If you are a small business owner, then you will be excited about the easy and exciting ways that you can build local and brand awareness with a Facebook business page. More and more people are using Facebook to find out about local businesses on all of their devices. There are a billion Facebook users and 425 million mobile users that rely on recommendations, reviews, and ‘likes’ and almost 3 billion new ‘likes’ are added each day.

Stephanie Lichtenstein is the president and founder of Micro Media Marketing, a social marketing firm that helps businesses navigate the world of social media. She is also a frequent guest on affiliate marketer James Martell’s podcast, Coffee Talk. She recently explained to Martell how Facebook is easy to integrate into a social media strategy, even if you have limited time and resources.“Everyone you want to target as a client is there on Facebook,” said Lichtenstein. She continued by saying that people are on Facebook for personal reasons, they are also there to interact with businesses.

The key is to promote your Facebook business page inside your brick and mortar store. Then you can bring customers from the store to Facebook, retaining them and turning them into long-term brand loyal customers instead of having them disappear. Lichtenstein used the M Cycle Gym in Miami, a boutique fitness center as an example of a good social media plan. What does M Cycle Gym do that makes them so successful?

• They share daily updates.

It doesn’t have to take a lot of time to update your business page regularly. By creating a social media calendar and using a site like Hootsuite, you can outline your updates ahead of time, only adding additional updates when something new happens.

• They update the fitness schedules.

If you run a business that relies on a schedule, then making it available to your clients on your business page makes it easy for them to stay on top of things. Lichtenstein said that when people see that there is a spin class about to begin, they are more likely to head over because it is something happening right then and there.

• They build an email list.

M Cycle keeps track of people and their emails right from their business page. That allows them to build their list for marketing purposes and continue to keep people in the loop.

• They post their hours.

Some small businesses keep varied hours. It is very helpful for a customer to be able to click on the business page to check what time the business is open without having to go to a separate website or call to check.

• They provide their address and telephone number.

The business address and phone number can be entered on the ‘About’ section on the business page. Keeping all the contact information in one place makes it easy for the customer to stay in touch.

• They collect recommendations.

M Cycle Gym provides a place for people to write their own personal recommendations. When Facebook users see that someone they know has recommended the gym, they are much more likely to join.  Lichtenstein referred to a study that shows 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations over any other type of advertising. Having a number of recommendations also gives a business a good social standing.

• They have over 500 ‘likes’ and lots of photos.  

M Cycle Gym has so many ‘likes’ that it’s clear that they are very active in their community. They update their photos regularly- always a good idea because people love to see themselves in pictures and are apt to share them with friends.

• They add trainer tips to their log.  

As an added feature, M Cycle Gym posts trainer tips on a regular basis. People love free tips and know they should keep up with the business page so that they don’t miss anything.

How much time do you need to put in?

Staying on top of your Facebook business page doesn’t have to take a lot of time. You can spend 30 minutes a day on a daily basis which includes updating your status and answering any questions that are asked on your page. When people see that you are active on your page and that you respond to people and have recommendations then they are more likely to visit your business. If you are concerned that you don’t have enough time to spend on Facebook, then you might want to try a web based time tracking software program which can show you places in your schedule where you need better time management. You may find that it’s easy to add Facebook into your schedule with time that is already there!

Do you have a Facebook page that is benefiting your small business? What has worked for you and what has not worked? Share your small biz diamonds in the comments section below.

Jennifer Koebele, MS Ed is a freelance writer who regularly benefits from time management suggestions found on http://goaboutbusiness.com/. Jennifer is a mom of three children living in Charlotte, NC. She became a huge sports fan in 2010 and follows NBA and NFL regularly. She also enjoys reading and pop culture.

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