Your Facebook profile is a powerful tool in attracting potential customers, and yet time and again I see people ignore  these key features on their profile that can drive traffic to their business.

Here’s what your profile should look like.

Ways to attract more customers

1. Self-Employed Professional. If you are in Real Estate or in the Financial industry,  you would normally associate yourself to that company.  In which case, you will be driving your traffic to that company’s main Facebook Page (if they have one).  If they don’t have a page, then that potential is wasted.  As you can see here; 165 people “like” Dominion Lending Center. But since it’s a default page – meaning no one owns or manage this page, these prospects are wasted.  I’ve seen this quite a bit with Direct Sales and Network Marketing people.

2. Self-Employed Business Owners - If you own a business, and you put “self-employed” as your WORK, then the default link goes to this empty page.

Unless you want to keep your business a secret, you should minimally put your company name under Employment.  It works on a default,  so whatever you put on that space links to a Facebook page.  So it’s best to create a business page even if it’s just to give a short description of your company and link it to your business website like what they did here:

It really doesn’t have to be sophisticated or an active business page if you don’t have the time or the resources to manage it.  At least you are there when someone is looking for you.  This solution will at least allow interested people  to check you out.

3. Contact Info - It boggles my mind why business people would omit this most important information on their profile – their contact info.  You want to make it easy for people to contact you about your business.

How To Edit Your Facebook Profile

1. Log in
2. Click on your name besides your profile picture (sometimes, when you are looking at your newsfeeds or “wall”, you might not see where to edit your profile).
3. Once you are in your profile page, you should see “EDIT PROFILE” besides a little pen icon on the top right corner below your thumbnail picture. Click on that to edit.
4. On the left panel – you will see the following:

• Basic Information
• Profile Picture
• Friends and Family
• Work and Education
• Philosophy
• Art and Entertainment
• Sports
• Activities and Interest
• Contact Information

5. Edit your information and don’t forget to click the “save changes” button.

There you have  it, use your facebook profile page to get  more customers!

While Facebook marketing  is on the rise amongst small business owners,  many are still struggling to understand the fundamental of Facebook Marketing.  I still see people struggling with just the basic setup  and making the biggest mistakes which could jeopardize their marketing efforts. Avoid these mistakes:

5 Facebook Mistakes

1.  Setting up a PROFILE for your business instead of a proper business page.  This is by far the biggest mistake that people make when starting out.

Here’s why:

• Simply put, PROFILE is intended for individual people, and business page is for business.  Therefore, setting up a profile for your business is in violation of  Facebook User Terms Of Service (TOS), under  Registration and Account Security point #4 which says… “You will not use your personal profile for your own commercial gain”. Facebook could shut you down without notice and they would be within their rights.
• Growth is limited if you use profile.  As a profile, you can only have 5,000 friends. As a business page, you can have unlimited number of people “like” your page. Send unlimited number of updates, and you can even e-mail them directly.  As a profile, you can only “post” on your wall.  Not too many people can keep up with everyone’s updates.
• Business page offers a lot more flexibility than a profile with multiple tabs and tools  you can use to enhance your brand.
• As a business owner, you should be busy working the business. A facebook page will allow you to assign someone or several people as “admin” to update and monitor your page.
• If you decide to become “professional” later on and actually set up a business page that mirrors your brand, you could loose followers in the moving process.
• People are more likely to “like” a page than accept a logo as a “friend”.
• More work is involved in maintaining a profile.  You will need to manually “accept friends request”.  Whereas, as a business page, people can “like” your page without any additional work from you.

2.  Becoming a broadcaster and forgetting that Facebook is a “social network”. Constantly telling people how great your business is – without providing useful content will not get you the desired result.   They will eventually ignore you, block or “unlike”  you.    Your Facebook page allows you to “attract” potential customers and “engage” with them.  Connect and discover their needs; then look for ways to fill that need.

3.  Having the illusion that people will naturally buy or engage your service without much work from you. If you include  Facebook Marketing in your business expansion strategy, then  you better understand that it will take a lot of work.  Invest your time engaging with people who are interested.

4.  Focusing on the numbers instead of the result. I’ve seen business owners collect “likes” from everybody including their family, and competitors just to inflate the number of “like” on their page, then wonder why no one is engaging with them.  Before asking someone to like your page, ask yourself this question; are they your potential customers? Will they buy from you?  Do they need your service?  If the answer is no, then start looking for the right people.

