Why Your Business Should be on Facebook

photo credit: jm3

I was chatting with someone the other day whose experience on Facebook was that of a meat-market/single’s scene. She was (rightfully) mystified as to why her business (or any business for that matter) should be on Facebook. With that experience on Facebook, I can see why she was confused.

The truth is, almost everyone is on Facebook these days. Today, if you’re prudent, it’s also not quite the meat-market it may have once been. But any way you cut it, if Facebook was a country it would the third largest in the world. Since everyone’s already there, it makes sense for brands to pick that location to interact with customers (and potential customers.)

When a business chooses to open a Facebook page though, they don’t do it simply to sell. They do it to become an information source for the people who “like” their page. By becoming an information source, they move themselves into their category’s top of mind position for the individual liking the page.

The reasons make sense if you break it down, say I own an auto repair company, and I use my Facebook page to talk about the little things I know about cars. One post might be: “You should replace your spark plugs about every 5 years – you’ll know it’s time when the car feels just a little more sluggish than it used to and it runs a little rougher on cold mornings.” Note, no selling proposition was made – you just passed information. The next day you post something equally informative, like “You’ll know it’s time to replace your tires when you put a penny in the tread and you can see the top of Lincoln’s head.” And so on. What you’re doing is slowly establishing yourself as the helpful auto repair shop. The one that’s more interested in the reader’s safety than in getting the repair work. And in so doing, you’ll get the repair work, because if something’s wrong with my car, am I going to go to the people who only want to repair my car, or the one that’s been giving me tips and tricks for the last year? You’re right — the second one.

Facebook also has the ability to allow a business’ raving fans to brag on them and share that good news with their friends. As we all know, word of mouth is the most powerful advertising any business can have. And being on Facebook is like an invitation to your customers to brag on you.

Facebook can help your business with top of mind awareness and word of mouth advertising – and the price of entry is … FREE! What are you waiting for?