The internet can be a great resource for both online and brick and mortar businesses. With some time and effort focused on marketing you can attract hundreds, thousands, or many more customers. One of the best sources of internet marketing is Facebook. Just remember that Facebook marketing is like any other form of advertising: some things simply do not work. A few examples of activities to avoid are using your wall purely for advertising, harassing people on their own walls, sending people invites to many groups or applications, posting content multiple times per day, and spamming people repeatedly to your group.
Even though it can be tempting to focus entirely on advertising on your Facebook wall remember that people have also joined your group to be part of a community. Aim for about 1 out of every 10 updates to be advertisements. For everything else work on answering questions, talk about upcoming events, let people know when new or preordered products arrive, and be social with your customers. Spend some time actually getting to know a few of your regulars and they may become lifelong customers that recommend you to friends.
There is a fine line between being social or friendly with people on Facebook and downright harassing people. Never, never, never harass customers on their own walls. A Facebook wall is a person's personal space. True, they allow people to post on it but if you do not respect their space they may take you off of their list. Not only do you lose customers, possible recommendations, and waste time, you may also be suspended or even removed from the Facebook network.
Sending people constant invites to all sorts of groups and applications including flash games may not seem all that bad. But think from their perspective. When using your private Facebook account, do you like it when your friends send you dozens of invites to Mafia Wars, Farmville, etc? Your customers feel the same way. Do not send any invites that someone has not asked for first. Upgrading your digital farm is not worth losing customers!
When posting business related content on your wall, avoid posting too often. Few people separate their Facebook wall into groups. So anything you post appears to them on their HOMEpage. If their entitle page is you posting 5 or 6 times per day and they can not keep up with their friends' posts, customers may remove you from their list.
Even though your Facebook account is meant for marketing and you need people to join it to make your community better and increase business, do not give in to the temptation of repeatedly inviting the same people over and over again. Spamming people with invitations will ensure that they will not join your group and may get your Facebook account suspended or closed.
Facebook marketing can be a cheap or even free way to reach hundreds or thousands of customers easily. Just remember to not become a pest and you may develop relationships with customers that last for months, years, or even longer.
