Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Mick Kent on April 09, 2018, 09:45:21 pm
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What are your views/experiences?
Your best hits and regular retention rate?
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Retention rate , dont make me laugh Mick ;D
I never get as far as a first clean , they all seem to want it yesterday , at a certain time , when the dog aint home , when the kids are at school , and at a greatly reduced rate as they are moving next week and money is a bit tight ;D ;D ;D
Apart from that i have never had a problem with it ;D ;D ;D
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My experience is none. My view is that I personally wouldn't entertain FB for my business!!
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FB customers are sure way to a complete and utter nightmare.
Like P@F said.... Retention rate , dont make me laugh Mick ;D
I never get as far as a first clean , they all seem to want it yesterday , at a certain time , when the dog aint home , when the kids are at school , and at a greatly reduced rate as they are moving next week and money is a bit tight ;D ;D ;D
Don't do this, and you will get a load of negative reviews.
Plus i don't want customers that are more interested in their 'Social Image' over day to day stuff. Id much rather have word of mouth recommendations, had a social media pushing lady the other day offer 'advice' on how to reach more people and get more work, my reply was I don't need to go on facebook to find decent customers thanks.
Anyway Facebook will be gone in 5 years
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You are missing a trick guys.
Yes you will get a good old percentage of Messer's from Facebook.
But no more than you do with canvassed work.
Disable reviews on your FB page as yes you do get a few tossers
I've just spent £100 this last week and picked up over 10 new customers from about 20 enquiries plus a few one off jobs that I didn't really want, couple of gutters and a conny.
Yes you get a lot of price shoppers, but it's throw enough mud at the wall and see what sticks.
Marc, if you want to grow fast, Facebook ads will be hugely beneficial to you.
I've added 10k a year to my round since Christmas, half of it is from Facebook and I bet I've not spent much more than £300 on ads this year.
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Personally get more work than I can shake a stick at from my web site , recomendation , certainly wouldn’t go any where near face book most are messers so friends tell me
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love getting FB customers. i ask a few loaded questions on initial enquiry "want monthly or just a 1 off? [same price] "
if they take the bait and say just a one off thanks i then tell them my bro is doin the 1 offs and he will be in touch. a few hours later i then block them. this filters out the trashy
iv also got a fake FB profile,a big momma loud n opinionated. i get "her" to comment on my facebook posts "when are you coming to mine?"
"coming friday ma"am"
"can you clean my neybours same day,he keeps on asking "
"sure ,no probs"
at that point others [genuine ] chime in, "got time to do mine too?"
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Wow..how professional & what a faff!
I don’t bother with Fakebook myself. Got better things to do with my life.
A good website, word of mouth, signwritten vans, uniforms etc are the way to go IMO.
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I actually bought a book about Facebook and how to get the best out of it, in terms of advertising, 10 pages in you take a test, it advised me that Google is better for a window cleaning business :)....this was also backed up by Daisy from Digitool who was at the last window cleaning show in september, they specialise in online marketing and advertising.....Also from my experience the quality of customers is poor
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Just woke up to 2 new enquires off facebook.
If you just want to standstill then walk up, referals, website will keep you ticking over or growing very slowly.
If you are actively looking to grow fast you won't beat social media, it's right up there with canvassing.
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I actually bought a book about Facebook and how to get the best out of it, in terms of advertising, 10 pages in you take a test, it advised me that Google is better for a window cleaning business :)....this was also backed up by Daisy from Digitool who was at the last window cleaning show in september, they specialise in online marketing and advertising.....Also from my experience the quality of customers is poor
Google ads only show up when someone is actively looking for a window cleaner.
So from those ads or from organic SEO you will get better quality customers.
Facebook and FB ads is more like canvassing or leafletting, you are are putting your add in front of anyone and hoping they bite. So you get more Messer's and more prices shoppers.
