean they just posted an advertisement on your page???


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## jimandpj

On FB, you should have a personal page and a business page (if you have one). Per FB rules, you are not supposed to make your personal page be a business. Now on FB, you can post on people's Facebook pages as yourself or as your business.

If somebody has a business page where they are trying to sell their goat milk soap, it would be very rude of me to go to their page and post as Goat Milk Stuff, "Hey, you have nice soap. I make nice soap too." That is rude and spammy.

It would be ok for me to go to somebody's goat milk soap page as PJ and say "What pretty soaps you make - good job!"

There have been some instances recently (I'm pretty sure nobody from DGI) where some new soapmakers have gone looking for soap pages on FB and posting silly or inappropriate comments, just to get their name in front of that business's customers. Not appropriate.

I'm starting to get it a lot where people will try to market their business by putting posts on my facebook page. Had one guy tell me straight to my face that he wanted to post on my FB page that he had raw milk available. He told me he wanted to do this because I had so many fans and he thought it would be a great way to advertise his raw milk. I told him no because I didn't know who he was and wasn't about to endorse raw milk that he wanted to sell across state lines. 

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. You wouldn't go into a Bath and Body Works store and start handing out free soap samples and business cards. They'd kick you out. People shouldn't do that kind of thing on FB.

Ok, rant over. I probably shouldn't have posted this when I'm sleep deprived.  

PJ


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## NubianSoaps.com

I agree....on a whole there is no such thing as facebook rules. I have seen some really ugly things on FB yet I have someone on my page who turns my posts in all the time, so then when I post a naked guy which shows nothing but his butt, looking out onto the ocean...it's a joke post commenting that you can't see the ocean...I had to relogin, they had to send me a code, and then read about facebook rules...that nobody follows but I guess me  I guess if you get turned in enough they will shut you down...I just don't understand why folks just don't block or unfriend you...one person who unfriended me in a huff was still subscribed to me so she could read my posts, having an open wall she also could come back and post....I love a good debate, but don't come and vomit on my wall and think I am not going to say something...I very rarely post on someone elses wall. Mostly cause you are all boring  LOL!

I am glad you did post this PJ, I would never have thought about this, I don't think I have ever posted as Nubian Soaps, never saw a point. Vicki


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## buckrun

> Mostly cause you are all boring


UH.... some of us have to make a living and cannot alienate all of our customers by ...as you say Vomiting all over people's walls....heh....that reminds me of college and Kahlua/spinach salad projectile style on the bathroom walls :rofl

We have found it to be different in the clay world on FB. Everyone's work is so unique that we all post on each other's walls and share photos and show dates and techniques and on ETSY we have a Mud Team that is all about helping each other market and handle orders and stay inspired to be creative. I love hearing from my other Muddies on my wall. I understand that some of my patrons may like their look better than ours but if a few sales here or there will break me I need to find something else to do :biggrin

I do see where you are coming from- rudeness is mostly ignorance so just 'shine it on' as we used to say and use your FB admin tools to rid yourself of the nuisance  
No one is gonna catch ya now PJ :biggrin You are way out ahead of the pack!
Lee


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## NubianSoaps.com

I do note all the time Lee that you post others ceramics even on your own wall...that is pretty cool! Vicki


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## hsmomof4

I know exactly what PJ means. It hasn't happened to me much yet, but I did have someone like my biz page and comment on something saying, "Oh, cool, you make soap! I make soap, too and here's my website: check it out!" I was like, REALLY??? Now, it was someone that I know from real life, and I didn't know that she made soap, but still, send me a message, or something. Even invite me, as a person, to "like" your biz page, but do NOT put links to your competing website on MY page!!


