Marketing Monday: Social Media—what’s all the buzz?

These are great ideas.  I did try the Facebook thing once, but it wasn't my favorite venue.  Maybe I'll try it again.  I absolutley love blogging, because I LOVE writing and photography.  I also love the free exchange of information.  However, my dilemma has been in interesting people in my blog.  I had the same problem on Facebook- how to get people to notice me in the first place.  I did learn a lot on Facebook, but the lack of privacy has always been a concern to me.  That and the amount of time I was spending at the computer.

I adore working directly with people, love answering their questions, walking through any concerns or issues, and I especially love to hear their stories.  When I first started selling products I worked with a local herb shop owner and gave New Moon facials in her store.  It was incredibly moving to literally touch people's faces and make them feel beautiful.  I can't wait to start doing Farmer's Markets.  I have a friend who sells on PoppySwap and etsy, and she also does Farmer's Markets in the summer.  She promotes her online shops so that her summer customers can access her products in the Winter.  I think that is a fabulous idea!

We are not participating in social media at this time. We have reservations about it, and our low speed internet service is easily overwhelmed by the content of these social media pages. One of the great things about poppyswap is our access to community thru the forum. We are happy to contribute in this way and hope to build a strong sense of community with all of you!

Gwendolyn, (I love your name, especially the sound of it) thanks for sharing your appreciation of your internet business experience and your ideas for mutual promotion within our community.

Eleggua, (I'm not sure what your preferred name is) Teaching, sharing, loving are good words to live by!

Kristie, You make a great case for using social media! Still, I'm feeling negative about it especially after I heard a local lawyer/activist refer to it Wed. night as "facecrack", like an opening for "big brother" to look through. That was enough to prompt my partner, Steve to delete his facebook account yesterday.

So, I'll not be doing lesson three this week with you. Truthfully, I'm still working on lesson one! We are with you, lagging behind a bit, but we'll be content to make progress in the slow lane, for now.

We value your guidance on all things poppyswap!

Aline

Aline, I can understand your reservations as well.  My main concern with social networking sites is how easy it is to manipulate large numbers of people by exploiting their passions and emotions.  For instance, I told you that I am naturally inclined to be most moved by photographs of plants then by drawings.... social networking sites make it really easy to track these natural tendencies.  On a personal level, if my leaders are using these natural tendencies to make decisions that are in everyone's best interest- I would not have a problem with that.  However, if this information being used to benefit a few who give very little back- that's what I find heartbreaking.  It is not something that I can participate in.  For me, it is about finding a way to use my voice and my passion so that I am given the credit I deserve for my ideas and contributions and the opportunity to participate in building a community that has room for me and everyone else, too.  That's why I love blogging, and I am beginning to love the use of a public forum, though its still very difficult to speak so publicly and with no option to delete my comments if I change my mind later. 

I think my idea of community was shaped by my grandmother, who was a Mexican farmworker.  In her community, generosity is the rule, never the exception.  Everyone pitches in, gives what they can, and everyone trusts that the blessings will come back to them eventually- its not blind trust.  Everyone looks out for everyone else. My ideas of community were further shaped by my experiences in activism- everyone simply pitches in and works hard with the purpose of acheiving a goal that is for the greater good.  So, I've always had a hard time understanding anything else.  If we all help each other, we are all helping to elevate ourselves in the long run.... at least, that's what I always thought.  Social networking is a powerful took, but I am far too sensitive and protective of myself to use it.

Kristie, I'm glad you found my ideas inspiring.  That's the ideal, in my opinion.  To inspire one another and to reach higher ground together, as a community.

I think that life can be frustrating and fearful even when you are ready to dive in.  Everyone is different.   

LADIES!!! 

I love this thread. So much creativity, community and generosity. Its so cool that we can all share our successes and ideas because all of us share the same value to make the world and our herb community better!

Aline, the giveaway is a weekly promotion that we do through facebook to say thank you to our shoppers. Every week, someone who shopped on the site is selected and we send them a freebie from a vendor. The freebie can be from anyone who donates an item to the cause. The shoppers really love it. It makes them feel like the "won!!" something and it introduces them to a new seller. 

That seller is always announced on the facebook page and in newsletters with a link to their store.

If you'd like to be involved, just shoot me an email with the product you'd like to share. We'll put it out to our customers and then let you know when we have a winner! 

Let me know if you have more questions!

And thanks to everyone who's in conversation here...its truly beautiful.

xo Kiki