5. Not investing the time to learn how to use Facebook Marketing correctly or asking for help. You’ve started your own business and your are so proud of yourself.  So proud and full of pride you might think you don’t need to listen to people who have done it before you.   This is amateur thinking.  Successful people know when to ask for help and surround themselves with experts.

Now that you’ve learn what not to do, your next step is to do it right.

How To Set-Up A Business Page

1. First and foremost, do it right the first time by learning the right way to do it.  Even though my business is helping others make a facebook page, I still consult the facebook help page regularly for new updates to stay up to date on any new development. Remember,  technology is constantly changing.

2. Before starting your page, draw up a marketing plan and strategy.  Figure out the best facebook name for your business.  If your business name is too long, you need to create some variation and you may include some keywords for best results.  Now, create your business page.

3. So you’ve gotten this far, now what?  The most obvious one would be to let people know about your Facebook page:

• Let your friends know you’ve set up a Facebook Business Page to update those who are interested in your business without spamming those who are not.  Inform them that regular and interesting updates will now be posted only on your business page, and invite them to “like” it if they want to stay connected.
• Next is to personalize your business page (removing the odd looking numbers on your link”.   Again, the number of characters allowed is limited so plan well.
• Add your Facebook page link to your signature on every e-mail you sent, mention it in your flyers, and also on your website.
• “Like” other pages  and make comments on other business pages as your business instead of your profile.  You simply need to switch identity every time you want to promote your business page.  Here’s how to do it; if you are on your profile, click on the ACCOUNT tab (right hand corner) and you will see “use facebook as page” from the drop down menu and click on it to make a switch.  Do the same thing when you want to switch back to your  profile.

The screenshot below shows where the TAB to switch identities.

Here’s some of interaction I’ve done using my profile and business page.

As a Business Page

4. Use your profile to promote your business page.  Edit your profile and add your business page address under your “contact” info section.

Complete Your Profile Contact Info

Is this helpful?  If so, please click the facebook “like” above or leave a comment below.   Including your website address while commenting is another way to get some link love:)

People desire to be appreciated and acknowledge.  If you simply appreciate and acknowledge people – you will make them happy.

The job of  a Customer Service Rep  is to make people happy.  Yet the majority of CSR I’ve spoken to fail to realize their most important function  is to make the customer happy.  You don’t need to give FREEBIES, or  do unusual things in order  to make customers happy.  If you simply appreciate and acknowledge them, they will be happy.  It’s the easiest way to defuse a potential problem.

Case in point.  Today, I received an e-mail from the stage company we’ve been dealing with for the pass 4 years which tested my patience as a customer.  As the organizer of this community event, we’ve hired them every year to create an outdoor stage for us and they’ve been excellent.  But this year, their set-up crew arrived late as per the time specified in the contract.  They also took their time setting up, causing my programming to be delayed.  When I mentioned this to the crew, they proceeded to give me excuses defending their lateness and even tried to tell me they were not late until I showed them the time.  Fail!

When their customer service rep e-mailed me the invoice, I thanked her and lightly mentioned that their set-up crew were late.  She e-mailed me back and said something like “if you have any concern, you should contact the sales rep”… “sometimes, unforeseen circumstances occur…”  etc.  You get the picture.

I didn’t have the intention to file a complaint, just casually mentioned it so they are aware of it.  I also thought they would appreciate the info if I own or run this company.  But her indifference made me angry.   So I quickly drafted a complaint and fired it to the sales rep who were handling our account.

What happened here?

1.  She did not appreciate my business nor my effort to report a tardy unsupervised personnel that could eventually ruin their company.

2.  She did not acknowledged my concern, but  tried to minimize it.

If she had simply said something that made me feel appreciated and acknowledge the problem, then promised to take it up with a manager, I would have been as happy as a bee.  Instead, they got a full blown complaint that they now have to deal with.

Sometimes, the easiest thing to do is the right thing.

I am writing this post for you!

In the last 24 hours, I’ve been inundated with facebook scams compelling me to write this post.

A chat window would pop up from someone on my list.  I know it was a FISHING SCAM right away because this person would not normally address me that way. I am older than her and she usually honor that. But some are not too obvious but really stupid.

Such as:

Don’t be Fooled!

If you are foolish enough to click on these chat pop ups,  and wall posts, you are HARMING your friends and helping these scumbags spread the virus.  Because as soon as you click on the link, your entire FRIENDS LIST will get the same scam message.  Get it?

What Is Fishing?

A phishing scam is when someone fraudulently and illegally imitates a trustworthy source to steal usernames, passwords, credit cards info, etc.

