10 Quick Tips to Be Successful with Facebook Marketing

1.  Create a business page to promote your business. Profiles are meant for individuals, pages are meant for businesses. These pages have different features to them that make them incredibly more valuable for a business.  A business page is public, no one needs to ask to be your "friend" the page can be "liked" by anyone allowing more exposure for you.  The things you post on your business page can be shared by your "fans".  Also, business pages come with analytics on engagement so you can understand your reach and marketing effectiveness on Facebook.  A business page allows easy access, participation and visibility.

2. Be Social - Social media, especially Facebook is a natural match for sales people who want to reach more people to do business with.  Businesses can thrive on word of mouth advertising, relationship building and active participation.  Facebook allows you an opportunity to share your excitement about your business.

3. Be Engaged - Be there and be there often.  Participate in conversations because Facebook allows you to network, prospect, build relationships and market your services to new customer opportunities as well.  Engagement is regular interaction with the people you are connected to on Facebook.  The biggest draw to Facebook is the fact that it is interactive and information is constantly changing through the news feed; so be a part of it.  Don't just focus on what you can say through your status updates but spend some time to "work the room"; peruse the news feed and see who you can interact with.

4. Provide good content - Once you create your business page; go beyond the social aspects and provide good, valuable content.  Share articles on topics that relate and support what you do for a living.  The articles can be blogs you have written or you can share articles from others.

5. Use video - Video is a hot way to add a new dimension to the content you share on your Facebook page.  You can create powerful, relevant content with video such as a short 3 or 4 minute video blog (people love to watch what you have to say rather than read it sometimes) you can also record video testimonials or "how to" videos to highlight your product or service. 

6.  Update often- They say 98% of all interaction on Facebook happens in the news feed.  Which means most people are not going to visit your page directly unless you catch their attention by posting often so they see your update in the news feed.

7.  Make it interesting - Share a variety of information so that your audience is looking forward to your next post.  If you update your business page with interesting content, your users are more likely to engage with your page, and remember their interactions can be seen by their networks, which allows you more exposure!

8.  Don't turn off your wall - Facebook is SOCIAL media marketing!  It should allow for interaction and you want that if you are looking to cast a bigger net and gain more clients.  Turning off wall posts or comments on your page is like saying to your customers, I don't want to hear what you have to say.  Should someone say something negative on your wall you can choose to respond or even delete the comment.

9.  Don't Sell on Your Page - I know I sound like I am contradicting myself right now, but what I mean is use the power of Facebook to engage and make connections to build relationships that will lead to sales opportunities.  But to sound like a commercial everyday; "buy what I sell" or "use my service" will lead to eye rolling and avoidance.  Instead show me who you are and why you are someone I might like to do business with.

10. Stay Focused - Facebook can be a powerful tool in your marketing plan but it can also be a time stealer if you let it!  Time block 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the afternoon to network and post on your page.  Save nights and weekends to chat with friends and look at the pictures of your niece's dance recital.