If you are already at the top of page 1 or close like me then AdWords does very little. Also in most areas Google searches for window cleaning is very low, you won't get the volume of enquiries.
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It's down to the quality of client that you want to attract.
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ive never used facebook as im not after more work(apart from word of mouth,walk ups and recommendations) but if you want to grow quickly why wouldnt you use facebook?its just another avenue that could lead to more customers,add it on to canvassing,leafletting,website,advertising in local parish magazines,etc,etc and you ll have all the work you need within a few years.....
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It's down to the quality of client that you want to attract.
Absoloutely. You will get better work from recomendation and walk ups in general as they are actively seeking you.
That doesnt mean ALL fb users are scumbags lol
Ive picked up some cracking jobs from Fb, some very nice customers, a lot of dross mind.
You can help the situation my limiting your ads to certain areas, you can also target certain demographic such as education level, or job sector.
For example you could target 30-60 year old with degree level qualifications living in a certain postcode area. Its no guarantee of course but it tip the odds in your favour they will have a couple of quid and be a decent human.
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In general, not just FB, I've found that non-targeted advertising requires a lot of work filtering out mid-terrace houses, bad parking areas, generally poor access and a whole load of other things. Although it's more foot slogging, it's why I prefer to canvass work myself or select the properties where I wish to drop leaflets.
Of course, if I were employing others to carry out the cleaning, it wouldn't matter as much because I would still be turning some profit on an awkward job and someone else would have the hassle of overcoming any problems.
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But you can’t give your employee all the dross or he’ll just get peed off.
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But you can’t give your employee all the dross or he’ll just get peed off.
I did say ".. if I were employing ... ". I'm not, so it doesn't arise.
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Just woke up to 2 new enquires off facebook.
If you just want to standstill then walk up, referals, website will keep you ticking over or growing very slowly.
If you are actively looking to grow fast you won't beat social media, it's right up there with canvassing.
I’m not having a dig, but that’s probably why your prices are on the low side.
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nothing wrong with prices on the low side . oh i know the word on the forums is "price high,work smarter not harder"
but i subscribe to the school of thought to "work harder -at a modest price" [not foolhardy low low price however]
when i first started out i often took a grabbed brekky in McD and took a lot of pointers from how they work/ their business model and incorporated some of it in my own biz. in my own town are also quite a few medium to high priced eateries and high priced window cleaners , or should i say Were-many of these have folded in recent years -prices too high they sat empty much of the time [or sat at home ]and no matter if the food was nice or they did a very good clean - they withered on the vine
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recently on FB i noticed a new baked potato shop takeaway is about to open in town. i commented on their page "are you going to be low ,medium or high prices?"
"thank you for your interest ,,we plan to be on the medium + side price wise"
i bet the place lasts under a year
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That doesnt mean ALL fb users are scumbags lol
No, but if you sleep with dogs, you'll get fleas.
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That doesnt mean ALL fb users are scumbags lol
No, but if you sleep with dogs, you'll get fleas.
;D
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What do you get if you sleep with pigs ?
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What do you get if you sleep with pigs ?
Sausage.
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Just woke up to 2 new enquires off facebook.
If you just want to standstill then walk up, referals, website will keep you ticking over or growing very slowly.
If you are actively looking to grow fast you won't beat social media, it's right up there with canvassing.
I’m not having a dig, but that’s probably why your prices are on the low side.
Its got nothing to do with it .
My prices are on the high side.
im a bit bored of you prodding at me now.. you keep going on about these low prices. I live in the north mate, i know what others charge locally and im right up there price wise
so kindly jog on.
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recently on FB i noticed a new baked potato shop takeaway is about to open in town. i commented on their page "are you going to be low ,medium or high prices?"
"thank you for your interest ,,we plan to be on the medium + side price wise"
i bet the place lasts under a year
Think they'll jacket in?
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Im glad so many think fb customers are poor quality..
:-*
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Im glad so many think fb customers are poor quality..
