Remember when websites became popular for businesses? If your business didn’t have one, consumers would go to a competitor who had a website. That’s how it is today with social media. It’s replacing conventional advertising at a rapid pace and becoming the vehicle of choice for consumers. Gone are the 1980’s advertising agencies and “in” are social media managers. Whether you choose to participate or not, it’s happening. For those who choose to participate, we offer five reasons your business should have a Facebook fan page.
- Clients & prospective clients don’t need (or want) to see your new baby’s naked bum. You don’t want them to see pictures from high school or college and no one needs to know what happened in Vegas. Leave it in Vegas and create a business/fan page for professional contacts. Even if you are conscious of what you post your personal contacts may not be as discriminating. You don’t want to lose a deal because your sister-in-law has drama…again this week. We’re pretty sure you don’t want to know what your dentist did on his summer vacation.
- Cheap date: American households and business alike are facing tight budgets. What better way to promote your business than on a FREE site like Facebook? Ask trusted friends and colleagues to provide initial feedback and reviews of your business. Your audience doesn’t need to know you designed your pastor’s business cards for free or that Susie So-and-so is your sister and you designed her logo in exchange for childcare. All your audience needs to know is that the pastor and Susie find your work extraordinary and wouldn’t dare go to anyone else.
- It’s like the flu: Facebook is viral, just like the flu. It’s called viral marketing and it takes on a life of its own when utilized properly. In the past viral marketing was mouth to mouth advertising to create an interest in a new business. Now it is the power of social media. You share your business page with your contacts. Pastor and Susie write reviews and share with their networks and boom! You’ve gone viral and will experience an increased fan base. There are other tools and tips that can expand your fan base that we will discuss in future posts.
- Promotions: This topic could be its own post as there are a variety of ways to utilize social media to boost your business. Check your favorite business pages and you will see Facebook fans-only specials, coupon codes and deals. Offer free stuff when people ‘fan’ or ‘like’ your business page. Does your business offer a physical product like candles, cookies or jewelry? Taking pictures of products and sharing with fans is another reason to have a business page.
- Professional Appearance: Having a business page shows you’re hip to the times even if you hired a Social Media Manager to handle the page. No one needs to know your scrapbooking business is in your dungeon of a basement. They need to know you will produce high quality products at reasonable prices and deliver with a smile. This starts with the professional image reflected on social media.
These aren’t the only five reasons to have a Facebook page for your business but they are a great start. We hope we helped answer some of your social media questions.McAuley Freelance Writing provides social media management for small to medium size companies. We find the ‘write’ words and create an online community for your business through Facebook, Twitter and blogging. Our website is currently under construction; you can find us on Facebook at McAuley Freelance Writing.Related articles:
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Valuable post. Great information. I have a Facebook page. Just don’t know how to manage it or get more visitors or fans as most people go directly to either my website or my blog.
Excellent job! I found your blog using gogole. I am going to tell my wife about your blog later.
Great article McAuley! I have to agree with you. I want to go into my social media networks to be informed, not see what someone had for dinner or if they did have a headache…LOL!
Thanks again!
Migdalia Johnson
MJ Brilliant Web Designs