by Richard Thuss
Member since:
January 25, 2007

Liking a Business on facebook

February 15, 2012 03:27 PM UTC
views: 0 | 12 people recommend this | comments: 55

I will admit that confusion is part of the natural aging process, and that a true understanding of social media just isn’t possible for anyone born before yesterday.

Admitting that my birth occurred more than twenty–four hours ago, I therefore find myself woefully deficient in understanding the process on facebook of “liking” a corporation or business.

Now I realize that once the Supreme Court declared that corporations are people, that some people, especially women, have shifted their romantic affairs from a human counterpart to a company. You can understand this happening when you consider how a new pair of Prada shoes can bring a much greater feeling of ecstasy than looking at the slug on the couch who is busy watching ten straight hours of wrestling on TV.

And I can easily see liking a corporation or business. God knows I like the Wilbur Chocolate Company for everything they have done for me over my lifetime other than expand my waistline. But I just don’t understand why I would try to find them on facebook to click “like.”

What brought this problem to a head this morning was a new flashing sign at a business located a few miles from my home. The sign announced they were new on facebook and suggested that I go to their site and press the “like” button.

For the life of me, I do not understand why. The business was a small vacuum cleaner repair shop



Comments: 55

libramoon .. Feb 15, 2012, 4:28pm UTC
Well, do you like them?
Richard Thuss Feb 15, 2012, 4:50pm UTC
Don't know. They don't repair Dyson products.
Phillip DeNise Feb 15, 2012, 4:35pm UTC
do these business entities LIKE one another? hire a go-to-guy to accept these B2B overtures? drop everything to see what all those 'LIKERS' are saying about Whitney Houston's untimely death? Help those they LIKE get down on Bobby Brown?
Richard Thuss Feb 15, 2012, 5:31pm UTC
I just can't see who would go to facebook to look up a vacuum cleaner repair shop, Phillip
Phillip DeNise Feb 16, 2012, 8:11am UTC
Okay, maybe you do need my help understanding this phenomena.
I'm mostly just kidding, but for others who may read this, I'll offer a comment.
Many have never contracted for advertising in any sort of popular print media outlet; from personal experience, I can say that the outrageous price charged for even the smallest & hard to get noticed ad can be prohibitive for even a thriving small business with reliable revenue to consider directing at some advertising. Then there are expenses for artwork. Most start-up entrepreneurs are not savvy enough to even consider video as a medium they can personally design & control. Knowing this, and feeling comfortable with creating the text they think will sell their services/products & create a presence among their competitors, without hiring someone to create these things for them, they will automatically & immediately turn to the most popular forum they all know about, where the publishing is free, free, FREE!
Richard Thuss Feb 16, 2012, 8:19am UTC
I guess if I look at it as a free ad on Facebook I partially understand, but the potential for a revenue stream I do not. Is there some function on Facebook for the most liked vacuum cleaner repair shop to be spotlighted? A print add has a distribution to potential procurers, I may be dense on this one, Phillip, but I still do not understand how this enhances any company's revenue stream.
Phillip DeNise Feb 16, 2012, 9:07am UTC
it is really about the perception of enhancement; something embedded in our commercial minds by those goons on Madison Ave.[you have been enjoying all those nostalgic episodes of "Mad Men," haven't you?]; Marshall McCluhan said it best, way back in the sixties:The medium IS the message!; I can assure you, that if just one of the major American automobile manufacturers completely eliminated their entire marketing department[& its budget], reduced each unit[new car or truck] by the dollar amount formerly being tacked on for this irreducible component of sensible sales strategy, & concentrate on distributing fuel-efficient models to areas where high gasoline prices favor that strategy that the market, out on one of its random walks, would provide record sales, maximum revenues and profits as well as value for their shareholders!
I have not now and never shall like a business on Facebook even if I'm a loyal customer. It's a way of gathering salable marketing data for Facebook. I expect to be paid and paid well for my data. I'll never wear clothing with logos on it for similar reasons. My rate for display ads is much higher than free.