:-*
I personally don’t do Facebook but friends that do tell me that most enquiries they get are people price shopping , or are low end jobs in terms of monetary value or ones looking for one off cleans cheap , most of my friends will not bother with Facebook as it has been a waist of time for the results that they have got maybe it is an area thing certain parts of the country it might work well and others it’s a waist of time , don’t shoot the messenger but this is the general opinion in my area from a group of about a dozen or so cleaners
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Im glad so many think fb customers are poor quality..
:-*
I personally don’t do Facebook but friends that do tell me that most enquiries they get are people price shopping , or are low end jobs in terms of monetary value or ones looking for one off cleans cheap , most of my friends will not bother with Facebook as it has been a waist of time for the results that they have got maybe it is an area thing certain parts of the country it might work well and others it’s a waist of time , don’t shoot the messenger but this is the general opinion in my area from a group of about a dozen or so cleaners
That’s my experience. That said I’ve never posted on the local selling pages, but I’ve been tagged on posts. I’ve tried advertising on Facebook and picked up a few but it’s expensive compared to leaflets.
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That’s my experience. That said I’ve never posted on the local selling pages, but I’ve been tagged on posts. I’ve tried advertising on Facebook and picked up a few but it’s expensive compared to leaflets.
How are you advertising on Facebook for it to be more expensive than leaflets?
I did a boosted post a while back, cost me £1 a day for 2 weeks. It reached 5000+ (targeted) people. The return rate for 5000 was lower than leaflets but not compared to £14 worth of leaflets, which is practically none.
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That’s my experience. That said I’ve never posted on the local selling pages, but I’ve been tagged on posts. I’ve tried advertising on Facebook and picked up a few but it’s expensive compared to leaflets.
How are you advertising on Facebook for it to be more expensive than leaflets?
I did a boosted post a while back, cost me £1 a day for 2 weeks. It reached 5000+ (targeted) people. The return rate for 5000 was lower than leaflets but not compared to £14 worth of leaflets, which is practically none.
A boosted post. It cost £120 over a month and brought in 4 customers worth about £500 a year. Perhaps the ad was poor? I didn’t compare reach, only results.
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These are my results on FB ads for the past 2 weeks.
Roughly 15 new window customers
Plus a couple of one off jobs.
Way better return than leaflets from my experience.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1523515833_Screenshot_20180412-074706.png)
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1523515845_Screenshot_20180412-074717.png)
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I live in a working class small town in the North West, I quote high for my area, don't get all the work I quote for but I have quality local stuff.
wouldn't touch FB with a bargepole
I've been a WC for 26 years
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These are my results on FB ads for the past 2 weeks.
Roughly 15 new window customers
Plus a couple of one off jobs.
Way better return than leaflets from my experience.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1523515833_Screenshot_20180412-074706.png)
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1523515845_Screenshot_20180412-074717.png)
Ok. I misunderstood. You’re not posting on selling boards. Those results are impressive. Can I see your ad?
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What do you get if you sleep with pigs ?
Pigs in blankets.
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A boosted post. It cost £120 over a month and brought in 4 customers worth about £500 a year. Perhaps the ad was poor? I didn’t compare reach, only results.
With a boosted post I've found that you need to target the audience. You are only paying for the people who see it so half(ish) of the people who saw your post were probably men, who are unlikely to give a flying fuchsia about their windows. Limit the spend to a couple of quid a day and do a narrower area, somewhere you know has a shoddy shiner for example, or where someone has recently jacked in.
I find it particularly useful for rural areas where leafleting on foot isn't really viable. It's a smaller reach but better target.
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A boosted post. It cost £120 over a month and brought in 4 customers worth about £500 a year. Perhaps the ad was poor? I didn’t compare reach, only results.
With a boosted post I've found that you need to target the audience. You are only paying for the people who see it so half(ish) of the people who saw your post were probably men, who are unlikely to give a flying fuchsia about their windows. Limit the spend to a couple of quid a day and do a narrower area, somewhere you know has a shoddy shiner for example, or where someone has recently jacked in.
