Facebook has more than 400 million active users and is the most visited website on the planet. This is serious business! Small business owners, you MUST use Facebook to increase visibility, build trust and increase your market share. Established business brands, you MUST use Facebook to engage clients, build loyalty and expand your market share. Facebook is too influential to be ignored. Failure to maximize the power of this social network is the equivalent of giving business away to your competitors. Stop giving away business!

Lots of folks ask me about the best way to use Facebook private profiles and Facebook business pages. Here is my advice – treat your private profile as a place to interact with friend and prospective clients with a focus on building relationships. Facebook prohibits promotion on your personal profile page. I highly suggest that you adhere to this restriction. Use your personal profile to focus on building relationships and letting people know about your business page.

Successful business pages have a focus on adding value using an “education-based” marketing approach. Education-based marketing is simply giving valuable information away to your target market at NO COST. You will find that giving highly valuable information away for FREE is a great way to spark interest in your programs, products and services – leading to sales. When you don't hold back and you “go all out” to add the most value possible – people will wonder what else you have to share. This “wonder” is how money is made and market share increased.

Now that you have the “big-picture” in mind. Let's explore a few concrete ways to build a magnetic Facebook profile and business page that will attract your ideal clients and customers.

Facebook Personal Profile

1. Use a photo of yourself that is in focus. Do not use a logo. Avoid pictures for which you have to cut someone out. The goal is to be professional and approachable.
2. Complete your profile by using the “Info tab” to share general information about your interests and work experience.
3. Use your status updates to build your brand by giving insight into your day. Craft your updates to add value when sharing your insights in a way that (i) informs, (ii) educates, (iii) inspires, (iv) motivates or (v) entertains.
4. Set your privacy controls to match your business objectives and personal goals.
5. Join industry groups and hobby groups to expand your network.
6. Claim your public URL!

Facebook Business Page

1. Create a custom welcome page to immediately engage your visitor and inspire them to become fans.
2. Include an email sign-up box on your welcome page to move people from your Facebook fan page to your company email list. While it is great to engage with people on “rented web properties” (like Facebook), it is much better to have them join the web properties you own (like your website and self-hosted blog).
3. Use video on your business page to inspire a deeper connection with your Facebook fans.
4. Connect with your network by sending focused messages to hyper-targeted audiences.

Now we've covered a few ways to use Facebook to build your brand + attract, engage and influence your target market, it’s time for your UpwardAction®!   Let me know if we can help!

Expect Excellence!

Coach TC

Tasha (TC) Cooper Coleman, Esq.

PS – If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person and you want to learn concrete ways to build your business with social media marketing, I invite you to join our monthly membership group.  You’ll get great practical information + access to me for only $97 a month!   Learn more about our social media marketing membership group by clicking here.