How I Attracted 800 FB Fans in Two Months
Contributor

Last Friday I reached a milestone: 1,000 Facebook “likes.” Back in November, an agent told me my book proposal was excellent, but my platform wasn’t big enough. “If you build your platform,” she said, “I’d be happy to take another look.” When I asked her how many Facebook fans would constitute a decent following, she said “one thousand.” At the time, that number seemed impossible. I’d been stagnating at 200 for months.

Social media had me completely stumped. Not only did it seem overwhelming, I was conflicted about how to show up. I knew my posts needed to be relevant and on-topic, but I wasn't sure about my subject matter. Since I’m writing a memoir that deals in part with how I used raw food to help cure chronic stomach problems, agents wanted to pigeonhole me as a raw food expert. I respected their opinions and understood the importance of positioning in publishing, but this advice felt like a shoe that didn’t fit; I couldn’t walk without it rubbing me the wrong way. There were lots of great raw food educators out there, and I’d never aspired to be one of them. My subject, I felt, was broader. I’d been living a raw foods lifestyle for eight years, but I’d been practicing my art and craft as a writer for thirty.

When it came to social media, the writer in me saw an opportunity for status updates to be “the newest literary genre,” but I wasn’t sure what to do with this awareness, or how to take advantage of whatever these opportunities might be.

In December my mom had a heart attack. I put aside my social media angst, quit working on my memoir, packed my bags, and flew from Los Angeles to Florida, where for three weeks my sisters and I ministered to our mom before and after her quadruple bypass surgery. It was a sacred, tender time. Aside from writing in my journal, my only writing was profile page posts, which I wrote every few days to keep family and friends updated on my mother’s condition. I relished that writing, and received many responses and lots of support.

Then my mom died. There’s nothing like the death of a loved one to put things into perspective. Time passes. Life is short. The time to act is NOW!

I realized that rivaling my passion for writing has been my lifelong commitment to conscious, creative living, personal transformation, and growth. I understood this was the larger context of my memoir, which, at its core, is about a writer’s midlife quest for health and happiness. I’d gone from being sick, miserable, and thinking my life was a failure to living the life I’d always dreamed of having but never dared to live—until now. I realized I was writing about what it takes to choose love over fear, to take personal responsibility for one’s life, to live and work in a state of conscious creativity, and to experience enough personal empowerment to heal yourself.

All this crystalized after my mom died. So did an inner clarity about not wasting another second of my life in doubt or fear.

I quit worrying about doing things “right” on my fan page and showed up as ME, sharing from my heart the way I had when I’d been taking care of my mom and posting on my profile page.

I approached many of my status updates as if they were mini-stories or poems, sketching them on a Word document and tinkering with each one until it felt whole.

I used all the instruments in my writer’s toolbox: brevity, details, honesty, transparency, muscular language, imagery, metaphors, accessibility, first-person narration, story arcs, and more.

I also decided to put my money where my mouth was by taking out an ad and promoting my posts, which I saw as original bits of creative writing. Without realizing it, I’d put my “status updates as the newest literary genre” idea into practice!

The results were staggering: I received 800 likes in two and a half months, and my “people talking about this” figure climbed from 64 to over 400. But these are only numbers. The remarkable thing that happened was that something crucial had changed inside. Finally, at 53, I knew who I was and why I was here. I was ready to honor my purpose and be of service. This inner shift was reflected back to me through my  Facebook activity. I have been challenged over the years to love, approve of, and appreciate myself—and my writing. My 1,000 fans “out there” are physical world manifestations of the one, ever-important fan “in here” who finally decided to show up and trust what she knows and who she is.

To celebrate this awareness, as well as my 1,000-fan milestone, which only six months ago seemed impossible, I created a “1,000 Fabulous Fans” poster upon which I signed the names of as many of my FB fans as possible. Since Facebook only shows 500 fans, I had to comb through comments, likes, and shares, and consult my profile page “friends” list. I was careful to check the spelling of every name, to look at each person’s photo, and to connect in spirit with every person who has liked my page and offered support of one kind or another.

I never thought I’d say this, but I’m enjoying social media. It’s wonderful connecting with like-minded souls, and Facebook gives me an opportunity to meet with them daily. Who knew building a writer’s platform could be fun? Six months ago it seemed like an onerous chore—and though at times I still get overwhelmed, I now experience social media as another of life’s wondrous, creative opportunities!

 

P.S. Thanks to Brooke Warner for recommending me to her Warner Coaching fans and posting a link to my page, which accounted for at least fifty of my new “likes.” 

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Comments
  • AJ: Thanks for reading. I'm happy you were encouraged by my post!

