A small outdoors store is Clemson has been using facebook to create hype about the sales that the store is offering, and to get a “Facebook following” if you will, from students at clemson.  Here’s how it worked, I received an invitation about a week ago to join the group for the Clemson Outdoor Adventures Outfitters Shop .  I nonchalantly joined the group and a couple of days later received a facebook message with a challenge.  If the current members of the group got 200 more members to join, we would get a pair of rainbows at half price from the store that friday.  And the group worked.  The owner, who is completely new to the facebook group scene has almost 5oo members in the group, and they all get constant messages about the latest sales at the store, and special offers for the group members.  The sales are GOOD and the specials are even better.  I thought this was a great example of working from the ground up in PR because this guy, an owner of a small business, in a really small town, has figured out a way to create open communication between his business and his customers.  Not only are people able to receive information about the store, but they can post questions and suggestions on the wall of the group.  One guy suggested that they outdoor store should order more fishing gear.  This is not the most elaborate PR scheme, but i think it shows how public relations can be effective even on a small scale.