Facebook Marketing Basics

10 Steps to Get Started with this Social Media Superstar

So the high school and college kids I know have been talking about Facebook for several years now. And like most mature, responsible adults, I pigeonholed it as being a place where kids put incriminating pictures out for the whole world to see and is just a more modern version of the chatrooms they talked on in middle school.

Call me officially wrong! About a month ago, I joined the Facebook community (that’s me joining the over 150 million other people worldwide - seriously!) I thought it could serve some good business purposes and that I would “dink around” with it.

Wow, was I surprised. 6 hours later, I had already connected with 48 friends. (I didn’t think that many people liked me!!!) Two days later, a high school friend of mine sent me an email through Facebook asking me about my consulting business. We met a few days later and identified several projects I could do for her. Probably the easiest client I have ever found! (Not to mention I connected – and get to work – with an old friend!)

So should you be on Facebook? If you target people under age 30, I think the answer is easy (its yes!). If you target people 30 – 40, you will start seeing more and more people in this age group on this site, and the 50 year olds are not far behind. (People are talking about Facebook!) If you are a local business, it is a great chance to stand out in the vastness of the web. I think the fit for retail is huge. And if you market to a group where there is a likelihood that they will get together in discussion forums, then you will find a place here.

Sure, there may be a few types of business that don’t fit, but for most, the answer is probably, “yes.” The cost is right (free) – so you will just be investing your time. (Warning, it can be addictive. My 8th grade girlfriend – yes, you really will connect with people you have not seen in 30 years – told me her husband calls it FaceCrack!)

OK, so you are curious. Here are 10 very simple steps to get started:

1. Set up a personal account – just go to www.facebook.com and enter your name and email. It will quiz you about your background data. The more you give, the more it will help you find friends and speed start your networking.

2. Connect with personal friends and family to learn the lay of the land. Get accustomed to sending a “friend request” and replying to friend requests. Write a few “wall” posts, and do a few status updates, and comment on others. Build a group of people you are genuinely interested in connecting with. I would suggest starting with friends, then you can move into business contacts.

3. Get active with it – there is a flow to Facebook. It has its own tone (a little more sarcastic and fun than traditional communications) and lingo. It is not complex to get the hang of it, but it worth giving yourself a little time to explore and understand the overall vibe.

4. Join a few groups – search for groups related to your business and sign up for some. See how groups and related discussion boards work. If your prospective clients will be on a group discussing, then join. Focus first on having real conversations and creating value, not just on selling. (That’s true overall!) Within the first week, I made friend in Singapore (of all places) from a group discussion, which could lead to some interesting things down the road.

5. View some of the business / brand pages. Do you like the rock group Coldplay? Are you a diet coke addict? Do you have a favorite local business who has a business FB page? (Or become a “fan” of The FAMEE Foundation.) Just go to that page and become a fan. It’s fun!

6. Set up a business page for yourself – so once you get comfortable with viewing a few other business pages, set up one for yourself. A note here, I found it VERY weird how to set these up. Go to a business page (like Coke, ColdPlay, of FAMEE), and at the bottom, there is a “set up your own brand” page. It is kind of buried, but set one up. And don’t stress if you don’t have 4,000 fans overnight, let it build.

7. Start a group related to your business – Think this one through and set up a group to discuss things related to your business. Look for ways you can create value.

8. Promote it – start to let your customers know that you have a Facebook page. Put it on your website. Put it on your business card. Weave it into articles and blogs (ie: this article!!!)

9. Seek out people who would make great customers or partners – then send them a friend request.

10. Then work it. Like any marketing tool, it does not grow itself. Put a little energy into this over the course of time. Likely you will find it fun. Log on and spend a few minutes each day.

Social marketing is a key trend. Facebook is one of many tools, but certainly has a lot of momentum right now and represents a significant opportunity for those companies who see a good fit and are willing to put a little energy into the process. Lots of people find it easier and more comfortable to network online than they do in person.

Probably the best advice is have fun. If you can enjoy how you market your business, then you will do it a lot more and you will get a lot better at it. See you online!