  • Maggi Summerhill

    Great article Bella and well done for overcoming your fear and achieving your goal :) x I'm still getting to grips with it. My fb page is Maggi Summerhill Book. I'll have a look at yours now. 

  • AJ Collins

    This is so encouraging and helps me remember to not ignore my FB fan page.  THANK YOU!

  • Sherrey, I found your fb page—lovely. Great cover photo. Gave you my thumbs up. Looking forward to reading your posts!

  • Thanks, Flora. You're absolutely right—speaking from the heart is the way to go! It's taken me a long time to learn this lesson!

  • Hi Romi: Friends are not the same as fans. Publishers will be interested in your fan/author page, which is separate from your personal/profile page. People need to “opt in” by "liking” your fan page. This is different from Facebook friending. May I also suggest you not think about needing a "large” audience, and instead focus simply on connecting with your readers. Find your audience. It need not be “large” right now. Remove that pressure. We all have to start somewhere. This is like sitting down and thinking you have to write something “great.” You will be happier and more productive if you release these expectations, be where you are, show up, and just write—one word at a time. That's how you'll grow your audience as well—one person at a time. 

  • Romi Grossberg

    Thanks for the insight, I am also somewhat baffled by social media but recognise i need to 'get involved' or be left behind... and with writing a book at the moment, I know i need to have a large audience out there to reach. I didn't realise it would be something that publishers looked at also... good to know. I just checked, I have 541 friends, I had never looked at that before.

    Again, thanks for the insight.

  • Thank you, Sherrey! Send me a link to your fb page and I'll reciprocate! 

  • Flora Morris Brown

    Bella,

    Congratulations on reaching your goal of 1000 fans, but more importantly, with connecting with your self.

    You are an inspiration to the rest of us who are working to understand and use social media. You've shown us that being your authentic self and speaking from the heart is the way.

  • Sherrey Meyer

    Inspirational and motivating, Bella.  I too have felt stumped by the social media community and you've provided some wonderful advice here.  Your Facebook fan page just received another "like" -- mine!

  • Brooke:  You've been a stellar guide and a major source of inspiration, information, and wisdom. I feel like I've needed an editor like you for years, so when I count my blessings, you are always among them. With gratitude for the fine work you do, Bella

  • Shary: Great to see your smiling face here! I'm so looking forward to reading your memoir, which I know is going to be wonderful! Love and light, B.

  • Mary Jo: Love your comment! So true! Thanks for speaking up.

  • Brenda: Thanks for reading and contribuing to this dicussion.

  • Hi Francine: Glad you feel inspired! I first took out a facebook ad that appeared on my fan's friends’ pages. Then I started promoting my posts for the minimum $5.00.  But the key to my success, I think, had more to do with getting really clear about who I am, why I'm here, and what I have to offer/share. My intention is to be of service. The next step was approaching my status updates as literature, which gives people bite-size samples of what to expect from my memoir. The content I'm providing seems to resonate with readers. Hope this helps. Good luck!

  • Hi Lynn: Thanks for reading and for your kind words, but honestly, I wouldn't say this challnge was “the one that was most relevant” to my life journey. It was ONE of MANY trials and tribulations. My life is filled with challenges, opportunities, and blessings—all of which are “relevant.”

  • Yes, Susan, I placed an ad on Facebook.

  • Susan V. Weiss

    Interesting to follow the process by which you got to where you wanted to be. Makes it all seem possible. Where did you place an ad? Facebook?

  • Lynn Purvis-Yund

    That's a great story, Bella, I can relate to your anxiety about social media as well as the fact that this challenge was the one that was most relevant to your life journey.  I like to see how these challenges play out in other peoples' lives, because it confirms it for me, and it would seem, to your fans.  So glad you posted your story, thanks

  • Francine Huss

    This is very inspiring! I'm ready to start too! I'd like to know more about how the ads she posted.  Advertising posts on her fanpage? Can someone clarify this for me?

  • Brenda Moguez

    I know that 'like' thing has daunted me since I created a Fan Page about a month ago. I know, maybe seven people, how will I make new kindred spirit type friends, write, and submit.  I think you hit the nail on the head. Being honest and who you really are came through. Way to go, and thanks for sharing

  • Mary Jo Burke

    Very inspiring! The only person to change your life or make things happen is you!

  • Shary

    FABULOUS Bella, what a milestone you've achieved-- the FB milestone, that is-- it's huge!!

    Thank you for sharing your victory breaking the barriers that I and many of us have with social media, Coach!

    Most importantly, thank you for teaching us and showing us the way...in writing from the soul and self-love. 

  • This is so inspiring, Bella. I love this success story and I think it speaks so clearly to the power of following your heart and showing up as your authentic self. I'm sharing this with all the writers I know.

  • Thank you for reading my post and taking the time to write these lovely comments, Ladies!