Forums vs Social Media

[zf>allison]

I don't have Facebook, I do have instagram. You get less total bs "I can't wait to get off work" or calling people out for something dramatic that happened on a social media for everyone to see. Instagram is as far as I think I'd go social media these days. But when I have a question I come here. This is the one and only forum I trust.

 

[Cornell]

I started on forums when I was 13. Pretty sure McRatRacing.com was the website I was constantly checking in highschool as well as gmfullsize.com

I always bring it up now that people made fun of me back in the day. Before "social media" and now everyone knows what a meme is pretty much. I used to try to show people forum things and would get stonewalled.

My "personal" page has 27k odd followers... really lost interest but I post truck pictures like I always have and eh.

I like my business page better. It's nice meeting people that give a damn in your industry. Talked to plenty of guys across the US and have gotten a lot of additional jobs because of it as well... also found a new employee through instagram and he wouldn't leave me alone for months asking to come out to a site and I'm glad he did. Great worker... Its kinda fun/funny when I get to a jobsite and people say they follow my business page on Instagram too and people are more open to talking instead of being zombies on a jobsite.


But along the lines in this thread:

Truck scene has gone to hell, bunch of 16 year old retards with the most affordable ragged out truck they could find, then they make it as obnoxious as possible in every possible way. Only thing I've done to the L5P was tint because I just have a hard time wanting to be lumped in that group of modified vehicles in any way.

 

[carter_44]

Social media is an incredible business vehicle when used properly though. Some guys have build their entire businesses off of Facebook trends and advertising. Unfortunately, the medium is so big that often the guy with the biggest Facebook presence gets the business while the other guy, who is actually a better option, loses out on the sales because he isn't on the pages every day hustling his shit. Being active on social media seems almost a necessary evil in order to be successful these days.

 

[NC-smokinlmm]

Social media is an incredible business vehicle when used properly though. Some guys have build their entire businesses off of Facebook trends and advertising. Unfortunately, the medium is so big that often the guy with the biggest Facebook presence gets the business while the other guy, who is actually a better option, loses out on the sales because he isn't on the pages every day hustling his shit. Being active on social media seems almost a necessary evil in order to be successful these days.

Not true at all....
The way businesses are built hasn't changed at all, ive never once advertised, have no business cards and don't self promote. I'm the most recomended man in my field in my area even though there are 100 guys on Social Media promoting and pimping themselves. Old fashioned word of mounth still exists and is still the best way to get your business name out. From what I have seen most of the FBers just know how to use a computer not actually work, so when they get a decent amount of business generally they seem to fold pretty qucikly...

As for Will Petty.... He deserves his last name.... He is truely a douche....:angel:

 

[036.6turbo]

I have FaceBook.

I opened the account when my son was stationed over seas in the military. It was a good tool to share family pictures with him and just stay in touch.

I just bought a truck off of a FaceBook ad. May buy a set of wheels for said truck, from another FaceBook Ad? (I'm currently second in line)

I do agree, most all of the Duramax pages are over run by youngsters who believe once you replace the injectors in your LB7, they are then good forever. I ignore or unfollow it.

I am also a CrossFit Athlete, FaceBook is a very useful tool, especially now, during the Crossfit Open.

As was previously stated, its a tool, just like any other. Use it properly, it will yield desired results, use it improperly you may get splinters in your eye! LOL.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

 

[six5creed]

Not true at all....
The way businesses are built hasn't changed at all, ive never once advertised, have no business cards and don't self promote. I'm the most recomended man in my field in my area even though there are 100 guys on Social Media promoting and pimping themselves. Old fashioned word of mounth still exists and is still the best way to get your business name out. From what I have seen most of the FBers just know how to use a computer not actually work, so when they get a decent amount of business generally they seem to fold pretty qucikly...

