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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to be annoyed with my clients?

98 replies

MalibuStacy · 07/06/2014 07:06

I am fully prepared to be told IABU, but here goes…

I fun a very small business where I go to people's houses to carry out a service. I love my business and am in the process of going full-time. I have recently quit my job to just focus on this.

I have quite a few long-standing clients but not enough to sustain me doing this full-time, so I am desperately trying to push the business as much as I can. I have set up a Facebook page advertising my business and make regular posts with offers, etc. I have asked all my clients - very nicely and politely - if they wouldn't mind 'Liking' my page on FB and 'Sharing' my latest offer so that all their friends will see it. All have said they will, but not one actually has.

People really like the service I offer, I am frequently told I am a 'lifesaver' (I'm not) and they ask what they would do if my service did not exist. So why not support me in growing the business? Is it too much to ask? Fair enough if you are not on FB, but all my clients are.

At this rate I am going to have to give it up. I am really annoyed with them for not supporting me.

AIBU?

OP posts:
magpiegin · 07/06/2014 08:36

I agree with Ice- if I see a friend like a business page I assume it's a friend/ family member. If I was looking for a local service I personally look for a good clear web page (with prices clearly marked- online booking makes me more likely to use too) I don't remember ever using a service from a facebook page.

HermioneWeasley · 07/06/2014 08:38

Have you thought about groupon, living social etc?

You could also offer a discount to existing clients for each new client they refer.

lucidlady · 07/06/2014 08:40

Why are you giving away ÂŁ200 of treatments for free every month?

springchickennolonger · 07/06/2014 08:40

I understand your frustration completely, but I would hate to be tagged or asked to "like" on fb.

What about asking them to wrire a short testimonial instead? You can provide the words and just ask them to endorse by signing "Spring from Swindon" or whatever.

I also agree on the leaflets: loads of work for little tangible gain.

Have you tried business-specific sites such as Linkedin or similar?

trixymalixy · 07/06/2014 08:45

Why are you giving her the treatment free?

Auntimatter · 07/06/2014 08:45

Why do you think having your page liked on Facebook will increase your client base?

If a friend had nice nails/makeup/whatever And I was in the market for that sort of thing I would ask her who she'd recommend. And if people are really good they get recommended unprompted.

If a friend had liked a beautician on Facebook I seriously doubt I would notice, let alone follow it up to the point if using that beautician.

MalibuStacy · 07/06/2014 08:46

Thanks everyone, some really good ideas. 500Smiles, I have PM'd you.

OP posts:
EvaBeaversProtege · 07/06/2014 08:46

Have you sent them pm or invites to like the page? Often I'll say "I must look that up on FB" then forget all about it!

A reminder might not be a bad idea?

Groovee · 07/06/2014 08:46

I'd stop giving the free treatments as she's on a free ride.

Try local parenting pages on FB and your local selling page, offer some intro offers.

LoveBeingInTheSun · 07/06/2014 08:47

Also have you tried your mn local page? Some are really taking off now

MalibuStacy · 07/06/2014 08:49

Actually, I trained to do the additional service, and found I didn't actually need the practice, ironically enough. But I have stuck to my word. I just wish she had stuck to hers.

Does that make me sound bitter and entitled?

OP posts:
geesmum1 · 07/06/2014 08:50

Why don't you post an advert with a competition type slant. Lots of facebook business pages seem to be doing this. So you ask people to like and share your page for a chance to win a free treatment then invite your fb friends to do this, their contacts subsequently see it and do the same and so your advert spreads. Then you pick a winner and publish the results. You could do this regularly and should get a good response and wide coverage.

MalibuStacy · 07/06/2014 08:50

Oh, I wish we had a MN Local page. They won't give us one Sad

OP posts:
MintyCoolMojito · 07/06/2014 08:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LoveBeingInTheSun · 07/06/2014 09:13

?

What about nethuns, your local fb spotted page with a special offer?

Selks · 07/06/2014 09:16

Just tell your client you are now operating a new system for free treatments. To qualify for a free treatment the client must show a screenshot of the shared or liked page. Say you are doing this for everyone receiving free treatments.

