5 Reasons I Turned Off Facebook Messenger | Tips for Photographers

One of the biggest changes I made at the start of 2017 was turning off the “send a message” option on my business Facebook page.  I was told a thousand times, by different photographers, that this will make a huge difference in my business.  Even with that promise, it took me a VERY long time to actually do it.  I started my business on Facebook!  Thanks to my very early clients and supporters, I was able to build a strong customer base.  They constantly shared my page and supported all my early work.  They were sending everyone they knew my way.  When I started out, I didn’t have a website and relied heavily on my Facebook page.  As my business progressed, I invested in a website and a blog.  However, Facebook was still the source of most of my clients.  It was natural for my client’s to share their session images on Facebook and they always gave me credit.  I am so thankful for all my past and current clients have done to help grow my business into what it is today.

Even with all that, I knew it was time to pull the plug.  Here are 5 reasons why I knew it was I turned off Facebook messenger!

1.) Customer Service

My clients mean everything to me.  The reason I love my job so much is I get to bring such joy to so many families!  Because my clients are so special, I want to be able to give them the best experience I can.  By cutting out one avenue to reach me, I am able to redirect my attention to my clients.  I now have one less source of contact to check in the morning.  Instead of sending a message, the button on my page reads “send an email.”  So now those messages are being sent as emails!  Also to help my clients, I am able to give them all the same experience through emails.  I have emails templates prewritten that make sure each and every potential client receives the same information.  Along with my templates, my pricing information comes in a nice PDF file that is full of information.  It is impossible to explain all that information through a message on Facebook.  I love being able to give everybody the same HMP experience that they all deserve!

2.) Organization

Social media now a days is, in my opinion, OVERWHELMING.  There is a new app coming out every week, and you never know if this is the next big one!  Even these established apps are fighting against each other in features.  How many apps do we need with “live” features??  First, there was SnapChat, then Instagram came out with their InstaStories.  Facebook had their “Live Feed” to compete with SnapChat and Periscope.  Hey what ever happened to Periscope?? Now Instagram has live feeds?? I even receive inquires through Instagram!  Can you imagine being a one woman show trying to juggle inquiries coming from all over the place?  It is almost impossible to be there for my clients with 7 different ways to contact me.  Turning off my messenger has allowed me to focus on my emails.  I can now organize my emails with folders.  All clients have their own folders and I am able to go back into a conversation reread information I may have forgotten.  Before I was searching through my messages AND my emails trying to find a certain part of our conversation.  Anyone who’s ever been in my studio knows I am not the most organized person out there, so any way I can pretend to be, I’m going to soak it up!

3.) Marketing

In the last few years, Facebook’s Business Pages has changed drastically.  What was once a great avenue for free marketing, is now a struggle to keep up with.  I have over 3,000 followers on my page, yet barely a third see my posts.  It was clear I had to step up my marketing game and figure something else out.  I no longer want to rely on my Facebook page as a way to get, keep and retain my clients.  While Facebook has given me the BEST clients ever, I am ready to branch out.  To use marketing words, I have saturated the Facebook market.  To build up a different audience, I need to focus my marketing toward Google and this blog.  I will of course keep my Facebook up to date, and I love seeing my HMP Babes grow up on there!  However, in order to serve my clients better, I need to keep all information in one spot.

4.) Privacy

Last year, Facebook started keeping track on how long it would take for me to reply to a message on my business page.  I DID NOT LIKE THIS AT ALL!  I constantly had to have the “last word” or I was being punished for not responding to an “OK! Thanks!”  How fair is this??  This response time was for all to see on my page.  Being the competitive person that I am, I would see others showing a 4 minute response time!  How is that even possible??? Were these photographers eating?? I like to have unplugged time; I also like to travel.  This ‘feature’ really hit me where it hurt.  While I love all my clients, I was setting unrealistic standards and expectations for both them and myself.  So, to regain my sanity, I have to remove the option all together.  I respond to emails within 48 hours and I find that is what is best for my family and my business.

5.) My Family

Speaking of my family, my husband and my dog like spending time with me.  We love taking drives down the shore and we also love hanging outside in our own yard.  Turning off messenger allows me to be unplugged, and has allowed me to be on my phone and unplugged from my business!  Have you ever heard the phrase, “You can’t pour from an empty cup?”  My family is my refresher; I need them to clear my mind.  They keep me sane and bring me back down to earth.  Because of this, I think they deserve some of my undivided attention.

One less thing to check, worry about, make my phone beep has allowed me to be a better business person and a better wife!  If you are ready to make this change in your business, follow these steps to turn off the messenger option for your business Facebook page!