As for Will Petty.... He deserves his last name.... He is truely a douche....:angel:

This is how our shop does it. We don't advertise, we get a lot of "X sent me here, said you worked on something for them". We are small, we have me and one other guy out here in the shop. Boss man does drawings, does running and keeps us supplied with materials. The boss isn't on FB either, don't think the other guy out here even knows what FB is. He still thinks it's 1985 and his ex-wife is still married to him.

 

[DMAXchris]

I use Facebook for what it was originally intended for, forcing your political views on people that you don't really know that well. And cat pictures. :joker:

I joined a couple Dmax pages, then after a few days I unfollowed. Too many morons.

I learned so much from the forums when I first got my truck in 08. The DF had some decent info and this place was always for the hot rod diesels. I haven't been on DF since the password debacle.

 

[ikeG]

It's embarrassing, but in the pulling world, we would be in the dark without it. Events, schedules, results, etc are all basically only available on FB! Especially with the truck side, not so much with tractor guys. The average age of truck pullers is a lot lower than tractor guys.....

 

[lts1ow]

IMO just from the gasser side of things with my car, social media created the "tech" sponsor that doesn't really know much about what they are pushing aside from its flashy and they sell it. Drop ship start ups are great and all but if you don't know the product your selling... When you are in the game long enough to see the various waves of vendors come in, and then fall out you recognize the guys who are in it for the long haul and that comes from actually being savvy to the tech behind their product.

Case in point, my cylinder head guy is some guy from TX who I heard of from word of mouth and he actually knows his stuff. Is there better advertised and pushed people on social media? Absolutely but I know his product works and he will help me with combos without pushing stuff on me.

 

[DefiantArms]

The only reason I've ever remotely considered Facebook is tinder

for the win :thumb::hug:

haven't had Facebook in years to much drama had a snapchat but got in trouble so now i stick to the forums.. the forums also help you meet people you never would have on just social media I am a member of a forum called practical machinist a gentlemen helped me get a 80's model Bridgeport CNC machine up and going a year or so later i was buying a 34 Diamond T 221D and while doing research on different forums i came to find out that same guy is a guru on the trucks small world.

 

[Yngdmax92]

Not true at all....
The way businesses are built hasn't changed at all, ive never once advertised, have no business cards and don't self promote. I'm the most recomended man in my field in my area even though there are 100 guys on Social Media promoting and pimping themselves. Old fashioned word of mounth still exists and is still the best way to get your business name out. From what I have seen most of the FBers just know how to use a computer not actually work, so when they get a decent amount of business generally they seem to fold pretty qucikly...

As for Will Petty.... He deserves his last name.... He is truely a douche....:angel:

I understand where you are coming from on your statement, but things on how people start a buisness are changing now a days in my eyes.

Small shops use to grow by word of mouth, now you just have to throw up a few pics on Facebook of some cool things your doing, work on some loud mouth well know people's trucks and create a website. Then go on Facebook, talk your buddies into promoting your name/website for work and try to awnser every ones problem on there with a link on your website to solve it......Boom you have a growing buisness

 

[Dozerboy]

I understand where you are coming from on your statement, but things on how people start a buisness are changing now a days in my eyes.



Small shops use to grow by word of mouth, now you just have to throw up a few pics on Facebook of some cool things your doing, work on some loud mouth well know people's trucks and create a website. Then go on Facebook, talk your buddies into promoting your name/website for work and try to awnser every ones problem on there with a link on your website to solve it......Boom you have a growing buisness

X2 how businesses were built 10+ years ago and how they are built today are very different. That's not to say it can't be done without Facebook etc. social media can also be your downfall. Look at Trent he started his business building a decent cheaper product. He got himself over extended lost his quality control and isn't around anymore.

 

[carter_44]

Not true at all....
The way businesses are built hasn't changed at all, ive never once advertised, have no business cards and don't self promote. I'm the most recomended man in my field in my area even though there are 100 guys on Social Media promoting and pimping themselves. Old fashioned word of mounth still exists and is still the best way to get your business name out. From what I have seen most of the FBers just know how to use a computer not actually work, so when they get a decent amount of business generally they seem to fold pretty qucikly...

