User Power
Value/Post Ratio
57%
- Nov 25, 2020
- 35
- 20
Let me give you an example:
Less than a year ago, I read someone (not on this forum, but on some other forum related to business) saying that a "free way" to promote your business is to go into various groups on social media (e.g. Facebook) and then promote your business by saying you'll do [X, Y, Z] and perhaps offer a discount for 1st time customers.
So I did a simple experiment. I thought of a local business idea (e.g. pet boarding) and when I clicked on 4 somewhat populated "dog friendly" chat groups, one of the rules that popped up IN EVERY SINGLE GROUP was "no promotion." The threat was obviously being kicked from the group.
You can actually repeat this experiment yourself effortlessly. Try thinking up any generic idea (house cleaning, dog poop clean up, lawn mowing/landscaping, lighting work, etc.) and look at the various groups on FB (or whatever social media group suits you) and see if this or other rules constrain your ability to do so-called "free marketing."
I don't want to accuse people like this of lying or being dishonest. I think the more likely reason is that people back in...say, 2012 were able to do this successfully (I wouldn't know, I didn't really use FB back in 2012 but I assume the private regulations were a lot less stringent), but the barriers slowly crept upward over time and thus people in 2022 are required to seek alternative avenues.
Which is perfectly fine BTW - I don't mind, but people need to keep this in mind instead of religiously assuming what [X Person] did and supposedly succeeded is going to be a model that you can replicate.
Less than a year ago, I read someone (not on this forum, but on some other forum related to business) saying that a "free way" to promote your business is to go into various groups on social media (e.g. Facebook) and then promote your business by saying you'll do [X, Y, Z] and perhaps offer a discount for 1st time customers.
So I did a simple experiment. I thought of a local business idea (e.g. pet boarding) and when I clicked on 4 somewhat populated "dog friendly" chat groups, one of the rules that popped up IN EVERY SINGLE GROUP was "no promotion." The threat was obviously being kicked from the group.
You can actually repeat this experiment yourself effortlessly. Try thinking up any generic idea (house cleaning, dog poop clean up, lawn mowing/landscaping, lighting work, etc.) and look at the various groups on FB (or whatever social media group suits you) and see if this or other rules constrain your ability to do so-called "free marketing."
I don't want to accuse people like this of lying or being dishonest. I think the more likely reason is that people back in...say, 2012 were able to do this successfully (I wouldn't know, I didn't really use FB back in 2012 but I assume the private regulations were a lot less stringent), but the barriers slowly crept upward over time and thus people in 2022 are required to seek alternative avenues.
Which is perfectly fine BTW - I don't mind, but people need to keep this in mind instead of religiously assuming what [X Person] did and supposedly succeeded is going to be a model that you can replicate.
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