I find it particularly useful for rural areas where leafleting on foot isn't really viable. It's a smaller reach but better target.
Good points.
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These are my results on FB ads for the past 2 weeks.
Roughly 15 new window customers
Plus a couple of one off jobs.
Way better return than leaflets from my experience.
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1523515833_Screenshot_20180412-074706.png)
(http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/1523515845_Screenshot_20180412-074717.png)
Ok. I misunderstood. You’re not posting on selling boards. Those results are impressive. Can I see your ad?
No but only because I keep getting banned for spamming them.
Don't write selling boards off its a much cheaper way of doing it just takes more work and I'm lazy lol so I find it easier just paying.
If you go on my Facebook and search Thompson pro cleaning you should find my page to look at.
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
Good luck mick, personally I couldn't think of anything worse than servicing 200 FB customers!! ;D
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
I think it's great most think it's a load of rubbish.
Get it right and the R.O.I is fantastic imo.
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
How are you doing this mick?
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
Good luck mick, personally I couldn't think of anything worse than servicing 200 FB customers!! ;D
All are in the same 3 mile radius and also have a canvasser canvassing each road as i clean.
Retention is spot on so far with tbe load i have done all paid and were happy as larry to go on go cardless only having a handful that were just 1 offs.
All £10 fronts or £15 front and back small terrace amd semi's..cant complain at all
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
How are you doing this mick?
I simply put an add on a group page with 36k members that ill be cleaning in that area next week and if anyone wanted to join the round.
I havnt a fb page or pay to boost whatever that is about?
Just a simple add on a community page.
Luckily my mate is admin so my add doesnt get deleted as advertising.
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It would take ages to leaflet or canvass 36k houses.
Took seconds to post on fb.
Time will tell but the last good hit i had on fb last year i had over 60 percent retention so was more than happy with that although much less responce than this time.. im guessing the quiet easter weekend allowed many more to see the advert.
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
That’s very good we couldn’t cope with an extra 200 jobs are you very short on work or expanding ? I don’t know many people that could cope with that amount of extra work we find it hard enough keeping up with web site enquiries and recommendations I have been thinking about taking the website down as we are that busy but it’s good for the commercial work that I want to expand
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
That’s very good we couldn’t cope with an extra 200 jobs are you very short on work or expanding ? I don’t know many people that could cope with that amount of extra work we find it hard enough keeping up with web site enquiries and recommendations I have been thinking about taking the website down as we are that busy but it’s good for the commercial work that I want to expand
No i cant keep up with it all. I was only trying to gain an extra 3/4 jobs on a day where i could do with a few more when boom...this happened. Going to do a few months of 10 hour days with a few Saturdays to confine the work and compact it with canvassing around the jobs gained then either sell or sub the work out to another cleaner. I didnt expect the responce i got at all.
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
Yea, that’s 20 a day. For 10 days. What a load of old flannel.
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
Yea, that’s 20 a day. For 10 days. What a load of old flannel.
Sorry but i dont lie. I have no need to.
Im always on the ball when it comes to making pound notes... :-*
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Also i took post down as to much reaponce it was more 30/40 new customers messaging me.
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Have gained nearly 200 customers since easter weekend from FB.
Yea, that’s 20 a day. For 10 days. What a load of old flannel.
All paid...... and all on go cardless too!! Good old CIU!! ;D ;D
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I'm with Adam on this.
Started a page boost last night on a timed showing from 7am to 10pm so last night it ran for 2 hours from starting it.
Got one last night and one so far today both priced up and doing tomorrow.
£50 over 14 days so £3.50 per day with an estimated reach of 230,000 in a 5 mile radius.
Try leafleting that for £50.
I go visit every lead I get off it so can usually filter out the messers.
Also you get the add on jobs this way with Google you just get people wanting window cleaning.
