Most companies are familiar with the need to market on Facebook, so the simple act of creating a Facebook page has become a standard part of doing business. Having a Facebook page allows your friends and happy customers to spread the word about your products or services, but also gives them a way to voice their opinions about your company back to you directly. The benefits of having a global “sounding board” such as Facebook have just started to emerge as companies continue to scratch the surface of the possibilities that exist with that level of engagement and interaction.
In a nutshell, having a business page on Facebook is not only a great marketing tool to get your products and services in front of people, but it also lets you identify yourself as a company. This is achieved by not only listing descriptions and examples of your products or services, but also sharing the personal character of your business and giving it a unique identity against the pack. This includes your employees and associates because it will give your company a much more “human” vibe.
Beyond just spewing marketing materials for your business, it can be a vital platform to share your “human side” and show that your principals run deeper than just making money. Though you want to keep at least a modest amount of professionalism when posting on your Facebook page, loosening up a bit and sharing some humorous stories or things that are inspiring to you can really go a long way when trying to build relationships with your customers or clients.
However, there are certain topics you want to avoid discussing and taking a stance on such as politics, religion, or other social issues. Regardless of your personal point of view, it is always a bad idea to mix your business with your personal ideology. For instance, just because you disagree with someone on a particular social issue doesn’t mean you want to bar them from eating at your restaurant. By maintaining a respectful and appropriate attitude on Facebook, you can avoid insulting a potential customer or singling out a specific ideology.
Overall, you want to sprinkle in marketing material about your company in-between posts that are funny and informative. Using the proper mix of humor, educational tidbits, and updates about your business and its products is the best way to entice your readers to stay connected and still sneak in some valuable marketing materials. If you do too much marketing, you will scare off potential customers. If you don’t market at all, you’re just wasting your time by having a Facebook page at all. You need to find that fine line and walk straight down the middle of it.