In the 20th century, people are now connecting through social networks. Facebook, being the leader in industry, is connecting people, colleagues, reuniting classmates and business associates using the Internet. Let’s use this social network to announce to people who have a personal interest, business relationship or similar interests that your business is having a grand opening. Considering many businesses are started by people who are leaving one industry to reinvent themselves in another, the wealth of resources, connection and personal relations built over these years of business interaction are severed instantly once the individual boxes up their office cubical. Many of these connections would like you to succeed in your new business venture and would be willing spread the word through their network of your grand opening.
Make it an Activity
Facebook allows users to post what they are doing right now! Let people know that you are stocking shelves for the grand opening, booking grand opening entertainment, creating a press release, talking to local news agencies and businesses about the grand opening. Keep the post current and build to the grand opening date. Making announcement days before is less effective because the social networking is not fully developed. Allow the anticipation to build. Pretty soon, friends will be contact you and asking “Are you ready for your big grand opening?”
Start the Networking
Facebook.com, is the most popular, free social networking environment, and is one of the easiest to find and acquire contacts or in social networking terms, friends. First, create an account making sure you use your real name, unlike Internet forums or bulletin boards, where fake names are common. The power behind Facebook is its ability to connect people by schools, companies, interests, hobbies and relies on you to recognizing individuals by name.
Second, enter your personal information. Personal information is the key to complete social networking. The more information supplied in these areas allows you and others to seek out individuals with the same desires and interests. For example, if you are leaving the aviation field and opening up a hobby shop, include in your personal information that your hobby is fling. Facebook will link you automatically to other individuals (friends) who share the same interest. This link to new “friends” will allow you to build a social network that you can announce your grand opening celebrations.
Connect with past classmates and colleagues in the same manner. Once you fill-out the school information, Facebook will search its database of schools and classmates in your graduating year. Many of these people will quickly seek you out and want to know what is happening in your life. Inform them about your grand opening and invite them to come see you at the grand opening.
Expand Social Networking through the Company
Encourage employees to create a Facebook page. Once created, ask them to make an announcement in their network of friends about the grand opening. The goal is to use the network to spread the word about the grand opening. Pictures can be uploaded; announcement can be posted along with a shout out of how the progress and development of the grand opening is going. Lastly, make sure you follow up with pictures of people who come from the network of friends. People who can’t attend that day will be interesting in seeing the pictures and will participate in the grand opening through your pictures.
Don’t put the Camera Away
Keep the digital camera ready after the grand opening, you may find many network friends will show up late in the week and you can capture the moment and share it with the network of friends who help make your grand opening a success. It will take a little work and time to build the social network of friends, but that work will make your grand opening and business stronger.
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