How to Use Facebook Correctly to Build Your Business

  Written by Aaron Rashkin on Oct 22, 2009 9:03 pm

Read More: Social Networking

With the sudden rise in Social Media in the past 12 months, Facebook has become one of the most visited websites online.

 

it’s now been reported that Facebook gets more visitors every day than even Yahoo.

So with all these people to be-friend on Facebook, the question is, “how do you use Facebook to build your Home Based Business?”

The answer is quite simple.

You make friends first.

Then, you attract followers by providing them good value in the form of thought provoking questions, comments, quotes and dialogue.

You’ll know who your followers are because they will read your status updates and comment on them or let you know that they like what you have to say.

Then, those followers will become a fan of yours, meaning that not only are they your friend and follower, but they will reach out to you and thank you for your contributions to your community and perhaps might even ask you what you do or how they might be able to work with you.

This might even result in a new customer, business partner or both.

This is called Permission Based Marketing and it makes for the best transaction between a seller and a buyer online.

Now, the worst thing you can do on Facebook, is pitch your deal.

Not only will people ignore you, but many will remove you as their friend if they feel that the only reason you are on Facebook is to sell your product or service. 

Imagine going to a doctor and before they even ask you any questions, they are writing you a prescription.

Not only didn’t they ask you anything about yourself, but they didn’t even find out if you even have a need for one. 

To suggest to someone on Facebook that they should look at your company, product or service is considered rude, pushy, even annoying. This is otherwise known as spam.

Nobody likes to be sold, but everybody loves to buy.

So, brand yourself as a leader first – someone that people will come to know, like and trust.

Then, if people ask you about your business, that’s great. Let them engage you and then you can provide them with more information.

Now, if you contribute to your community on Facebook often, with great value, it’s fine to include a link to your personal blog or hub page or any other Social Media that you’ve created or that has been written or spoken about you.

Just don’t keep posting the same status that reads, “Make a Jilion in a Jiffy” with a link to your website.

Nobody cares about your business opportunity until they see that you are someone they’d even want to work with.

If all you post is business information, your intentions speak loudly on their own and you will alienate yourself.

If you treat your Facebook friends with respect and courtesy and contribute often, chances are that you will attract great people who ask what you do and how they can get more information.

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About the Author: Aaron Rashkin

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Member Since: 08/06/2007

Company: Lifestyle Marketing Group, LLC

Industry: Marketing and Advertising

Primary Web Site: http://www.WealthWithoutMLM.com

Comments

Very good information!

Very good information! People need to listen up!. Facebook is a great way to promote YOURSELF! It is like going to school for the first time, remember?? before you really wanted to hang out with someone, you listened to them, hung around for a while, and after making a decision in your head about this new person, you became their friend, trusted in them, etc. Then you were following them, or leading them , BUT that all came after you made your own decision about them, noone pushed that person upon you. Just like MLM , you need to build trust,friendship(alot of times), respect. and then you will be able to recommend your services,tools,and or opportunity.

OFFER VALUE FIRST!!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE STILL EVERYTHING EVEN IN THE MLM WORLD

Tommy Feist — Fri, 10/23/2009 - 8:04am

Facebook is the New Frontier

Thanks Aaron.

You have my vote!

Ron Enget
http://www.explorefreedom.com/wealthy

Ron Enget — Fri, 10/23/2009 - 1:16pm

Promote Yourself First and Not Your Business.

Aaron,

Great article. I agree with you 100%. FaceBook is a great place to meet friends, network, and market your business. But there is nothing worse than someone promoting their business in an obnoxious way.

Like you say, the key is to provide value-based information to the reader. Let the reader know that you have their interest at heart. Let them know that this is not all about yourself.

Taking that approach should help you have success on any social media site. Good job, Aaron.

Scott Hubbard — Fri, 10/23/2009 - 4:11pm

Permission Based Marketing

Good, article.

It cannot be over-emphasized how important it is to build a healthy relationship with someone long before any marketing may or may not happen.