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I'm with Adam on this.
Started a page boost last night on a timed showing from 7am to 10pm so last night it ran for 2 hours from starting it.
Got one last night and one so far today both priced up and doing tomorrow.
£50 over 14 days so £3.50 per day with an estimated reach of 230,000 in a 5 mile radius.
Try leafleting that for £50.
I go visit every lead I get off it so can usually filter out the messers.
Also you get the add on jobs this way with Google you just get people wanting window cleaning.
It’s the cost per customer acquired that’s the key measure rather than the theoretical reach. Others results are better than mine but I’ll give it another go taking into account the suggestions.
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I picked up two customers today from Facebook..its funny cos i dont have Facebook.
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I picked up two customers today from Facebook..its funny cos i dont have Facebook.
The only reason I have a FB business account is, I saw a post on a local buy and sell group asking about window cleaners. One of my customers had recommended me and linked to a facebook page in my company name. I guess if enough people look for something facebook will open a page anyway.
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I'm with Adam on this.
Started a page boost last night on a timed showing from 7am to 10pm so last night it ran for 2 hours from starting it.
Got one last night and one so far today both priced up and doing tomorrow.
£50 over 14 days so £3.50 per day with an estimated reach of 230,000 in a 5 mile radius.
Try leafleting that for £50.
I go visit every lead I get off it so can usually filter out the messers.
Also you get the add on jobs this way with Google you just get people wanting window cleaning.
You couldn’t reach 230,000 other people by leafleting for £50 but if you think one out of 220,000 is a good return crack on. Personally I don’t think it could get any worse. It’s feckin diabolical.
Your last line shows how much you don’t know.
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Well totally copying Adam’s post I’ve picked up three today. Obviously I changed the phone number. Each job was a £20 semi, so £360 a year. Even an old dog who thinks he knows everything can learn something.
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I'm with Adam on this.
Started a page boost last night on a timed showing from 7am to 10pm so last night it ran for 2 hours from starting it.
Got one last night and one so far today both priced up and doing tomorrow.
£50 over 14 days so £3.50 per day with an estimated reach of 230,000 in a 5 mile radius.
Try leafleting that for £50.
I go visit every lead I get off it so can usually filter out the messers.
Also you get the add on jobs this way with Google you just get people wanting window cleaning.
You couldn’t reach 230,000 other people by leafleting for £50 but if you think one out of 220,000 is a good return crack on. Personally I don’t think it could get any worse. It’s feckin diabolical.
Your last line shows how much you don’t know.
Got to say his last line is the total opposite of my experience. Just one offs.
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https://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2018/04/71-per-cent-of-people-use-this-site-to-find-tradespeople/
Despite recent headlines, Facebook was voted the go-to website for Britons researching services online. 71 per cent of respondents said that they would check out a company or worker on the site before getting in touch with them.
But hey, you guys know best.
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Another £50 spent this week on fb, another 8 first cleans booked in for next week.
Also had 3 gutter jobs and an fsg that I didn't want.
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Facebook is way up there for advertising monthly window cleaning. Once you get your settings right I would say it's better than canvassing and certainly more cost effective. Yes you get your messers and I have written in excess of 1000 notes in bad payers off but once you have got rid of them your laughing. I am too trusting and let customers go to 3 , 4, 5 weeks but I have stopped that now.. anyone that says Facebook is no good has either not tried it, or not given it enough time to give an honest and informed opinion. It's a very very powerful tool if used correctly.
R
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Popcorn anyone?
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Popcorn anyone?
And a $5 shake.
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some of my customers have mentioned lately that they ve seen my name being banded about on local facebook groups in my area and im not even on facebook! ;D
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some of my customers have mentioned lately that they ve seen my name being banded about on local facebook groups in my area and im not even on facebook! ;D
That's what happened to me. Eventually an unclaimed Facebook page appeared under our company name. So I claimed it, no choice I felt.