Behind the Scenes: How I Use Facebook to Market My Business

Facebook has grown on me. At first, I thought it was a poor excuse for staying in touch with friends.

Now, I’ve completely changed my stance. It’s the social media site that I get the second most visits from on my website. {Pinterest is the first.} And, it’s the top social media site for sales for my business.

With the release of Marketing for Creatives, a chunk of the sales came straight from Facebook. Every time I post something about Marketing for Creatives, I get at least a couple of sales, and if I boost the post {which costs me $5}, I usually get about five sales. Not bad, right?

Here’s why Facebook works for my business:

1. I don’t sell often.

Your not going to see product or service offers from me in your feed every week. You won’t even see them every month. I launch something new two to four times per year, and I’m an affiliate of one program. Other than that, I don’t try to push products or services, so when I do post something about a new product or service, people pay more attention.

If you’re a products-based business such as a potter or jewelry artist, then you should post about your products more than I do. A few times a year just won’t cut it. But, you should balance it out with other types of posts. The selling-related updates should be less than 25% of your overall updates.

2. I’ve built up a decent following on Facebook.

At the time of writing this, I’ve got 986 followers or ‘likes.’ That’s not amazing, but I’m thankful for every single one of them. Sometimes, I’ll mention that you should like the Blacksburg Belle Facebook page in a post or email, and each time I do, more people like my page.

You have to promote your social media accounts just like you market your blog and online shop. You have to give people a reason to follow you, and that brings me to my next tip.

3. I post often.

I post at least a few times a week, usually six or seven times unless I’m battling my health issues and am taking a break from work. Every time I publish a blog post, I update my page with the link. I also post quotes, videos, blog posts, etc. that I run across and want to share. Some of my most popular posts have been simple ones like what I’m having for dinner and asking my followers to share what they’re cooking.

Don’t make this complicated. Post about your business, things you think your target market will enjoy, and some personal stuff as well. Give your followers a chance to get to know you better and your sales will increase.

4. I’ve separated my business and personal pages.

I’ve worked with numerous clients who tell me that Facebook isn’t working for them, but all they have is a personal Facebook page. Most of your friends and family won’t be your target market. Of course, you can invite them to like your business page, but don’t get upset if many of them don’t.

I have one friend on Facebook who sells bridal accessories and she constantly promotes her business on her personal page. I got married four years ago, so I’m not looking for bridal accessories. Those updates just annoy me.

When you talk about your business on your business Facebook page, your followers don’t get irked, because they signed up to hear more about your business. They want to know more.

5. I boost the most important updates.

Facebook sent me $50 worth of ad money, so I started experimenting with boosting some of my posts. I only spend $5 at a time and I only boost one post a week or every other week. I pick them strategically. Usually, the updates I ‘boost’ link to my Wednesday Wisdom blog posts or link to a product.

Since Facebook changed things up, an average of about 150 of my followers see my posts unless I boost them. That’s only a fraction of the people who’ve liked my page. When I boost a Facebook update with $5, an average of 900 people see it. That’s a big difference.

I didn’t know if this would be worth the money, but I’ve found that for me, it is. I usually average 5-15 new likes each time, and if it’s related to a product, I average five sales. With Marketing for Creatives, that means that I make an average of $145 for every $5 that I spend. I don’t buy ads or spend money on advertising anywhere else. It usually isn’t a good use of my money.

Every business is different. I suggest that you experiment and see if it works for you. What’s the harm if it doesn’t? You lose $10 to try it a couple times.

6. I always include a photo.

I don’t know about you, but my Facebook feed is constantly filled with new updates. The ones that stand out are the ones that are accompanied by at least one photo. They grab my attention more than just text updates.

Use visuals with your Facebook posts and you’ll see an increase in likes and comments. You’re a creative entrepreneur—your followers expect pretty visuals.

That’s how I use Facebook to successfully market my business. Do you have any Facebook marketing tips? Please share them in the comments below!

And, if you want even more tips on how to promote your creative business, check out my book, Marketing for Creatives. You deserve a budget-friendly holiday treat that’ll help you increase your sales in 2014!