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## NubianSoaps.com

Oh I have one like that, didn't think of it like that Stacey, she posted how pretty my soap was and then proceeded to put up a link to her friends soap


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## Aja-Sammati

While I don't post on almost anyone's wall as my business, only as me, I have a tendency to think you all might be getting too sensitive. Have to side with Lee! I agree with PJ about walking into Bath & Body Works for instance- but you know someone is working at big businesses, deleting comments on their walls that they don't like- while I doubt any of those are from competitors directly, I am sure some of them might be from fictitious customers- it has been done before Facebook! That is what we do for ourselves, I have had to delete some myself, though ironically, they posted about their soap on my personal page, uhm, most of my customers are on there! I am not aggressive with my customers- if they like my goats or soap- that is great- if they don't, then I don't want them. The world is big enough for competition and lots of soap- even if mine is better  :laughcry


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## hsmomof4

Wait, Michelle, I'm confused...you said you deleted their posts but that the world is big enough for competition...why didn't you leave them up?  I have soap friends on FB...I have liked their pages and I love seeing the pics they post of their beautiful soaps and will say as much in the comments. And they have said nice things about mine, too. But I don't post links to pictures of my soaps or my website on their business pages; I think that would be rude.


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## jdranch

hsmomof4 said:


> I have soap friends on FB...I have liked their pages and I love seeing the pics they post of their beautiful soaps and will say as much in the comments. And they have said nice things about mine, too. But I don't post links to pictures of my soaps or my website on their business pages; I think that would be rude.


+1 
And I do that from my personal account, not my soap shop. I post from my shop on other people's wall who are not into b&b/ soaping/ etc. (making clothes, photography, etc.). And when I post, I am commenting on whatever their post is about (not advertising my shop). And I monitor my dd's account, which is goat, and a lot of people on here were nice enough to like her page for her 100 likes on fb deal- so I go to her fb wall to see y'all's post.


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## jimandpj

I just wanted everyone to think about it, and I'm glad that we are.

Lee - thanks. 

PJ


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## Jenny M

I'm glad to see this thread. I've trying to get a handle on FB & it's confusing as heck to me! I've resisted it for so long because I don't know what's acceptable & what's verboten. The whole concept is difficult for me to process. It seems like it could be a huge waste of time & just a way to mess with people (& them with you) if you don't use it correctly. 

So, does a biz page really help your biz? I've set one up but still don't really know what to do with it. And every time I do post I think I screwed something up. I'm way too timid for my own good. I need to get over myself.


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## Aja-Sammati

:rofl Because they sent links to her website 4 times a day, that is why! Plus it is my personal page- my local competition posts on my biz page, and I never delete her, not even when she posts as her biz! I am a clean wall freak- I delete most extra stuff from my wall every day anyway- OCD 

I feel very Wayne's World towards PJ & her family's brilliant marketing & work- "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!" I am definitely not in competition with PJ!

The trick to getting the most out of your biz page on FB is the targeted advertising. I know a local lotion bar maker (that is all she makes) that grew to national distribution and incredible expansion by careful use of the advertising. She was very inspirational! Some day I may try it. Right now it just gives my farm fans a place to check the latest news.


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## SherrieC

So your saying someone Posted On your Wall? Or just commenting on posts? Commenting on posts could easily be done without thinking about it, but outright Posting on your wall an ad, or a " hey I make soap and lotion too" is Over the top rude.


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## jimandpj

Yep - outright posting on my wall saying, "I make soap and lotion, here's my link, check it out." 

I agree. Over the top rude.

PJ


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## jimandpj

Jenny - we find our facebook page invaluable. But it does take a LOT of time.

Michelle - I was voted "most likely to succeed" in my high school and said that some day I wanted to be a CEO. I stopped to have a family first, but this is something I've always wanted to do. But I work way too hard and what I do isn't for everyone. And that's ok. Some people really just enjoy making soap and selling a few bars. It's all about your personal goals. Me, I'm working toward my own personal soap empire. 

PJ


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## NubianSoaps.com

My good friend Ric said, it just takes one person to make you the Vera Wang of soap....little did I know that the one person was me, nobody else  Vicki


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## Aja-Sammati

> Me, I'm working toward my own personal soap empire.


I think you already have it! I don't want to make & sell just a few bars- but I never want to be really large, either. For you guys, with the kids, it is very family oriented (CEO=mother anyway :lol). Our ultimate goal is still a creamery- my soft cheeses are to die for, my soap is just really nice.


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## jimandpj

Thanks, Michelle!

