facebook.om facebook loginHad a conversation with a client today who had this attitude toward Facebook:

“My topics are very different from the personal ‘newsfeed’ that I see on Facebook (which I think is rather idiotic and a waste of time)…”

How many of you business owners feel the same way?… I mean it, raise your hands, I know you’re out there.

Hate to break it to you, but if you’re serious about maintaining and growing your income, you need to rethink your views. If Skittles and FTP Flowers are paying attention to Facebook (in a big way), you should too. Why? Because that’s where the people are!

Why use a Facebook page?

  1. Familiarity. Just using the name Facebook starts building a relationship of trust. People immediately think ‘I’m on Facebook, too! Add me!’ Some call it namedropping. I call it ‘Borrowing clout’.
  2. Build your community. You can start building a fan base immediately. Adding fans is as easy as a click of a button. People like popularity. They like community even more. They love to see that their friends are your fans, too.
  3. Convenience matters. Even if you don’t like Facebook, others do. In the end, that’s what matters. There are certain blog feeds that I wouldn’t follow if they didn’t have their feed on Facebook — simply as a matter of convenience. How many people are you missing out on because you didn’t make it as easy as possible for them to connect with you?
  4. Networking 24/7. Personally, I don’t care when my friends post that they’ve just entered a McDonald’s. But they care. And in the end, that’s what matters. When you show interest in others, they’re reminded to see what you’re up to. Find the things they post that you can relate to, and comment on it. You can do it anytime. I tend to do mine in the evenings when I’m relaxing in front of the TV.
  5. Automated, duplicated efforts. Facebook is more for networking than marketing, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do both. Add your blog feed to your page. Remind your friends to become a Fan. Most will gladly do it. Then they’ll see your blog posts as they pop up automatically. Remind them to tell their friends. Many will also do that, and your fan base will grow.
  6. It’s free. Can’t compete with Skittles’ budget? Facebook levels the playing field for you!

Again, go where the people are. Multi-million dollar corporations are moving away from television, radio and print JUST to focus on Facebook marketing. That means it’s working. It means it’s a better use of their time and money.