Facebook Isn’t Mysterious Anymore

Posted by Mark Hess

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As a business owner you’ve probably spent countless hours worrying about the best ways to market and promote your business. Facebook could be your magic potion, but you need to follow proven methods; and there are lots. People spend more time on social networking than any other medium, and traditional mediums such as newspaper ads are becoming as outdated as the 8 track player. Social platforms provide the new solution, and leading the pack is Facebook. 

The Game Changer:

Facebook can be an incredibly powerful business-to-customer networking tool. With over 158 million Facebook users in United States, you can raise your company’s awareness, create trust and make a name for yourself with a low cost game plan. Facebook has transformed the marketing industry and the ways businesses interact with consumers, and with the cumulative experience of big and small company’s alike, the knowledge and know-how are out there for you to leverage. You just have to find it and engage.

First, the Basics:

Facebook is in some ways like a cocktail party. There are many different groups of people all having separate dialogs, discussing their habits, hobbies and ideas; their buying experiences and suggestions and recommendations. By joining Facebook, companies are able to join in on the conversation with the ability to reach out and engage people. A few facts:

• 51% of Facebook users say they're more likely to buy a product after becoming a fan of the product developer's Facebook page. http://bit.ly/OWe89n
• (Source: Ipsos)
• Facebook is currently the single largest publisher of all U.S. display ad impressions: 28%.

Why Your Business Can Benefit by Utilizing Facebook:

Low Risk: Facebook pages are a simple, free product for businesses to useConvert consumers to customers: Use your page to post engaging content such as status updates and information about your businesses. Include links, photos and video. Steer people to your website and get ready to convert them.
Build deep relationships: Get to know your fans and make people feel trust by responding to comments and asking questions.
Gain insights: Learn what people are saying about you and your products. Use feedback to adjust and improve; let your followers help you fine tune your business.
Gather a following: Increase brand awareness and promote yourself while learning more about the people you serve.
High Visibility Ads: By using ads on Facebook, and starting small, you can see what works and grow your efforts as they show returns.  

One Good Example:

The team behind the Red Bull page is extremely in tune with their target audience. This is evidenced in their custom apps and unique content throughout their pages. When a non-fan lands on their page Red Bull creatively encourages fans to “Like” their page with an attention-grabbing image. Also, they only put one call to action, making it very clear what they want to happen. When you add too much, your fans will get confused and likely not take any action. Less is more. Stick to one call to action.

Key Takeaways: For business owners, Facebook can be a great outlet to show what really makes your company stand out. Give people an opportunity to see what makes your business special.

Don’t Wait! Join the RevolutionToday

Remember Rome wasn’t built in a day; the same goes for your online presence. Don’t expect immediate results; building a fan base takes time. But by using Facebook as a networking tool you can gain insights and new ideas while engaging customers and building deep and meaningful relationships. Whether you're developing an overall social media strategy or just testing the water, Facebook is a great way for businesses to grow.

Mark Hess is a marketer and small business expert as well as an award winning illustrator, painter, graphic designer, entrepreneur and co-founder of BizSaves; with a passion for online marketing and small business success.
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