I hope that you reach your goal some day soon! 

PJ


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## Caprine Beings

Just my input here, I will share my soaps on others pages, and yes usually private pages, but sometimes I even share their soaps on my page. I cannot see the sense in hogging FB pages for only self, it is a public sharing program. I do believe there are options that allow you the owner of your page to not "allow" additional photos/comments on business pages. I want people to share their soaps, others see it and MAYBE get a sale from it. But hey...I am a sharing person. And I do usually ask first and if I haven't I mention its okay to delete it...you don't have to ban me-I can get the drift without that happening (a little excessive in my opinion).

On that note...I have never posted pics on your page. So I am innocent 
Tam


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## jimandpj

Tam - I know you didn't.  Like I said, this wasn't directed at anybody here at DGI, it's just been happening more and more lately so I thought I'd start a conversation on it, because apparently people do have differing opinions on what is acceptable and what isn't.

And you may be quick enough to "get the drift" without banning, but I can guarantee you there are lots of people out there who are doing this to many, many sites and not tracking who is deleting their posts and would not get the drift, and need to be banned. Jim has gotten to the point where he has had to ban so many, that he just takes a shortcut and bans them at the beginning. 

PJ


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## Anita Martin

Well, apparently, I've been using facebook all wrong! If you go to my wall, I've "liked" most of your soap businesses and and happily allowed anything related to others businesses to stay on my wall. I don't usually "like" a persons business as myself because I don't necessarily want all that advertising on my personal wall. Well, I guess I'll have to rethink it and go "unlike" everybody...LOL, nope, probably won't do that. I thought the business page was the page where we got to converse with other businesses, support each other, etc.? My landing page is my wall, and not "Home". Maybe that makes a difference?


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## jimandpj

Anita - that's what Linked In is for - conversing with other business people.

In my opinion, your FB business page is where you should be advertising YOUR business. It should be all about your soaps and goats. Use your personal page if you want to share other people's soaps/goats/interests. But why bother having a FB business page if you're not going to make it all about your business??? Just stick with a personal page if that's what you want to do.

As for landing pages, most people default to the wall page unless you have a customized landing page done. We had this one done a while ago:
http://www.facebook.com/goatmilkstuff?sk=app_6009294086

PJ

PJ


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## hsmomof4

There is a difference between your "Wall" and your "News Feed". Things that your friends post on their own walls, and things that businesses that you "like" post on their pages, will show up in your "News Feed." This is something that you see, but not something that other people who might look at your "Wall" would see. People can post things directly to your "Wall," if it's something they want to make sure you see, for example, all those "Happy Birthday!" greetings, but you can control whether you allow this or not. 

When you have a business page, you can use FB as yourself or use FB as your business. If you are using FB as yourself and go to your business page, what you see is pretty close to what everyone else who visits your business page sees. If you switch over and use FB as your business, "home" becomes a "News Feed" for all the things you "like" as a business page. That is NOT the same as what is on your business page, just as your "News Feed" (aka "Home" when the "News Feed" tab to the left is highlighted, instead of "Messages" or "Events" etc) is not the same as your "Wall", which should be there when you click "Anita" at the top right of the page on FB.


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## Kalne

When I joined facebook I made mine a personal page but included the business name......only because I really didn't know what to do with it. LOL I'm still not sure either except I think I need to have two separate pages as suggested.


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## Faye Farms

I would certainly have two separate pages if I was any sort of business. I just think it's easier. While the majority of my FB postings and interactions I keep on a more business level. I think it's nice to have my personal page to post stuff I want to share but not on my business page. Then I can post on other people's walls as myself and not worry about the whole un-welcome cross-advertising thing.


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## jimandpj

Kathy - yep, two separate pages. Heather said it perfectly. 

PJ


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## tlcnubians

There are just too many "places" out there on the internet these days! I keep my soap business on my website and my personal interactions with people on FB, YahooGroups and this forum. I do have a TLC Farms FB page but only because it's easier to post goat-related stuff like pictures there. I keep having people invite me to join them on Linked In and now something else, but that's just more than I can deal with . . .