For a while I had to wear khaki pants for work. A lot of them have a big logo label on them in imitation of D*s. I got myself a seam ripper and expanded my range of choice quite a bit.
JOHN BECK Feb 15, 2012, 4:48pm UTC
I have a pair of khaki pants made in USA. There's no name or logo showing.
Richard Thuss Feb 15, 2012, 4:55pm UTC
Now I have to get up from this computer and look at my khaki pants, but I don't think my butt is going to help sell anything no matter what logo you put on it.
JOHN BECK Feb 15, 2012, 4:47pm UTC
I don't know what happens either, Richard, and I'm older than you are. I suspect that if I follow the request of our local TV station and "Like" them on Facebook (which I never do), they can show their advertisers how popular they are and charge more for the commercials. But that's just a guess.
Richard Thuss Feb 15, 2012, 4:56pm UTC
I agree, John. I know that there must be some commercial value to the company in some way, but I've never heard how, and I can't see how it could help a local mom and pop repair shop.
John S. (arizona) Feb 15, 2012, 5:00pm UTC
I get tired of seeing it, and don't use that site anyway. I note many news(?) sites etc., require you to comment using Facebook or Twitter as well if you wish to leave one. Not interested...
Richard Thuss Feb 15, 2012, 5:19pm UTC
If I knew it would help a struggling business that I do like, I would consider it, John, but I have no desire to click on something that will increase the number of ads sent to me or chip away a little more of my personal privacy
Ann Marcaida Feb 15, 2012, 5:04pm UTC
As I understand it, brand loyalty is more important to both Gen X and The Millennials than it is to the Boomer generation.
Richard Thuss Feb 15, 2012, 5:23pm UTC
Probably so, Ann, and I wish you would label me as part of the baby boomer generation. I usually think of the boomer generation as those older folks whose digestion doesn't work as well anymore.
(hope my humor doesn't offend)
Ada D. Feb 15, 2012, 5:22pm UTC
I refuse to "like" a company in order to get a free sample of something. It's not that I can't be bought - just not that cheaply.

Many small businesses use their "liked" list as permission to send advertising/spam. Some ask to be "liked" because they see other businesses doing it and think they reap some benefit, even if they have no idea what it is.

And if businesses have "personhood" - aren't stock brokers making a living by buying ans selling bits of people? That just seems wrong. Shouldn't companies divesting subsidiaries be required to file divorce papers? If a company merges with more than one other company, is that bigamy?
Richard Thuss Feb 15, 2012, 5:28pm UTC
I too don't like that definition for corporations, Ada. Now me, I can be bought cheaply, but in this case I don't even understand who is doing the buying.
August Lady Feb 15, 2012, 5:44pm UTC
As an aging baby boomer, I am so guilty of the "like" phenomena on FB. And, as Ada stated above, much of it came about because of free samples, & occasionally, I really like the product. But, after reading this post, I may have to re-evaluate, & start "unliking."
August Lady Feb 15, 2012, 5:46pm UTC
Oh God, I just searched "unliking," and that just opened up a whole 'nother can of worms!
Richard Thuss Feb 15, 2012, 6:05pm UTC
Did they ask for their samples back?
August Lady Feb 17, 2012, 11:50am UTC
Not yet...
Connie C. Feb 15, 2012, 8:56pm UTC
I deleted my Facebook account.
Richard Thuss Feb 16, 2012, 6:50am UTC
I use mine Connie to Point out my Gather posts to my kids and friends, and also to see what is happening in the lives of my nieces and nephews who otherwise I would not hear about for months at a time
stephen berwaldt Feb 15, 2012, 11:41pm UTC
You better learn fast...there are big changes coming at the speed of light... What get me is "giving a poke"...that sounds obscene, doesn't it?