MalibuStacy · 07/06/2014 09:16

LoveBeingInTheSun, are you taking the piss? Forgive me if you're not Grin

OP posts:
AuntieVenom · 07/06/2014 09:17

How about a loyalty card scheme of some sort? Something where they have a card that you stamp or punch every time they get a particular treatment or service and every 10th visit/treatment they get something free. What you could do is use the freebie to showcase an additional treatment and use it as an opportunity to up sell.

MintyCoolMojito · 07/06/2014 09:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dietcokefan · 07/06/2014 09:49

clogging up their friends pages with advertising spam "Sharing' my latest offer so that all their friends will see it

corrected that for you! Sorry, why on earth should your clients pester their friends - I'd be pissed off with any friend who tried to push some mobile beauty service, that I would never use, on to me.

pluCaChange · 07/06/2014 11:16

I agree about the "spamming" aspect of Facebook likes. Also, many people use Facebook precisely to keep in touch with non-local friends, so adverts may not always as targeted as you believe (although your clients may be different, having a RL/FB overlap).

How long have you been providing free treatments to this person? Be careful how you tell her she is having/ has had her last free treatment, as bad-mouthing is much easier than clicking "like"! It doesn't matter that she's not entitled to "free " treatments beyond what you are prepared to do, for the sake of her business; she sounds as though she is the sort to be most annoyed when she is in the wrong! Confused

Viviennemary · 07/06/2014 11:21

Well I can see your point. But most people use FB as a social thing and might not want to get involved in promoting businesses or tagging. Why not think about other ways of advertising and promotion. Like offering a discount to introduce a friend. Or a two for one offer for a friend. Or dropping leaflets through doors and so on. I see you have tried refer a friend. And stop doing freebies for this person as you aren't getting anything out of it.

Meloria · 07/06/2014 11:26

I avoid liking businesses on Facebook because, like someone said above, it's a social thing. I don't want a potential employer or a new friend looking me up and seeing every restaurant I go to or where I get my bits waxed.

Some people like businesses, some people don't bit I think you're being a bit immature if you're so hurt by client with whom you have a business relationship not liking you or referring their own friends.

BIWI · 07/06/2014 11:33

You're making several mistakes here.

First, you say you've quit your job to focus on this new venture. Have you prepared a business plan as part of this? Do you have a projected cashflow? Do you have a marketing plan? Have you identified who you want to market to?

Second, Facebook is the wrong medium for this kind of business - you need something much more locally focused. Your local newpaper and/or (if there is one) free local magazine. (We get a very glossy one circulated here which has loads of articles/ads for local businesses and yours would be perfect).

You don't need to consider advertising in them all the time, but you should be aware that you need to so something to create awareness of you in your neighbourhood.

Have you branded your car/vehicle that you use to visit people? Driving around your neighbourhood with your company name/telephone number/email address is a really good way to increase relevant awareness and, hopefully, interest.

Contact the editor of your local paper(s)/magazine(s) and offer them a free treatment or two, to get you some good PR - if you're doing something new/different, for example, this would form the basis of a story, which papers often want/need.

Print up a good quality leaflet/flyer, and distribute it in the area you have identified as your target market/area. It's worth spending a bit of money here to make it look (and sound) good, as you're offering something that's about aesthetics. As part of that you could include a coupon for money off a treatment, or a free treatment if they buy another treatment.

Why don't you have a local MN? I thought MNHQ were really keen to develop the local boards. But if you really don't have one, ask MN if you can pay for an ad on MN, and make sure that the subject line clearly identifies the area that you're practising in.

You say that other marketing things have been too expensive/too little a return - what have you tried already?

Third stop relying on your clients to do your work for you. They won't. Or if they do, it's something very nice to have (word of mouth is irreplaceable,) but you can't count on it. And stop taking it personally! This is a business you're trying to run.

Fourth, for goodness sake stop giving your 'client' so much free stuff! People don't value things if they're free. And this woman is really taking the piss, never mind taking up time that you could be using to earn an income elsewhere.

LoveBeingInTheSun · 07/06/2014 11:34

No really, as you've found it's hard to get people to like, you've just got to get out there and get I front of people. You'd be surprised who you might find on them!