Using Facebook to Grow Your Business Presence

While I’ve often said in previous blogs that Twitter has become the leader in promoting your business online, Facebook is still a valuable tool in doing so as well.  Facebook is one of the largest and most well-known social media platforms out there and it reaches nearly an active billion users.  Facebook serves nearly a seventh of the global population and that’s why it’s a wonderful opportunity to target different segments of the marketplace.  Online marketing for businesses has now reached the forefront whereas not even five years ago, it was merely an afterthought.  Regardless of the size of your business, Facebook has proven over and over again to be a valuable marketing tool for promotion of products and services and for getting the word out about your business.  Any entrepreneur hesitant about using Facebook is majorly missing out and it’s time you jumped on the bandwagon as it’s likely your competitors already have.  So how to use Facebook most effectively to grow your small business?

Facebook is a great way to provide information about your business to a broader marketplace and the public at large.  “Your Facebook profile is an online manifestation of your business and the image that it wants to achieve.”

First off, make sure your Facebook profile is user-friendly.  The way your profile looks will determine the way your visitors react.  If you want to convert your users into customers, you want to make a good first impression.  The most important thing to do when making your profile is to provide accurate and detailed information about your business.  Provide as much information as you deem relevant.  This will help visitors learn more about your business, what you do, what you’re offering and how you stand out from the competition.  “Moreover, providing comprehensive information enables you to gain the trust of your visitors.”  It’s no secret that building trust is key to building long-term relationships with customers and gaining their loyalty.

Ensure that your business doesn’t come across as boring.  It’s important to create a hip visual image as branding is vital in today’s aggressive business environment.  As cliché as it might sound, make sure your Facebook page comes across “cool” to your users.  While being trendy might not always be the best approach for long-term customer loyalty, make sure you still remain relevant with the times.  You want to project a current and contemporary outlook.  “The dynamics of traditional business marketing have undergone a quantum shift.”  In essence, keep up with the times to make your business an online success.

Focus on your target audience.  One of the best things about Facebook is the wide demographic your business can target.  People from all over the world use Facebook.  While not all products are aimed at a global audience, if you’re aiming to gain a particular niche of the market, Facebook can go a long way in helping you achieve that.  A great tool of Facebook is that you can cater to a specific target audience.  “Design your page and provide content geared towards the people who you want to buy your products.”  Using relevant demographic information can create a successful Facebook strategy for reaching your intended consumer.

Emphasize customer benefits.  There are millions of businesses out there vying for customers’ attention so you have to stand out from the crowd.  If not, you will just blend in, fall by the wayside and become ordinary.  “The best way to make a good impression on [your] visitors and catch their attention is by emphasizing how they can benefit by buying your products.”  Focus on your customers’ interests instead of just what your business is looking to achieve.  High customer satisfaction is the major key to having a successful business.  Don’t take a “self-centered” approach.  Unless you can convince visitors about the benefits your business provides them, they’re likely to turn to your competitors.  Don’t allow your rivals to benefit from a poor Facebook approach.

As they say: “A picture speaks a thousand words.”  And this is even truer on the Internet so make sure your Facebook page is visually pleasing and post pictures as often as you can.  It’s easier to catch a user’s attention with a visual depiction of the product you’re selling.  Don’t just fill your page with endless text; put up images that are likely to attract the target audience you’re aiming for.  Make sure your photos are engaging and promote the product you are selling accordingly.  Think of posting pictures of people putting your product to use.  “A great tactic is to get your fans and customers to post photos of them using your products.”  Choosing the right images makes Facebook branding easier and makes a bigger impact on potential customers.

Communicate with your customers.  Post news and information about your business on your Facebook page.  Not only does this keep fans interested but it also increases your visibility and reach.  Make sure the communication is a two-way dialogue between your business and your consumer.  “Communicating with your customers on a personal level improves your chances of attracting more fans and customers.”

Post with regularity and frequency.  To get the most out of your Facebook page you have to come up with original posts and updates.  If not, your page can likely fade into the ether quickly.  It’s a must to keep your page highly active so that users can find it quickly and easily.  “Regular posts and updates show up in the news feed and make your page name visible to the visitors.”  Furthermore, try to reply to comments and queries posted by your fans.  This will help engage your consumer and let them know you are interested in their feedback.

Use Facebook for research and development.  Approach fans by asking for their opinions and suggestions on new products and services you intend to offer.  Customer feedback can be exceedingly innovative and helpful.  If you’re looking to test a new product or idea, then the best option is to get the opinion of your customer before putting the final touches on it.  “By having a general perception of the customer opinion regarding your new products, you can discard the ideas which you think are not going to work.”  This helps you save time and money by devoting your energies and resources towards products your customers want from you.

Lastly and possibly most importantly, use Facebook to network and make contacts – this is key to sustaining the growth of your business.  The large user base the platform provides enables you to network with businesses far and wide.  “Building relationships and contacts serves to maximize the exposure your business gets through Facebook.”

These tips I’ve given today on using Facebook to promote your business are key to success in the online marketplace which has come to the forefront in recent years.  Using Facebook to market businesses has become commonplace.  If you’re not engaged in online marketing, you are lagging far behind your competitors.  As described above, Facebook is one of the best ways to promote your business.  Don’t lose out on customers by not having a Facebook page!

Here are some articles you might want to check out about using Facebook to promote your business:

“How to Use Facebook for Business”: http://socialmediatoday.com/alexhisaka/1203526/how-use-facebook-business

“32 Ways to Use Facebook for Business”: http://gigaom.com/2009/07/21/32-ways-to-use-facebook-for-business/

“Using Facebook to Promote Your Business for Free”: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/abrams/story/2012-08-10/strategies-rhonda-abrams-facebook/56918858/1

“4 Unique Ways to Use Facebook for Your Business”: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/promote-your-business-with-facebook/

Until next time…