Thank you submitting to the Gather’s Luminous Writers and Artists.
Richard Thuss Feb 16, 2012, 8:05am UTC
Gosh, I don't even know what that means, Stephen. I must be living in a rabbit hole.
stephen berwaldt Feb 16, 2012, 8:18am UTC
Equivalent to "giving a nudge"...
Connie C. Feb 16, 2012, 12:59am UTC
This post is spotlighted in the What Is Happening Today On Gather ~ Thursday February 16, 2012

Congratulations!

I do hope you will have the time to view the other spotlighted material as well.

Have a wonderful Thursday!
Richard Thuss Feb 16, 2012, 6:54am UTC
Thanks, Connie. I will do just that
Greg Schiller Feb 16, 2012, 7:53am UTC
In this world of partisan rancor, it is heartening when people express something positive. :)
Richard Thuss Feb 16, 2012, 8:08am UTC
Good point, Greg, and maybe I'm too suspicious, but I still can't figure out how a small vacuum cleaner repair shop benefits, and why they would put out a sign for people to do it. If I thought it was all just for the positive, then I would have a sign at the end of my driveway saying "like Richard on facebook
Sandy Moore Feb 16, 2012, 9:56am UTC
I don't use Facebook very often but I will change the liking ordeal.
Richard Thuss Feb 16, 2012, 11:34am UTC
Thanks for reading, Sandy
Morgan S. Feb 16, 2012, 5:50pm UTC
I will admit that confusion is part of the natural aging process, and that a true understanding of social media just isn’t possible for anyone born before yesterday.

LOL. i'm so old, i don't even have a facebook.
Jan S. Feb 16, 2012, 8:01pm UTC
I see a lot of banner and side ads for sites I've visited. It's kind of creepy.
Sherine W. Feb 17, 2012, 9:32am UTC
I "like" some companies I want to get updates from, and obscure companies I think are cool so I don't later forget about them. I have a habit of discovering a really neat company, and then later wondering what in the world that company was called and where I found it in the first place. If I "like" it on fb, then at least I can find it again. Also, sometimes "liking" a company gives you special perks from that company.
Richard Thuss Feb 17, 2012, 9:50am UTC
Now I at least understand why you would do it. Thanks a lot, Sherine
Tami G. Feb 17, 2012, 10:56am UTC
It is a free way of advertisement for them. Just think about this if you come from a large family,lets say 12 kids, all of those kids are married, now you have 24, all 12 families has 2 kids each, now you have 48, all 12 of those kids are married, you now have 60. If just the family of one man with a small vacuum repair shop has just his immediate family like his shop on Facebook he already has 60 likes. Now add to that their kids, their friends, their spouses families and if they have married kids there is a bigger number. Then you get the neighbors, people in the community and anyone who has used his vacuum cleaner services it looks like he is so busy, has a good shop, and everything is just dandy. Is this a true opinion of the shop? Not really it is just people liking something on Facebook to keep others happy.
Richard Thuss Feb 17, 2012, 12:40pm UTC
Thanks, Tami. I just never thought of looking on facebook for a vacuum cleaner repair shop, but it is possible that google might be inclined to direct me there if there are enough "likes" on facebook
Ada D. Feb 17, 2012, 2:14pm UTC
Richard: Since Google has its own social network in competition with Facebook, I think it will be a cold day in Googleville before anything on FB shows up in a Google search.
Richard Thuss Feb 17, 2012, 3:52pm UTC
Oh what tangled webs they make, to get our data for the money they'll make.
Thanks, Ada
Heather M. Feb 17, 2012, 11:16am UTC
I'm one of the ones who "likes" businesses. I have found myself clicking on some that, honestly, I don't even really like. Hmm... I think I may have a clicking problem. I wonder if there's an FB page for that.
Richard Thuss Feb 17, 2012, 12:42pm UTC
I understand there is a finger training company on facebook that can help you do just that. Thanks for reading, Heather
I have "liked" a few buisnesses, but I don't think many. I either don't shop at or haven't heard of half of what's on Facebook.
Richard Thuss Mar 12, 2012, 9:35am UTC
Thanks for reading, Stacey
My pleasure, Richard.

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