Are facebook business pages a fad, or the future of social media marketing?

Well, I've finally taken the plunge (again) and relaunched my traverselife Facebook page. It's been a year and a half since my last post which is hardly something to crow about.

Honestly, you'd think that having survived the drama of having a web site constructed and starting a blog, (which involved a lot of internal angst) that it wouldn't be too hard to post on Facebook business pages. Not so. There's something I find very challenging about being "out there" in public with the potential to be torn to shreds by trolls - frankly it's unsettling.

But as I commented in my last post, Can blogging support your values? the benefits are there.

So when I was contacted by a young, keen and above all, knowledgeable, social media enthusiast regarding creating a business presence on Facebook I thought I should give it a go ... again.

This time, however, I wasn't alone, bumbling along, not really knowing what I was doing. Amelia (on Twitter: @AvidComms) walked me through such things as an over arching storyline, daily themes, the use of photos and using hoot suite to schedule posts.

In short she made a Facebook business page seem logical and achievable. Something that even a somewhat disorganised (cough, cough) person like me could do!

Like many people, self promotion doesn't come easily to me, so even letting clients know it was up and running was a bit of a challenge. However it's all happening over there, email invitations have been sent, received and acted on, and I have gone from a decidedly uninspiring 7 "Likes" to 30+ in a couple of days which feels very supportive and is extremely encouraging.

Armed with a bit more discipline and structure I hope to provide links to interesting articles, some posts I've written, and exchange comments and interact with current clients, as well as with people I may never meet in person; and I welcome you as well!! I'm not sure how it'll go, but I'll certainly do my best to provide interesting, informative and hopefully useful content.

I expect I'll refine this as I go on, but at present I've described my traverselife page as relating to further education, career development and workplace communication as well as using ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Training) and mindfulness techniques to support career transition, improve workplace happiness and assist overall wellbeing.

The current focus for weekday posts is:

• Monday - Education
• Tuesday - Job hunting
• Wednesday - In the workplace
• Thursday - Mindfulness
• Friday - Working towards retirement

If you're on Facebook please drop by and say hello! ;-)

Interestingly, since I wrote this post I've been to a local small business networking meeting and the topic for next time is Social Media: Marketing and monetizing your company. I hope the speaker doesn't just focus on Twitter like one book I borrowed from the library did!

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Posted by Sue Travers

CDAA Workshop: 28. Ladies who Launch

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

After the disappointing experience with the business mentor, this book was a God-send. I came across it while rummaging around in the local library.

Written by women, for women - bliss! It tapped into so many experiences I'd had personally, so many of the setbacks and negativity surrounding a new project.

It also goes into how women think differently from men, and that the male business model isn't necessarily the best for us. So all that guff I'd been fed about the necessity of creating a sound business plan BEFORE I even began was enthusiastically thrown out the door with gusto.

I gave one of these books away at the end of my talk, and hope the recipient is as enthusiastic as me, and finding it encouraging for her new venture.

CDAA Workshop: 23 - 24. Web site or not?

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

I eventually had a web site created. It was one of the most confronting things I've ever done. I found the whole process extremely daunting, and it took around 9 months. Very like having a difficult pregnancy, but an exciting birth, with due celebration!

I approached a student of mine who I knew had done some good web sites. She was a young mum, and was so supportive, and gave me loads and loads of information, advice, and lots of tactful, kind cajoling. When it came to doing the "about me" segment I did rather stick my heels in. I just couldn't see the point, and as for a photo - there was no way I was going to go there! But, as you can see I did cave in to her experience. And she's right, people do look at the photo, and read the blurbs.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that not everyone is alike. That kind of thing wasn't so important to me, but having gone through the process, I take more notice of what others have done now. I also thought the whole Testimonials page was unimportant, but have been assured people take note of them. I had assumed they were made up, but used real comments from real clients.

I became sidetracked and read research papers on eye tracking, how to write for the web and the like. I found it really interesting. Some people might call it procrastination ;-)

Because of my interest in Learning Difficulties (including Dyslexia) I tried to make it all user friendly, with lots of pictures that would give a feel for the kinds of people I like working with.

