There is a weird phenomena on Facebook.  It is called “Facebook Expectations.”  It is that idea that if you are someone’s Facebook friend, you will re-post and attend every event they throw, recommend every product or  service they supply, and support their business to the best of your ability.  The problem?  I have almost 1200 Facebook friends.  If I re-posted and promoted everything they all posted, 1) everyone else would un-friend me, 2) I’d have to quit my day job and 3) I’d have to sit glued to Facebook 24 hours a day to actually see everything they posted.

I have a handful of real friends, and, as often as I can, I promote their events and businesses.  However, I do not feel obligated to do this, and I would never make them feel obligated to promote my business either.  I am responsible for the success or failure of my business, not my friends.

Twice I have had run-ins with people whose Facebook Expectations were too high (or very unclear).  Just because I am your Facebook friend, it does not mean that I am your real friend, nor does it mean that I am going to promote all of your stuff.  I buy what applies to me.  I promote what I feel applies to my friends.  I am a very practical person, and it is a recession.  Before the real estate bubble burst, you could market and sell ANY product or service in Sarasota.  There was plenty of money to go around.  That is not the case anymore – people are more tight-handed with their money.  You can’t just “put it out there” and wait for them to come.  You have to have a product people want or need, and you have to really market and promote yourself on a constant basis.  Those who are creative survive.