Facebook Marketing Tips

When I wrote this a few days ago, I was reflecting on the power of Facebook as a mainstream marketing tool.

See, I have an account on my social media sites, but I was skeptical of their usefulness for business advertising and marketing until recently.

Then, I committed myself to writing blogs. This site gets updated 21 times a week. (I used to update it 5 times a day, then decided to be more selective and do 3 updates daily.) I also do a personal blog which is updated twice a day, a marketing and advertising blog which contains only my own writings, which is updated once or twice a week, a picture blog and a political blog which are updated when I feel like it.

But Social Media like MySpace & Facebook, I was still reluctant to do much with. Earlier this year my wife put together a Thrift Style Fashion Show and promoted it on Facebook and other places and had a great turn out.

Last week I posted a comment on my own Facebook page about a newspaper interview that was focused on what I do and within a couple days received a dozen comments via Facebook and Twitter.

Here's why it can work for you. Facebook now is a mainstream platform. It is easy for people of all ages to use and they are! So how can you use Facebook as part of your marketing? Read this:

Connecting with customers through Facebook

by Kirsti Scott

Facebook can be a great way to connect with your customers, especially if your products or services are geared to consumers. But Facebook can also be useful to B2B marketers. Facebook’s popularity means that many of your customers already use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, participate in groups, and keep up with celebrities and companies. Your company should join in the conversation by using the following Facebook features: Profile Pages, Groups, and Fan Pages. All three types of Facebook pages are a great way to keep in close contact with your customers.

Facebook Profile Page

A Profile Page can contain information all about you, including both personal and professional details. You can include your work history, your education, your interests, and as much personal information as you’d like to include. You can easily add photos and videos to your profile, plus there is an ever-growing collection of applications you can add to your page to share even more about yourself. If you’re going to use Facebook for business, it’s best to keep the information on this page very professional.

Once you have put your pertinent information on your Profile, you can connect with other people, who become your Facebook “friends.” When friends accept your invitation, you can see their Profile Pages and they can see yours. Your friends can be your personal friends and family, or your peers and customers, if you want to use your Facebook Profile for business.

On your Profile Page, you can let your friends know what you’re doing in a few different ways. You can update your status at the top of the page with a short phrase, or write something longer on your “wall.” Information that you share on your Facebook “wall” or in the status field is visible to your Facebook “friends” and appears on their walls. Depending on your security settings, this information can be shown to the world or just to your Facebook friends. And, your friends can comment on the things you share on your Profile, letting you interact with others.

Facebook Group Page

Facebook users can also create Facebook Groups to give others a place to start discussions, share information and events, and get answers to their questions. Groups can be centered around a common interest, an industry, a hobby, a travel destination, a school, or almost anything. You should join groups in your industry or groups that might interest your customers. Get involved by commenting on the group’s wall, answering questions, or joining in discussions. You can also create a group of your own if there isn’t already one where your customers hang out.

Facebook Fan Page

Facebook Fan Pages are created by businesses, by celebrities, or for products. You should create a Fan Page for your company, completing all the contact information, and be sure to add a link to your website and add photos or videos for your business.. You can post information about sales, new products or services, coupons, and more on your wall, plus send message directly to your “fans” using the “Send an update to fans” feature. And, your “fans” can comment back on everything you post, making your company wall another place to connect with customers.

For a quick guide to opening a free account on Facebook, check out “Getting Started with Facebook“.

For information on other social media sites your company should be using, read “Social Media Quickstart Guide - 6 Tools You Need.”

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