I like colour, and it's important to me to be surrounded by tasteful design and complimentary colours. I've got friends who've said they're happy to go with whatever is recommended by their webmaster, but perhaps because I've been burnt by people who say they have in depth experience of writing and design (but ultimately turn out to be novices) that I - how do I say this nicely - take more of a hands on approach.

Michelle was extremely patient, and worked above and beyond what anyone else would have done. I am indebted to her, and so grateful for her persistence with my fine tuning tones of colour, fonts and overall layout.

As I mentioned in the previous post, I have since found some people use LinkedIn in place of a web site. Not a bad idea really; cheap, efficient, and easily updatable.

I also have an artist friend who has used iWeb to produce his own, and it looks great.

I think there's a place for doing it all yourself if spending a lot of money if out of the question.

People get to my website from my listing in the CDAA find a practitioner. I am also listed in the Russ Harris ACT link.

It's always important to CELEBRATE!! our achievements no matter how insignificant, but especially when they have been a long time coming. A pat on the back (even if it's your own hand doing the patting) is not to be shunned.

CDAA Workshop: 18 - 19. Resources for business start up - a sample!

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

Here's a sample of the websites/institutions available to assist the Career Development private practitioner with business ideas, marketing, and general information.

BNI is unapologetically a marketing organization. Is costs somewhere around $1000 to join and for a year membership. You are expected to attend a breakfast meeting each week and be an active advocate for the other members of your group.

Each group only has one representative of each business, so there is effectively no competition. I can see that it would be beneficial, and everyone I have known who has belonged says it is excellent for leads and generally keeping your enthusiasm going.

Each week you give a little blurb about what kinds of leads you are looking for that week, and the other members try to assist.

Have I joined? For me, the deal breaker was making a commitment to turn up for breakfast each and every week during the year. It is effectively $30 per week to market your business, and may be really good value, as long as you're able to make the time commitment. You're only 'allowed' to miss 2 meetings, and above that need to find someone to substitute for you. 

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CDAA Workshop: 14. Business Plans

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


One of the many tools available for free to assist in the setting up of your business.

I also borrowed books from the library like "Business Planning for Dummies".

I wonder how useful they are in the "day dream" phase though, as sometimes rigid planning seemed to stifle the creativity I needed for this new venture.

My carry on luggage for the conference was heavy with all the freebies I'd accumulated over the last few years. I brought them along in the hope that someone might like to use them to assist in setting up their own career development private practice. In general there's little given for free for business start-ups, although having said that, I do like the free "Yellow Pages" listing - it's minimal, and has consistently brought me clients.


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CDAA Workshop: 11. What makes me feel creative?

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


Participants were encouraged to brainstorm privately and then to think about the questions, then answer them over the next couple of weeks or so.

So often we get caught up in the process of working to earn a living that we forget that work can, and ideally will have some element of personal satisfaction.

Sometimes we're locked in to an unsatisfying career due to a mortgage or loan repayments, but even then it's often possible to find an area where there's a bit of "give" and room to find enjoyment, although often we need outside help to find this.


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CDAA Workshop: 4. Marketing on a Shoestring

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)

2004 - ?

How long can it take to find the gumption to start?


This is something I often observe in clients. An idea forms, but it seems that tomorrow will be a better day to begin the process of change. 


The first step sometimes seems too hard to take, and before you know it, years have slipped past... and nothing has changed, except you've got older.

CDAA Workshop: 3. Workshops on Private Practice Development

(This post forms part of a series of powerpoint slides from a presentation I gave at the Career Development Association of Australia Conference 2010 entitled: The Roller-coaster Ride from Permanent Part-time Employee to Private Practitioner.)


One of the first workshops I attended on Private Practice Development.

I found Paul Stevens to be encouraging, generous and supportive. He had just sold his business and offered a comprehensive list of suggestions and ideas to assist our private practice development.


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