FaceBook is a social networking site vs LinkedIn with more of a premise to network around your business activities.

Pat Campbell — Fri, 10/23/2009 - 6:33pm

Facebook Junkies

I know many FB Junkies - people that spend a great deal of time using and building relationships on FB. Locally there is a realtor that posts positive messages everyday - I hear people talking about her at networking groups that I attend. People follow her and often surprise her by coming up and talking to her, and she does not really even know them - but they know her. She is building her brand as the Realtor to go to in our local market. FB has served her well - and she went in kicking and screaming. She had to be convinced to give it a try, now she cant put it down and her business is growing, even though real estate is not a great opportunity right now.

Dotty Scott — Fri, 10/23/2009 - 9:38pm

Great information - I have

Great information - I have been on Facebook for over a year and to tell the truth really never got "in to it". Your article gave me a lot of good info to think about. Thanks.

Dr. David Enders — Fri, 10/23/2009 - 10:09pm

Just a Question

I agree with all about this, I just want make a question…
Is that right to put some information about your MLM business, or your company, or your history, in your facebook’s profile. Or is better not to do this?
I really appreciate this information. Thanks to all.

Efrain Contreras — Tue, 10/27/2009 - 5:19pm

Answer for Efrain

First of all, thanks everyone for your comments on my article.

For Efrain, yes, it is ok to post information about yourself at your Facebook Profile.

As far as information about your Company, Product or System, no, do not do this.

You can post a link(s) to your site along with a sentence or two about why your friends might want to click on your link, or optin to your form right there on Facebook, but if you start pitching your products or opportunity, you will be considered a spammer and lose credibility in the eyes of your Facebook friends and fans.

Let your friends and fans come to you, by providing excellent value in your posts.

You can even link to your Social Media content, pages, etc...and if your readers choose to click on your link on their own, that's great!

Best to all,

Aaron

Aaron Rashkin — Tue, 10/27/2009 - 7:22pm

Great Help

I added people on my FB for games and then got into a business myself and I wanted to know how I could possibly use this to my advantage, and I realized that what you said now makes alot of sense because people do comment on my status' every now and again, and they have randomly reached out to me and asked me questions....I will keep doing that, and I know NOW that it will be a help to me and I won't delete them.

Camilla Luke — Tue, 10/27/2009 - 8:32pm

Good Reminder. It all comes

Good Reminder. It all comes down to Relationship Marketing. Relationship first & Marketing second. It's all about serving others as a real leader.
Thanks

Skip McNutt — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 6:47am

"Friends" who are always pitching

I got started on FB a few months ago. Almost immediately one individual wanted to friend me who was obviously into home business. "Sure, why not" I thought. Now I find that his twitter posts (mostly pitches or at least always related to business building) and article posts are constantly (nearly daily) on my wall. I am worrying that other friends -many of whom are people I have known for a while - will see the preponderance of stuff on my wall being home biz stuff and be leery of me, due to him.

Is my concern unusual? Should I be? Should I unfriend him? I'm not sure that some of us in the home biz world realize that the cool tools can work against us (like getting all our tweets, bookmarks, squidoo lenses, etc etc automatically placed elsewhere such as Facebook).

Richard Goutal — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 7:02am

Nice Reminder

Aaron, thanks for reminding us that people don't really buy product, they buy people behind the product!

David Demangos — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 7:10am

Thinking the same.

Hi Richard, I was thinking the same thing! Would like someone's input too!

David Demangos — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 7:11am

check the video I made about businesses using Facebook?

I created a short video called - is Facebook good for business?

Check it out - http://www.patrickwagner.com/2009/10/is-facebook-for-business/

Patrick Wagner — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 7:35am

Relationships are key

Thanks Aaron. I see 2 very important points here: people do business with people so it is essential to build a relationship first. Other point,it is true that on FB you have to make friends first, and THEN post quality updates.

