Facebook page or personal profile?

[KattyB]

hello all

I was wondering what you guys use in terms of facebook to promote your businesses.

Do you use a profile where people have to request to become your friend or have you created a page whereby clients / friends can just 'like' your page.

I'm unsure which way is best

also what works better...facebook or website for gaining more business?

cheers

 

[Embellir]

I know that lots of people have a profile for their business, but fb will only allow businesses to have a page.
If they find out one has a profile they will shut it down.

Kim x

 

[CaraR]

As the person above has said, you can only advertise a business now as a page and not a profile and if you manage to get past the whole setting up an account thing they'll take it down!
Personally my website gets me more business than FB because people tend to Google nail techs in their area and that's how you get hits.
I would focus your attention more on a well designed website HTH xx

 

[Jack Shaw]

Do you use a profile where people have to request to become your friend or have you created a page whereby clients / friends can just 'like' your page.
I'm unsure which way is best

As Kim says FB find out about your profile you will get shut down, facebook are very clever when it comes to promoting business on their social platform so you have to stay away from their radars.

This is what I do to stay away from FB radars and how to use both a profile and page to promote.

Firstly set up a profile in your own name, this bit is important, do not start adding loads of friends to that profile just the odd select few, close friends, partner, etc etc, do it over a period of time dont go mad. 5 a day maximum.

Setup your business page and add you and someone else as admin, I say this so if you do get your profile shutdown then you still have control of your Business Page.

Once you have set up your page then you have the long task of getting page likes, sometimes can be a long boring task, look at a FB page like a Dancefloor in the Nightclub, if no one is on it then people stay away, once someone gets up and dances everyone gets up and joins in.

Going back to your profile, use this to join groups...you cannot do this with a page, if you are a local business then I would suggest to join all the selling pages, other local groups, etc etc once joined and accepted the important bit is to make sure you ask the admin of said group if you can post a link to your website, FB Page, and if so how often...dont just start spamming your website/fb page all around facebook on groups and pages, people will get pee'd off with it. And you will be kicked off.

With your business page to help you get likes you need to stand out from the crowd and create something like these

17 Examples of Creative Facebook Page Cover Photos

Dont have a logo that is half visable, use the tabs to promote, try to get your cover to sync with your logo...stay away from promoting on your cover picture, faceook dont like it too much

On your business page dont tell everyone that your just about to pop to the shops or your just about to pick up Aunt May from Grans, if you have nothing important/promoting to say then don't say anything at all

also what works better...facebook or website for gaining more business?

It depends on your target market, if you are a hairdresser that is doing blue rinse all day then I would say facebook/twitter isnt for you but as a general rule of thumb

Website
Google Places
Facebook
Google + (Which is a pain in the @rse)
Possible Twitter

And main thing to remember is none of the above is going to bring you overnight success nor is it a matter of sitting there thiking they will come, it takes time and effort to promote online and not a 2 minute a day job.

Hope this helps
Jack

 

[Jack Shaw]

I would focus your attention more on a well designed website HTH xx

I wouldnt, a website is just a part of the whole online marketing mix

 

[ilovelashes]

Great thread, I've been confused over the fb profile/page thing x

 

[KattyB]

wow

so many ideas I had not even thought about, thankyou all for your comments.

I like the idea about linking in with local businesses however I live in a very small village with hardly any shops so that may prove difficult. From the thread it has also got me thinking about my target audience. Where would they most likely look to find a mobile therapist...perhaps maybe not FB due to age range.

I think my priority is going to be setting up a good website and sending the address to exsisting clients and friends - who may also be kind enough to give it a mention if they are on facebook. Then look at doing the facebook page if I have the time.

phew...got my work cut out!!