This largest of the social networks still provides great opportunities for the business community. Here are 3 frequently overlooked ways to use Facebook for business.

Facebook pages are one of the better ways to capitalize on this social network. They are free to create and can help you attract new customers and attention that you did not have before. Unfortunately, many folks stop once their business page is up and running. It’s important to post interesting and informative content on your page regularly, and to avoid too much sales oriented content.

Media Releases

If there is something coming up that needs to be released to the media, why not release it via Facebook as well? This is another way to get the word out to people and let them know what is going on in your day to day operations. There are more than a few people who might like to know about things like this. Just be careful to make sure that you don’t release something that you did not intend to because once it is on Facebook it is there forever. Just be sure to remember the 80/20 rule. 20% sales content and 80% helpful information.

Facebook Contests

This one can be a lot of fun for the fans of your Facebook page. Running a contest of some kind allows you to keep your fans engaged. The important thing to remember is to use contests sparingly. Socialmediatoday.com puts it this way,

One issue that you might face when running a contest is receiving entries from people that that have no interest in joining your community. It is nice to see a boost of hundreds or thousands of likes on your page, but later down the road you might see a drop in engagement or the dreaded ‘unlike’. Keep this information in mind and try not to overuse contests.

Hours of Operation

Though you may be using the virtual world to market your business, you still want people to visit you in the real world as well. This means posting what your hours of operation are so that the people visiting you on Facebook visit visit you in the real world as well. That is where you marketing can turn into dollars. Always be sure to post your hours of operation.

Contact us to learn more about how to get the most from Facebook for business.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also want to check out these others:

3 Reasons to Complete (or Update) Your LinkedIn Profile NOW!
How To Amp Up Your Visibility With Facebook
A Picture’s Worth a Thousand Sales: Using Pinterest for Business
Why Should You Care About Starting A Blog?
Email Marketing: How to Keep Your Messages Out of Your Customer’s Spam Box
Combining Blogging and Social Media into a Truly Effective Strategy

This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

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