Facebook for Business: Setting Up a Profile Page for Das Foods

This post on creating a Facebook business page for your small business was written for the Facebook platform in 2008.  While I believe the approach is valid, the software features  have changed.  Because a Facebook presence is increasing key to connecting with current and potential customers, I’ve set up a new blog on just this topic, called Using Facebook for Business Marketing. I aim to create a resource — giving advice, pointing you to new links, and describing new functionality.  Check out the 15 short posts on Facebook Business Basics. Please stop by and contribute your experience with Facebook marketing and promotions. Peg Corwin, December 2010

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My friend Katie from Das Foods asked how she might use Facebook for her business. She sells those luscious salted caramels pictured above, and other sweet treats. She’s already got a personal profile.

Here’s my prescription for her biz, and for yours too: create a business page. The good news is that everyone — not just Facebook members — can see Facebook pages. Here’s 5 easy steps for Katie.

1. CREATE A PAGE FOR DAS FOODS. Assuming you are logged in, click this Create a Page link. (Or, from my profile page, I can click on Page Manager from the left nav. Then on the top bar in that window, I can click a Pages link, to the right of Ad Manager. For some reason, Katie sees Ads and Pages on her left nav and she clicked on Pages from there.) However you get there, click the button +Create Page. Chose the second option, Brand or Product and name your page.

2. “PRETTY UP” THE PAGE, AND BE SURE TO PUBLISH IT.

Information Tab. Add business address, email, business logo. Describe your business mission and products, but keep it short and sweet.

Events Tab. Post events related to your business. Since I know Katie does tastings at local stores, I suggest she upload the dates of her tastings and maybe even tell us what the special flavors will be.

Photos Tab. Use pics to promote. How about taking some pics of people tasting your carmels, Katie? Upload and label them, with permission of course.

Notes Tab. This is a blank slate where you can write short items. Katie, how about “How to Store and Serve Caramels”? Depending on their settings, Fans are notified in mini-feeds of the titles of notes you post.

Add other Applications. Look at other Applications available on the left Nav bar. (To find tons more, click the Edit button to its right.) The Marketplace application will enable Katie to add things to sell in her Chicago network, and you in yours. Also, I know Das Foods supports The Aids Foundation of Chicago so I suggest she click the Causes application on the left Nav bar and add that to her page. She can search causes, find one and add it with a click.

Then Click to PUBLISH the page (upper right) or no one will appreciate all your hard work.

3. ASK FRIENDS TO BECOME FANS. Now invite all your current friends to become Fans of your business by sending them a link to that page and telling them where to click when they get there. (This is new to people — they need links and instructions.) The “Become a Fan” link is in the upper right.

4. SEND AN UPDATE TO FANS. Fans get any “Updates” that you send out. (These go to the back of an inbox under Updates and are not intermixed with your friends’ personal mail.) Perhaps you send out one monthly. Katie can tell Fans about a new flavor, the special Mother’s day packaging, or her wholesale order capabilities. If Katie decides to do a tasting at Whole Foods in Highland Park at the last minute, by all means she should sent out an update. But not too frequently or Fans will fade.

5. SEARCH FOR MORE FANS. Use the Search box on the left Nav to look for “caramels” for example, and then in results click the tabs for Pages mentioning your topic. If you want to search locally, you can use the Network filter, below results, to find those in Chicago. Or click the Groups tab on the left Nav bar and search for people who share your passion. Join the Group and participate. Note members names. Invite those you find to be your Friend by emailing about your shared interest If they say yes, Share+ something on your busines page with them and invite them to become Fans. Be sure to abide by Facebook’s anti-spam provisions. Personalize your invitations to Friends. Share items on your page with Friends rather doing copied email Messages.

 

I sent Katie a draft of this post and she helped me stress test it. Why not checkout her handiwork, Das Caramelini Fleur De Sel Salted Caramels. If you’re a Facebook member, how about giving her suggestions on her page and then becoming a Fan? And while you’re at it, please become a fan of my SCORE Chicago Page too.

More links on Facebook for Business. (The Facebook platform changes, so things may look and work differently from those described.)

Beginners Tips on Using Facebook for Busines, (audio tutorial of Shama Hyder) Small Business Trends, March 2008

Creating a Fan Page For Your Business, Work.com, no date

11 Tips to Ease Your Brand Into Facebook Upperblog, May 2008

What Happens When You Become A Facebook Fan? Web Strategy by Jeremiah, May 2008

Facebook Marketing Bible $19 PDF report, December 2007

Facebook Marketing Toolbox , Inside CRM, January 2008

Tips on Marketing on Facebook, Marketing Pilgrim, October, 2007

A Successful Facebook Marketing Campaign Social Media Optimization, October, 2007

Setting up Shop on Facebook (about its Market Lodge app) Wall Street Journal, March 2008

Why not set up a page for your business and leave me a comment on puzzling parts of the process?

My Related Posts

34 Links on How To Promote Your Small Business On Facebook

Facebook for Business books on Amazon

One last tip: Use Facebook and create pages in the Internet Explorer browser, not Firefox.