In recent years, having an Internet presence for your business meant putting up a website. While still an important feature for promoting your business, a website is no longer enough. Web 2.0, or the social web, is an essential feature of a successful marketing plan to reach your clientele.

Facebook is considered one of the leaders of social media. Its growth has continued to increase and Facebook has become an essential and innovative idea for business marketing.

Facebook is a great way to keep up with friends and family, but you don’t necessarily want your clients to see the more personal side of your life. Businesses should take care to present a well defined and controlled image of their products and services. Facebook fan pages are an excellent choice for business.

Business Facebook fan pages have many of the same features as personal pages. You can still share articles, photos, videos, and applications, but all of the fan page content is related to your business.  Here are five strategies for making your Fan page a success:

Make your Fan page a resource

Consider the information your customers need. Post articles and links to useful information on your wall and showcase yourself as an expert and your customers will return again and again.

Connect

Interact with customers by making use of Facebook’s tools. Respond to comments. Discuss the benefits of your product line and lead new customers to your website for more. Target your offers without being spammy to increase customer loyalty.

Be human

Pictures and personal information put a face on a company. As long as you present an image that enhances your business, personalizing your Fan page is a great way to get followers.

Be present

Keep your profile, articles, photos and video content up-to-date and current. It’s not enough to throw up a page and ignore it. Make sure to respond to customers who become fans. Create a group for your business and participate in groups related to your business.

Be Innovative

Facebook moves fast. Don’t be afraid to try the latest thing. Explore webinars, and other interactive media as options to improve business relationships.

Creating a Facebook fan page is great first step toward integrating social media into your marketing plan. Don’t forget to provide links from your website and/or blog to your Fan page. Connect to your Facebook fan page through other social media to continue to grow your network. In no time your Fan page will be the central hub of your successful online marketing campaign.

Jeannine Clontz, IVAA CVA, MVA, EthicsChecked™, provides marketing and social media support, training and consulting to busy entrepreneurs. For information about finding a VA, download her FREE 10-Step Guide to Finding the Right VA, or to learn why Social Media should be an important part of your marketing plan with her FREE Report, Social Media Marketing Benefits, visit: http://www.accbizsvcs.com, or contact her at info@accbizsvsc.com

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‘Free’ has been a mainstay of the marketing world for decades now, with promotional materials offering everything from free consultations to free video content. Online, it is an entirely expanded world. Visit any sales page and you will quickly find a free report, hop on any blog and you will be offered the chance to join a free mailing list, and favorite any membership website and you will see offers for a free trial offer.

Free is popular for a reason: it works. With the online world teeming with competitors, every second spent on your product is a gain for your business. If you want to build your brand without spending a lot on advertising, free content is likely to be the most cost-effective and simple viral marketing tools in your inventory. Sure, it doesn’t fit the standard ‘30 second video’ viral marketing mold, but it still spreads on the same principles and systems.

What makes free viral content different from the old world of free content is the amount of it that is present. Five years ago, the standard divide between free and paid was about 10/90. That means that 90% of content was paid for, or completely off-limits until you handed over your credit card details, and only 10% was available free of charge. Nowadays, it is the opposite spread. Some of the smartest viral marketers around are making a lot of money by offering 90% of their content for free, and only 10% for money.

How could that possibly be profitable? Good question. At first glance it appears to be a completely impossible and unprofitable marketing system, but as you look closer it appears as a remarkably simple and incredibly lucrative system. While the past generation of marketers focused on grabbing the attention of a small few with just 10% of their product, today’s marketers are focusing on grabbing the attention and interest of a large majority with 90% of their content, and charging them for the final, most valuable 10%.

Use this strategy to your advantage. Instead of hiding 90% of your content behind closed doors, away from potential opportunities for promotion and viral marketing, release free content strategically and periodically. If you’re not comfortable with giving 90% of your content away for free, change the percentage up a bit. Make it 75% free/25% paid instead. Play with the numbers to the point where you’re comfortable. While it may seem as if you are losing long-term profits, you are really gaining long-term exposure and short-term attention. Focusing on free can:

* help you generate marketing exposure as your message spreads far and wide,
* increase interest in your paid products and more people notice them,
* boost your search engine rankings through increased links,
* make you a ‘hot topic’ on Twitter and other social networks.

All of these benefits were something that you previously had to pay for, not just through indirect lost earnings but in expensive service charges and tiring workloads. When you focus on free, you sacrifice some short-term earning potential — that is not debated. What follows, however, is a long run of marketing exposure, community interest, and viral coverage. While your priorities may differ, the vast majority of internet businesses would lean towards the second option.

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