It can not only occur through e-mail, but also through wall posts, facebook messages, and Facebook chat.

SO DON’T BE CLICK HAPPY – STOP AND THINK.

Here’s another one – a perfect bait for those low lifers.

What To Do

If you get these from your friends, you must alert them to do the following:

1. Remove the wall post, or chat (if it’s not too late). So no one else from your friends will click it.

2. Change their log in info’s

3. Go to their account setting and remove any unwanted apps.

4. Tell them to not do it again!

The other day, a frustrated business owner said to me “I don’t get how this Social Media thing will get me leads!”.

Leads

Social media is not going to bring you immediate leads.  Let’s get that false idea off the way!

The whole idea behind social media is to warm up your cold market.

When you meet someone off line at a social gathering, you normally start the conversation with unimportant topics like the weather, their favourite movies, pets  etc.   Then further along, if the conversation is smooth and you each find something in common,  this connection could  lead to a more in dept discussion about things that matters to both of you.  Maybe you exchange business cards, or promise to call on each other before parting ways.   The result – you moved this person from your cold market into your warm list.

In social media, you are using your offline skills to turn cold contacts into  leads.  It is a medium which allows you to connect with strangers, “socialize”  and make them “warm up” to you.  As in any lead generation activity, it’s a process.

You work at it every day until you achieve the desired result.

Think how people marry their partners.  It starts with a contact, courtship, engagement and then marriage.   In other word – it’s a process.

Sometimes, an instant connection is established right away.  Other times, it may  take a while…:)

Let’s get something straight – there is no privacy online.  When you decide to share something online, be it your thoughts, or images, you can be rest assured that it is available to the whole world to see.

I am amazed at how many people think the photos they’ve uploaded on Facebook are safe and can only be viewed by their chosen friends.   What happens if that “friend” shares it to someone else?  How can you control it? The short answer is you can’t.

So it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Next time you click on something, ask yourself this: “is it okay for the whole world to know?”  If the answer is yes, then go ahead and upload it.

Social media is all the rage right now, becoming ever more popular and widely used by small business owners and self employed professionals.  And why not, it’s the easiest and cheapest way to make yourself or business known.

But while social media’s popularity makes you want to jump into action and start sending massive amount of advertising, let me caution you not to forget the key word “social”.

Your objective in using Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin is to “engage” and get to know your potential customers and existing clients.

Here’s a bit of help:)

10 Ways To Use Social Media to build credibility and market your business

1. Be part of a conversation and answer common questions

2. Become an expert and share your insights and expert opinions

3. Share interesting links; either yours or someone else

4. Share your activities; mention projects you are working on and how you are able to help someone without of course breaking confidentiality

5. Know your customer and share things that might benefit them

6. Don’t be shy to commend someone; your customer or colleagues

7. Tell others about your new website, and anything new about your business

8. Ask people for their opinions, listen and respond with your knowledge

9. Identify key influencers and reach out to them

10. Be social and human

I’ve had many requests from clients for a workshop or course on Facebook Marketing and although I’ve done a few on Facebook Basics in the past, I haven’t really done a full course.

So I decided to put my head together and create a full course. I know…better late than never.    It took me 3 months to finally complete it; so I thought.  Last month, Facebook made some changes (yet again!) so I had to test some new features on my own to be able to teach it.

Finally, after sleepless nights (well almost) the course is complete!

Facebook For Business Made Easy

This course is jammed pack with goodies! While it is geared for newbies, half of the course is on advance features that Facebook users are seldom aware of.     I will launched the Facebook Pro in Jan. 2011.

For now the only way to take advantage of this knowledge is to attend my workshop.  I will release the online version sometime either late Nov. or Jan 2011.  And since  I am doing it at one  of my associate’s home-office and limiting the attendees  to 10 people, the cost is minimal.   A workshop like this can cost up to $197 dollars.

The workshop: WORKSHOP IS FULL AND NOW CLOSED

Date: Nov.6, 2010
Time: 1-4pm
Location: Scarborough, Ontario (exact address to be given once you sign-up).
Cost: $35

Here’s what you are going to learn:

• Why Facebook is good for business
• How to correctly use Facebook as a business tool
• Basic settings; profile, security, friends list and mobile option
• Taking advantage of the new Group Feature
• Know the difference between Facebook profile and Facebook page
• Why Facebook page is a MUST for any business with or without a website
• How to create  your Facebook business page and use all features
• Optimizing your Facebook page for search engine
• Integrating your blog and website with your Facebook page

Bonus:

I love checklists! It makes it easy to implement by putting all the “must do” actions  into a list that can be checked off as you go along-marketing your business on Facebook.  So with that in mind, I’ve created these checklists for you as a bonus!

