Why Incorporate Facebook into your Business Marketing Strategy?

With a FaceBook here and a FaceBook there, here a FaceBook there a FaceBook everywhere a FaceBook … yes, if Old MacDonald was around, he, too, would be on FaceBook. But why? Why the rage? Why is everyone on FaceBook and why would a business be on FaceBook?

Lets start by looking at the basic numbers*:

There are over 500 million ACTIVE users (these are people that have returned to the site in the last 30 days).
50% of users log in on any given day.
Approximately 150,000,000 users are located in the United States.
People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on FaceBook (collectively).
Over 700,000 businesses have a "FaceBook Page."
Over 70 translations of FaceBook are available globally.
Average user has 130 friends (think of word of mouth).

Those are a lot of numbers and a lot of time spent online. And yes, perhaps we all started using FaceBook to connect with our school buddies and family members that live far away, but it has changed and evolved over the past year and it continues to do so at a dramatic rate. You probably have already heard the saying that if FaceBook were a country, it would be the world's third largest country just after China and India and ahead of the United States with 307 million inhabitants. Sort of puts it into perspective, doesn’t it?

FaceBook gives you, the business owner, the opportunity to connect directly with your customer base. You have the ability to get immediate feedback on new product development; product launches and product issues can be resolved almost instantly by working with the consumer online, where they congregate. You no longer have to wait for the consumer to come to you. You can now go and mix with them where they meet, in this case FaceBook.

Over 700,000 businesses currently have what used to be known as a Fan Page. This special page can be modified with custom tabs that can do everything from welcoming people to your Business Page, to coupon campaigns, discussions, events employment opportunities and so much more. Over one million Web sites have integrated with FaceBook with a ‘Like’ button. Here are some of some of the more well-known Business Pages: http://www.facebook.com/ford
www.facebook.com/nutrilite
www.facebook.com/cocacola
www.facebook.com/Starbucks

Integrate FaceBook into your marketing campaign and reach out to a new target audience based on specific demographics and geographical area. There are so many reasons to use FaceBook as part of your overall marketing strategy and in the development of your business. Here are some great articles that go a little more in depth on the reasons why businesses are using FaceBook successfully to market, build a brand, and create buzz and some of the basics on getting started: 11 Mind-Blowing Reasons Your Business Needs FaceBook, 5 New Studies Show FaceBook a Marketing Powerhouse, and FaceBook 101 for Business: Your Complete Guide.

When reviewing your overall online marketing strategy, it is important to look at your goals, evaluate your needs and what you ultimately what to accomplish. Be creative when developing a business page. Ask yourself, "If I was the potential customer, what would I like to see from this brand?" Whatever you do, do not spam or push your products down potential customers' throat. This is the fastest way to kill a brand and create a negative reputation online. If the implementation is managed carefully, you will be rewarded with increased sales and conversions.

* www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics

Frank Guzzo is a speaker/trainer and coach at Emerging Sales Success, a sales and marketing consulting company specializing in social media marketing and focused on building solutions for regional, national and international businesses alike. We keep up with trends, filter the noise and help companies and individuals put social media to work. To learn more about how you can use social media marketing or to hire Frank as a speaker for your next event, call (858)633-7177.