Anne Guillot — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 7:56am

Reply to Richard G.- make a separate FaceBook page

This article makes many good points.

Since jumping in to social medial marketing only in the past couple of months, I notice that My Space is more a "business" place than FaceBook.

When I started FB, family and friends found me right away. At once I was concerned about what they would see. So, I am making a separate page for home business interests, maybe with both my and hubby's name. I will let my F&F page know the other exists, but leave it at that. I will list my business info, probably like we do here at BN.

Sara

Sara Orsack — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 8:01am

It's all about relationship

Very good post. Too bad many have not learned this yet. But the great thing about this industry, Those who stick to it will learn this and grow.

Thansk for the great post

Stanley Paisible — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 8:35am

How to Use Facebook Correctly to Build Your Business

Thanks Aaron! this is great information that i follow,i wish others did the same.
Hollis

Hollis Chapman — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 9:04am

Great advice

I can't really add to what the others have said, but just that I enjoyed reading your advice on how to use FB, as I'm on it and currently adding to my friend's list, posting different status messages - some personal, some inspirational. I like to vary it up, but the intent is to develop those relationships and see what happens.

Paul Van Wart — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 9:04am

And I See You Every Day on Facebook

Aaron...just a quick thanks. I see you on FB every day and know for a fact that you truly practice what you preach.

Peace and Abundance,
Deborah

Deborah Tutnauer — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 9:27am

How to Use Facebook Correctly to Build Your Business

Aaron,

Thanks for sharing - great content. I am asked at least once a day by consulting clients how they can monetize Facebook. Some are perplexed why a business is involved and many want to know how they can make money through the site. The process of educating, starting at the strategic level, is ongoing. As you stated, the ones who are following the advice you outlined are successful. Those who are blatently promoting/selling, are not.

Thanks for the perspective and your willingness to share how to be successful with this channel.

Nancy

Nancy Campbell — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 11:16am

How to Use Facebook Correctly to Build your Business

Great article Aaron filled with good content, It is very surprising how many people just don't get it.

Thank you for the share

Peter Costabile

Peter Costabile — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 11:24am

Yup

There are sooooo many peeps on Facebook that need this information. Can you give a tutorial to my friends list? LOL!

Thanks for your contributions, Aaron. I appreciate the feedback I get from my posts.

Best,

Shecky

On Facebook: http://profile.to/shecky

Jeff Schechter — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 11:34am

So true

I'm constantly deleting people from my Facebook list who don't get it.

Here's a tired one I've been getting a lot lately...
"Hey, can you check out my business because I need an expert opinion"

So lame!

Great post, brother Aaron.

John Russell Terrier (not verified) — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 3:26pm

uesing face book

i'm just getting to know face book so the information you put out there is good for me to know how to promote my self and brand my self is good

thank you
ANTHONY HINTON

ANTHONY HINTON — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 4:13pm

USEING FACE BOOK

i'm just getting to know face book so the information you put out there is good for me to know how to promote my self and brand my self is good

thank you
ANTHONY HINTON

ANTHONY HINTON — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 4:07pm

Great Stuff

These tips and techniques should be guidelines that every internet marketer follows. They're so simple to follow, yet some people just can't do what is right for some reason.

Thanks for laying it out, it's always great to have a reminder every now and then.

Serving You to Success,

James Roy

Elite Spectrum ... — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 4:09pm

uesing face book

i'm just getting to know face book so the information you put out there is good for me to know how to promote my self and brand my self is good

thank you
ANTHONY HINTON

ANTHONY HINTON — Fri, 10/30/2009 - 4:10pm

Facebook spam

Great post Aaron and it's great to hear so many people talking about the spam on Facebook. I'd say 75% of the people that have connected with me spammed my wall the second I accepted them as a friend.

Tristram Lodge

Tristram Lodge — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 9:25am

Facebook

Nice job Aaron!

Awesome info & great insight.

Best,

LR Hand

L.R. Hand — Sat, 10/31/2009 - 11:01am
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