New Facebook Feature: More Local Pages You Might Like

To be honest, this may not technically be new, but it is the first time I’ve seen this feature, personally. Facebook often rolls out new features and functionality in waves to different users, so I’m curious – has anyone else seen it, yet?

Facebook Feature - More Local Pages You Might Like

Facebook Feature – More Local Pages You Might Like

A few thoughts follow – as scattered as they might be:

  • Anytime I see something “new” on social, I wonder, “what can we (marketers, publicists, online marketing people) do with this?”
  • Can we do some positive PR and leave a nice comment on the wall of a new page we found and say “Hi, I’m here because Facebook thought I might like you since I liked (insert name of other local business here)!”
    • Does that open the door to a nice note becoming a nasty-gram if that other business is actually a competitor? (We can’t really expect Facebook to NOT suggest direct competitors, can we?)
  • Do we leave just leave it alone and hope Facebook doesn’t start suggesting that we like “Target” when we’ve just liked the neighborhood independent gift shop?
  • This rogue thought still burns me up and I think of it every time I think “Facebook Marketing”: when is Facebook going to finally stop so heavily throttling how many people see page-created content? These are the Facebook users who have opted-in to liking the pages we heavily invest time and effort into promoting (you’re welcome, Facebook). Facebook is forcing us to buy “sponsored” visibility to improve the chances that more than 10% of page subscribers will see the posts we take the time, and have been trained to, create. {Read more about this on NewMediaRockStars.com, if you’re so inclined.}

Ending today and this post on a positive note: big “thank you” goes out to Kim Adamof for the referral that came my way today in need of public relations services!

Happy Mondaying,
Lisa

For Wake County Businesses: A Chance to Honor Local First Responders

Thank you to Tina for sending this information to my attention!

Greater Raleigh Chamber Announces Friends of First Responders Program

Local Businesses Asked to Participate on Sept. 16

RALEIGH—On Sept. 16, the Greater Raleigh Chamber will honor first responders throughout Wake County by hosting the fourth annual First Responders Appreciation Breakfast.

With more than 2,000 first responders serving our community, it is impossible to recognize them all, so the Chamber is reaching out to you. We are asking local businesses to join us in thanking these men and women for the dedication, bravery, and commitment to our community that they show every day by participating as one of our “Friends of First Responders.”

Participation is easy—simply offer a discount or free item to any first responder in uniform or with identification on Sept. 16. For example: $1 off a meal, free sandwich, free soda, etc.—the discount is completely up to you. In return, we’ll recognize your business on the Chamber website—www.raleighchamber.org/firstresponders—and in radio and TV ads (pending).

Please join us in recognizing Wake County Emergency Medical Services, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Raleigh-Wake County Emergency Communications Center, the City of Raleigh Fire Department, the City of Raleigh Police Department, the North Carolina Highway Patrol – Troop C, District III, and all first responders on Sept. 16. To sign up or find out more, call 919.664.7090 or email mkernan@raleighchamber.org.

About the Greater Raleigh Chamber
The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce is the Triangle’s largest nonprofit business membership organization made up of more than 2,400 member firms representing two-thirds of the private sector employment in Wake County. The Chamber has represented the interests of the local business community since 1888.

For more information about this special event, contact Mary Kernan at the Raleigh Chamber (phone: 919.664.7090, email: mkernan@raleighchamber.org).

I’ve had the pleasure of working with many businesses who regularly provide discounts to identified or in-uniform service members and first responders. My advice to them when I received this information was to contact Mary and make sure that they provide her with the details of those existing offers so that they can be included in the information that the Chamber is going to publish online.

Cheers!
-Lisa

Local Business Spotlight: Happy Anniversary, Lucky B’s!

Happy 6th Anniversary to co-founders Mike Lombardo and Bates Battaglia, and their whole team, at Downtown Raleigh’s classiest dive bar… Lucky B’s! Join in the celebrations just “Around the Corner” starting at 5pm today (Saturday, May 21, 2011).

There will be free food, live music from James Dunn (pictured at right), a Red Bull DJ, and great giveaways like Kenny Chesney concert tickets! Check out http://www.facebook.com/LuckyBsBar for more chances to win before you head out.

Thank you to Mike, Bates, Mr. B, Suz, and the rest of the gang at Lucky B’s for allowing Raleighwood Media Group + Raleighwood Event Group to be a part of your continued successes – best wishes for another six years in Downtown Raleigh… and many more to come after that!