For those of you new to social media, you might be interested to know that way back before fan pages and being able to sell products on Facebook, you could only log in with a college ID. Facebook wasn’t at all what it is set up to do now. The face of this social media networking site has made drastic changes over the years. No longer is Facebook just a way to share pictures of your kids and reconnect with old high school friends. Of course, you can still do this, but if you have a business that you want more exposure for then Facebook is a great outlet to promote your products.

I admit that when I was first starting my business, I didn’t set up a fan page right away. I did set up a group (which is no longer the hot thing to do now), but I didn’t really do much with the group. Once I had seen the impact that fan pages were making on other business, I definitely wanted to jump onto that bandwagon. People are now using Facebook to sell their products and it’s not going to be long until Facebook passes Google as the #1 site in the world. Even selling products on your business website might come second to e-commerce on Facebook.

Now is the time to learn about what Facebook can do for you and your business, so that you can start building a fan base of people who “like” your business and like you!! 

Did you know that you could get sales from both your fan page AND your personal page? Yes, most people believe that their personal page is just that personal, but if you have the want and need to grow your business then it is imperative to use both of these pages to talk about your business. Using your personal page will allow you to network with people on a more intimate level and your fan page will enable your followers to find out more about your products and services in a detailed fashion.

Who to like or follow:

Personal Page: Your personal page should be about you making contacts with people that you want to either get into business with, want as your clients, or want as mentors to help your business. Don’t just follow anyone under the sun just to build your numbers. Pick people who you could actually see having a conversation with more than just “thanks for the follow!”

Fan Page:  “Like” other businesses that could be a good partner or collaborator for you, be your potential clients and/or could help take your company to the next level. The great new option that Facebook has given its user is to comment or like from either your personal page or fan page. The only downfall to this is if you like another company from your fan page it doesn’t actually increase their numbers because that growth is determined by personal pages.

What to post about:

Personal Page: Make your post short and to the point. Have the update be about something personal (i.e. your kids) and make sure to include something about your business (i.e. working on new products). Then have a call to action. Ask your followers something that will spark a discussion about what you have posted.

Fan Page: Your first status update of the day should create dialogue on your page and then add one or two more about your services and sales that you have going on at the current time. People want to see the real you on your fan page as well, so don’t make it all about business. Throwing in a little emotion here and there will make people want to buy from you!

When and How often to post:

Personal Page: If you are trying to get to the top of the news feed, then you post once a day in the morning and that is it. The one caveat to this is if you don’t get many comments on what you post then post again in the afternoon to see if you can create more of a discussion on your update.

Did you know that you could get sales from both your fan page AND your personal page?

Fan Page: Post several times a day. Auctions and sales are great to have on Facebook, but unlike Twitter if you clog someone’s stream they are probably going to hide your posts. You want people to want to join in on your discussions, not hide you because you overpost.

Important things to remember about Facebook:

• Don’t try to follow too many people in one day, Facebook will see that as spam and put you into their “jail” (i.e. put a hold on when you can start following people again)

• Comment on other people’s post so they will interact with you and ask them a question so you can keep the discussion going.

• Go ahead and use real pictures of yourself, most clients want to see the real you.

• Engage, engage, engage.

• Self promote, but also talk about your personal life as well (to an extent). No need to show pictures of you doing inappropriate things.

• And oh, did we mention? Engage!

Facebook has the ability for you to make connections that you would never make outside of social media. It has become a great way to find new contacts and potential clients from all over the world. For example, if you have a product that you want to get into smaller boutiques, then start a conversation with a shop that you want your product to get into. Who knows what could come out of that one comment? Interactions that just start out as a brief "hello, love your store,” can turn into partnerships and eventually friendships. Facebook is no place to feel shy, so connect with others to make money for your business.

See also: Facebook for Business: Groups or Pages by Mhairi Petrovic, to learn the advantages each page type has, to help you decide if one type is better than the other for your purposes.