• Disaster proofing your Facebook checklist
• Effective Facebook promotion checklist
• Effective Facebook SEO checklist
• Targeting with Facebook checklist

There you have it. I made it easy for you to promote your business online on Facebook.  You can pay for it online or e-mail me to use e-money transfer.

NOTE: First come first serve.  I am only accepting 10 at this time:)

Sign Me Up!

If you have a hobby and doesn’t really care weather it’s going to amount to anything, then free website is a good idea.

But if you are a serious hobbyist who think  your craft has potential, then you should start with a website.

Why Free Website Is Not A Good Idea

Reason #1: You don’t own your site.  You are riding on somebody’s back.  If the company fold – your website goes with it and you can kiss all your work goodbye.

Reason #2: It’s not professional.  Customers are becoming  savvier and smarter nowadays;  they’ve seen  a lot of well designed websites so your free website  will look cheap.

Reason #3: Ads.  Free websites are full of ads. Why distract your potential customers with irrelevant ads?

Reason #4: Websites is a lot cheaper now than before.  So there is no reason to be cheap.

Affordable Websites With Great Features

You CAN have a professional looking website BECAUSE it’s affordable. For as little as $500 dollars, you can say you are in business.

What it can give you:

• Professional look
• Flexibility
• Marketability with google friendly features
• E-mail capturing feature
• Easy upload of pictures and video

One of the first questions people ask me when I start talking about online promotion is “do I need  website?“  My obvious answer is a resounding YES!

Fact: You can’t market your business online without a website.

If you want people to find you online – you  most definitely need  a website.  It doesn’t matter if you are a big business or small.  You need it more if you are small and struggling.   People want proof that you are real.  If they can’t find you on Google, you don’t exist!

Benefits Of A Website

Having a website conveys that you are a legitimate business professional.  Most people check your business online after meeting you to see if you are someone to do business with.   There are tons of obvious benefits in having a website but here’s my top 8:

1. You need a place to send people over to get more information about your product or business.  It’s your store front, your office, your business card, your flyer and  personal maitre d’.
2. A website can add credibility, build authority and present a professional image.
3. Present and display your service or products.
4. If done correctly, your website  can “attract” people from the search engines such as Google and yahoo. In other words, people who are looking for your products or similar products will find you. Getting you prospects while you are sleeping.
5. Allows your business to be  open to the world 24/7, doing the prospecting, and interaction for you.  You can reach people far and wide with little work once your site is set up.
6. Do customer service, and gather valuable information for lead generation.
7. A place to put testimonial to add “social proof” and authority.
8. Referral – people can easily refer your business to their friends with a click of a button.

Cost Of A Website

Over the last 5 years, the cost of web design has dramatically decreased due to competitions and technological advancement.  Five years ago,  you needed at least a couple of thousands to pay someone to do it.  Now a site can cost from $500 upward to as much as $5000.00.  My first website cost me $3000.00 7 years ago and I recently had it re-design for half that price.

Nowadays, it is totally possible to get awebsite done for under $600.00 depending on the elements you want to include in your website.

3 Things To Get You Started

1. Register your domain name. Once you decide that you need a website, the first thing you need to do is to register a domain name.  This is your business name online.  Self-employed professionals, people in direct sales, or network marketing can either use their names or a variation of their companies.  But I highly suggest using your name in case you change your business later on. Don’t forget – this is an asset and an intellectual property.

Registering your domain name is really simple and easy.  Don’t let anyone else register it for you because you can lose control of your domain if something happens between you and that person.

Check out my favourites for the companies I use for domain registration.

2. Find a host for your website. Choose a company to host your site (to house it on the web).   Sometimes, a domain registrar company offer hosting services as well and can have a domain and hosting package. But I don’t recommend it.

3. Do It Yourself or Hire A Web Designer.   You have two options:

a) Learn how to do it and create your own. If you have a bit of technical background, it should not be hard to learn.  There are courses online where you can learn how to create your simple website.

b) Pay someone to do it.  The easiest and fastest way to get a website up and running is to hire a pro to do it for you while you focus on what you do best.

Our sister website Avanze can help you create your dream website without breaking the bank and with very little technical knowledge.  Call them today!

Additional Resource:

What Makes A Good Website