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Facebook is one of the most effective online marketing platforms online today, with a thriving community of like minded individuals ready to connect with you and your business. Because of this Facebook business marketing is at an all time high amongst brands big and small. It is imperative then that you are marketing your business there. Here are seven ways for small businesses to maximize their presence on Facebook with minimum resources.

Manage what is realistic and not what you ‘think’ you can do. Set realistic goals for your approach to social media and you won’t be disappointed. Don’t expect to get thousands of fans within your first month, but think more along the lines of a two or three digit number. Then if you hit something larger than you originally anticipated, you’ll be pleasantly surprised and that will give you momentum.

Allocate time: Engaging on Facebook, like any social media platform requires time. If you want to give your business the best exposure possible then you need to be constantly engaging and sharing information with others in your industry, and of course this means taking time to have a constant presence there – in one way or another. Of course, within the Facebook Community, like most online business communities there is always the various upgrade features that you can utilize to help get your business that little extra exposure it is looking for without having to sacrifice the time it might normally take.

Ask questions and Learn! You can never ask too many questions when it comes to Social Media. Engaging on Facebook and using it as an effective marketing tool therefore means asking the right questions and making sure you write down the answers! You need to be willing to learn something new everyday if you really want to succeed marketing your business on Facebook.

If you are going to buy advertising, start small. It’s possible to promote your business on Facebook without spending anything but at some point you might get the itch to buy advertising. Facebook offer a fantastic option for businesses looking to buy the traffic coming to their page and my advise here is to start small. Figure out which keywords work best and what demographic you want to target and then start with a few small test ads to see how the market responds.

Create a Page for your Business, not a profile. Your connection on Facebook starts with the message you want your business to give out to the world. The easiest way to do this is to create a page dedicated to your business and related offerings. Make sure your real friends and connections are the first people you invite to your new page. Don’t be shy.

Treat your page like a phone conversation: Send a thank-you message right after someone clicks “like” on your page, and make a point of responding to messages and wall posts as soon as possible. In short, have real conversations with real people.

Don’t spam: I cannot stress enough the importance of adding value to the community. This means sharing valuable information that you find and not simply promoting your own wares constantly. Don’t contribute to this noise and fans will appreciate it. When you have something to say to your followers, put it on your wall, not in their inboxes.

Promotions: For example, Discounts for first-time customers really work toward generating repeat business. But don’t limit the promotions to the first time someone engages with your company, lest they lose interest. Periodically put things on sale if you can, in order to keep people coming back. Whatever you decide, Facebook marketing is about standing out from the crown and sharing a unique and most importantly helpful voice.

Learn how to Market Your Business on Facebook. Check out the various upgrade features designed to get your business moving the right direction and let us help you with your Social Media Marketing campaign today

Professional Business directories are like online marketing platforms for your business. Here are five key areas that you must make the most of in order to build relationships, establish yourself as your industry expert, and promote your brand using online business networks

1. Research, Focus and Target Research and visit several networking groups. Don’t waste time with groups that will not provide the type of connections your business needs. If you are a real estate professional, for example then make sure you target relevant groups. What is good about online business directories is that they make it easy to target the right audience with their searchable databases and relative ease of use. Professional business directories and the various upgrade features can really help your brand.

2. You need to make sure you are genuine and that you stand by what you are talking about. It is easier than you think to see through you if you are not genuine, and on the flip side to this – it is really hard to keep up appearances if you are not the genuine article, excuse the pun. Be professional not a bothersome bore. Find groups and people you enjoy, people who are fun to be with. It makes being yourself more comfortable. This also makes the whole process a lot more fun!

3. Ask good questions and more importantly – ask the right questions! The biggest part of networking online is engaging through conversation and referring others. Make sure then that you are not only asking the right questions, but listening to the answers and to the market in general. It is a lot easier to anticipate the needs of an ever changing market when you have been listening to what people are asking and saying.

4. Be the Reliable Expert. What is your business truly ‘the experts’ of? What is your business known for. Let’s assume (and hope) your business is known for many great things. Are you reliable, does your business have reliability at its core? If so, be sure to confirm this with your clients and reaffirm this fact through your reliability on the online business networks you are engaging on.

5. Business networking has to be active to succeed. This includes being active in places like Linkedin, and also utilising Facebook Marketing to network online. In order to do this then you need to set goals with relation to your social business networking. Are you spending the requisite time engaging with others? Is it having the impact you thought? if not then perhaps you need to look at setting aside more time within each network. Not spending enough time will undo all the previous efforts you make in relation to professional business networking.

Our Professional business directories and various upgrade features can help your business grow. Utilize the best Online Marketing Platforms and learn how to promote your brand the right way.

Having your business listed in industry specific online directories is one of the best marketing decisions you can make for your company, and whether you provide services online or locally, there are numerous reasons why you need to have a presence on industry specific business directories.

Professional Business directories are like online marketing platforms for your business, and with the advanced functions and searchable databases of the directories, it is a great resource for consumers as they can compare, review and even recommend professional services.

A local business however, can really benefit from being listed in an industry specific business directory.

What makes a local business listing appealing to business owners is the fact that you can get an online presence without a website, but more importantly – you are instantly visible to thousands of potential customers. This is something that used to only available through a yellow pages ad or a similar offline campaign, and not only does this cost more it is also far less effective in today’s online age.

With custom-branded profiles and advertising available it is even easier to make your business stand out and get noticed. Although this is an online world, the businesses providing services do so offline, so it is all about location location location.

When searching for a service in a specific city, example the searcher type “Bergen County Real Estate” the searcher will see a listing for local businesses which are usually accompanied by a map which allows the viewer to determine which are the most accessible and convenient for them. When the viewer clicks on your site, they will find more information about your business, reviews from your previous clients, ratings and also how they can contact you.

Your goal is to place your business on the top of the listing. This obviously means more exposure and more customers to your business. Many Business directories will allow for various upgrade features which can help get your business listed higher.

The ability for your potential customers to find, search and compare professional services all in one place means that if you are genuinely providing a valuable service then being listed in a professional online business directory can potentially bring you a lot more business, both new and referred.

Out with the old, in with the new.

The days of Yellow pages and offline advertising are over, and even though most businesses still utilize these services, it is a wonder why. The costs are quite high, and considering that a placement in an industry specific directory is so cost effective, it amazes me how many local business still do not do it. You want to be found don’t you?!

To sum it up, having your business listed on the local business listing whether it’s an offline or online business, with or without a website will bring you a great positive result and will help your business to get more popular and get more potential customers. So what are you waiting for, get your business listed now!

Our Professional Business Directories can help your business grow. Utilize the best Online Marketing Platform and learn how to get your business to the top of the listings for more exposure and ultimately – more sales!