They send email via Facebook, they IM with their friends  and family via Facebook, and they read their news feed.

The Facebook news feed is the lifeblood of Facebook. It’s where people can be a voyeur and learn about their friends, or where they can post details that publish out to their friends and family.  The news-feed is why you NEED people to “like” your Facebook page.  Once they like your page, you’re a part of their every day routine.

When someone logs into Facebook in the morning, not only are they going to see what their friends are up to, they’re going to read about your exciting contest, funny trivia question, or quality content. They’re going to fully engage with you as a brand.

Be careful here however.  Now that they have “liked” your page and allowed you to be part of their everyday routine you need to tread lightly. Think of them when you post to your wall. Think about the frequency of your wall posts (Look Up Interactive recommends at most – 2-3 wall posts per day).  You’re an invited guest at their home. You wouldn’t start off a cocktail party by shouting at the top of your lungs how amazing you are. You’re going to mingle, ask questions, and engage.

So relax, have fun and offer value for your fans on Facebook. They’re reward you with loyalty and possible re-posting of your content to their friends.  You have a sea of people out there waiting to hear from you. Step up to the microphone and get to it.  The cheers are sure to come.

Pearlman's "Friggin' Sears"

Today  I spotted a post by Jeff Pearlman that struck me.  Jeff is a talented writer that always has interesting, thoughtful blog posts. He’s also from my hometown of Mahopac, New York so I like to see what he has to say because nine times out of ten I’m on the same page, and gobble up what he has to write.

This morning was no different. Jeff documented a horrific customer service experience with (what he referred to) as “Friggin’ Sears.” As I read the post I felt his frustration, and I applauded him for posting his gripe publicly. Jeff capped off his tirade:

Let me just say it: Sears sucks. Sears has always sucked. Well, maybe not always. But certainly dating back to the ’80s, when we had one at the Jefferson Valley Mall. Just a sloppy, cruddy, half-hearted store from a bygone catalogue era.

Man, I’m irked.

Suffice to say, Jeff was not happy with Sears.

When I noticed the blog I thought it would be interesting to share Jeff’s experience with Sears via Twitter.  I found their Twitter account (@mysears) and proceeded to Tweet the following:

@mysears ….uhm, if you’re listening, you may want to take a read: I hate Sears. Hate it: http://bit.ly/1lHGo (via @jeffpearlman)

to which they promptly responded, and kicked off a little chat over the course of a few minutes that read as follows:

@cdessi Thanks for the heads up–I’ve reached out.

@mySears well that’s pretty darn cool.

@cdessi Thank you for saying so–we try very hard to make our customers happy.

Man, that really is pretty darn cool. Even if Jeff continues to loathe Sears (I remember just how horrible that Sears at the Jefferson Valley Mall truly was), I have to chalk this one up as a win for the customer service people at Sears.  At least they’re listening.  And that’s kind of half the battle, isn’t it?

Each individual 140 character blip on the screen of this social media micro blogging silliness don’t mean a thing. The power of these little tweets lie in the fact that the sum is greater than the whole.

While one tweet alone may not mean a thing.  A string of Tweets from a group of people on a similar topic start to fill in the blanks, and paint a picture.

A gorgeous portrait reflecting the true zeitgeist of the day.   A short brush stroke of an impressionist painting, or a tiny image that created the image you see in front of you.

Tweets mean nothing, but together they educate brands (if their listening), tell stories and offer a platform to capture the voice of it’s users.

Look Up Interactive, LLC CEO Chris Dessi

Thirteen years of experience in online marketing has forged our foundation.  Social media solutions executed for Geico, NHL, Washington Redskins, Saks Fifth Avenue, Michael Kors, TJX (Marshalls, Home Goods, TJMaxx), Signature Styles (Newport News, Spiegel, ShapeFX), Rand McNally, Redbox, Stila Cosmetics has solidified our reputation.

Our services include:

Social Media Brand Strategy

Facebook page execution and management + iPhone Applications + Twitter

SEO/SEM

Mobile Marketing