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## NubianSoaps.com

If your friends are only other goat folks, having a FB page for your business, and then having a closed wall to friends or friends of friends only isn't really a business page. You have to keep a public wall.....other goat owners aren't going to buy your soap, their friends already make soap or they make it themselves....so friend your interests.....mine are politics, dogs, alpacas and gardening....we did over 100 valentines baskets just from FB alone, many more at Christmas and are now going to start the talking about the website redo in time for mothers day.

It's like the beautiful gloves I am going to get from Jennifer, as soon as I saw them I thought, dang I would hook up with the alpaca folks and get their wool, sell the gloves made out of alpaca, even back to them, to sell with their wool and I bet they would buy your goatmilk soap also! 

There is so much opportunity on FB but you do have to get out of your comfort zone. Yes you have to block people, and unsubscribe to feeds, so there religious or political stuff isn't all over your feeds.

After loosing my Japan buyer during the tsunami, I now have bars going back to Japan in a suitcase of a new friend vacationing there.....always think about your marketing.

One of my ridgeback contacts on facebook, had a bitch with a rash on her teats, she had been using this crap from the vet, I sent her a free bar of my eucalyptus soap to use, and told her to stop using anything harsh on her...it cleared up just as soon as she stopped the harsh treatment (and gives all the credit to my soap) and now wants to wrap (in cute brown on brown wrapping paper with paw prints on it) my soap herself to sell at shows. Get out of your comfort zone, meet new folks on FB!


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## nightskyfarm

:yeahthat

I have public wall on my business Facebook page and if a post is there that I feel doesn't work, I remove it. Not that hard to do. Annoying perhaps, but like DGI it is a public forum. When you put your business out on Facebook it needs to be public unlike your personal page which you can tailor to what you want to see and have others see. Facebook I have found is a wonderful marketing tool and fun as well. My contact info is also on my Business page:email, telephone and address. It is essentially is a storefront and as such you would display all that info.


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## Anita Martin

Vicki, your information is excellent. Yes, I'm still a little confused. I do understand the business page and the personal page...both are open to the public. When friending "interests" am I correct in friending them as my business page? I have a ton of info on my personal page to all my business stuff, and have 2 business pages one for the goats/soap and one for my hoof trimming business. They get very little traffic and few likes...but I hate pushing these on my personal page, seems rude to me....LOL I'll get this one day soon I hope! I'm very active on all my facebook pages, guess I need to do more research!


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## Anita Martin

Well, I just went over to facebook and could not figure out how in the world to friend based on interests. With Twitter it's easy. Don't see one of those buttons on facebook. Do you look up the interests online with a google search and friend them that way?


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## [email protected]

Anita, look up groups. Say--gardening. Type 'gardening' in the search and it should have groups in the drop down. Join groups that you like and then friend people from there. Advertise your 'gardener's' soap.


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## Faye Farms

OK, friending. Do you just just friend anybody and everybody just going down the list? Or do you only friend somebody if you feel you have some sort of connection (even if just a little one)?


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## NubianSoaps.com

I post on the site awhile, friend a few folks once I figure out who is who (there is always someone who runs the place even if they don't own it). Eventually folks start friending you also. On your wall up at the top is a place to accept friends you can then click on the red link and it will take you to another section of all those who are freinds of your friends.....on Lonesome Doe Nubians I simply friend folks who have goat photos up...but on my name wall, which also goes to Nubian soaps, I go through the contact lists and friend everyone who is on there that doesn't have goats...I do have those who have friended or liked my page that do have goats, but that isn't a goal. It doesn't always work so I simply unfriend the wall and move on. Blocking and unfriending is not some huge emotional deal 

Someone was mean to a gal who appears to be Muslim from her clothes on facebook and wouldn't friend her when she was just interested in your soap, she ordered my 4 bar pack, because I friend anybody  and called me today and is going to sell the soap to her church community, ordering 36 bars. So yep it's stepping out of your comfort zone...and remember you can always ban/block anyone who creeps you out later on, like my guys who PM me late at night and not even in English  I will talk goats with someone in another language with google translater, but not chatting! Vicki


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