As for Will Petty.... He deserves his last name.... He is truely a douche....:angel:

I don't disagree that word of mouth in the industry is the best way to promote business. However, you have been around a long time. If a guy were to want to start a new shop today, he would be smart to use social media to get it off the ground. It's a massive customer base that costs nothing to advertise on. That's the point I'm making.

Take Kory for example. Kory is a great tuner, but certainly not the ONLY great tuner. But, if you read any of the facebook forums you'd hear from a thousand PPEI nutswingers about how Kory "is the only way to go for tuning". He outsells the competition 10 to 1 because he is great at social media marketing and the kids that are buying his products eat it up to be part of that cool kid train. He literally doesn't even have to promote himself anymore. He has thousands of little minions that are unaffiliated with him, singing his praises and doing his advertising for him at not cost to him. Most have never run any other tuning than his and since their truck "hauls ass" now it must be the best shit in the world. That's a beautiful thing in the business world...as long as you're on the winning side. Companies have been looking for that sort of advertising power forever and have paid handsomely for it in the past. Now it's free and easily accessible.

All I'm saying is, if you want access to a massive customer base without having to pay for advertising, social media is an incredible tool...millions of people logging on every day that can see your message or your product. I can put up one post on one of my facebook forums and 50K people see it almost immediately. That's powerful. Now if only I was shop affiliated and had some parts to sling, I'd be making some money. Shit....I'm an idiot.

 

[WVRigrat05]

Man, I can't wait to get off work! So pumped to go slam beer at Applebee's bro! #im****ingawesome!:coolspot:

 

[six5creed]

Man, I can't wait to get off work! So pumped to go slam beer at Applebee's bro! #im****ingawesome!:coolspot:

See you there man! Oh and I loved those pictures of your cat playing with that ball of yarn, I had no idea they did that!!!

 

[RichLMM]

It's embarrassing, but in the pulling world, we would be in the dark without it. Events, schedules, results, etc are all basically only available on FB! Especially with the truck side, not so much with tractor guys. The average age of truck pullers is a lot lower than tractor guys.....

its the only reason why I even have one is to see whats going on in the pulling world

 

[hondarider552]

I grew up on the forums so I'll be loyal to the one that let me build a 10 second LB7 in my garage. One of the main reasons why I never log into the LS forums, same questions over and over and too many clowndicks to heard through. Plus I have too many friends here to leave haha

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

I was a member in quite a few facebook groups at one time, but I got tired of the internet experts all arguing saying there way is the only way to do it, so I dropped out of most of them. The duramax swap grpup is a good one without any of the childish bs. I'm still in one of the duramax ones, but the bs is getting deep and old there to. Or every truck needs c grade head gaskets(because there the best), arp studs, and a rail plug. Tuning isn't something that should be done by anybody but a professional shop. Or the best is when they say somebody just posted that a few days ago, you just need to weed through the posts about light bars and wheels to find it, but then you say if only there was a way to easily organize and categorize everything so you can search it and find it later, and when they find out you're talking about a forum, they laugh and say thats outdated, social media is where it's at, yetthere they are asking the same questions multiple times a day.

But I digress, I'll get off my soap box now, and probably go back to facebook so I can shake my head in disgust some more while I post inapropriate meme's and politics to piss people off.

 

[carter_44]

I grew up on the forums so I'll be loyal to the one that let me build a 10 second LB7 in my garage. One of the main reasons why I never log into the LS forums, same questions over and over and too many clowndicks to heard through. Plus I have too many friends here to leave haha

You have friends.....? :hifinger::ban-hump:

 

[WolfLMM]

SunCoast is a perfect example of how to use social media and forums to grow your business. Do any of the old members here remember the size sunCoast was 15 years ago vs today? They built a quality product advertised it online, forums first, then FB. It's really impressive to say the least. A lot of other guys here have done very well following the same model.