If you use Facebook for your business, know it’s meant to enhance your ability to reach out to your current and potential customers. It’s not a substitute for face-to-face dialog. Teenagers these days barely use any other form of communication and their futures are likely to be lacking in the ability to communicate effectively with people. It’s easy for adults to fall into the same trap. If you’re not already communicating with your customers, then don’t count on Facebook to make up for it. Nothing can replace looking someone in the eye, a hand shake or a smile. What Facebook should do is keep you on people’s minds and generate interest in having people come to meet you.

Some would never consider going on Facebook. Their impressions of the social network are that they are places where people talk about the trivial aspects of their lives. People worry about privacy issues and saying something that is meant for friends but is seen by strangers.

What it Should Mean for Your Business

Your business fan page is the place to keep it professional. That doesn’t mean you can’t comment on something related to your niche, but you do always have to keep in mind who your audience is and not offend anyone. Your page is the place to share what you do whether it’s photos or comments about your work. It’s a place to answer customer questions and comment on their interactions. It’s a place to give a good impression to someone who may never have considered using your business and to give your current customers a reason to come back again and recommend you. Your pages should let fans know how to get in contact with you. Answer questions, but don’t have wars with people who come along and criticize. The dissatisfied people are the loudest and want to be heard. Find a way to solve the problem in a diplomatic manner so other customers will respect what you say.

Networking to Build Fans

Like similar pages, preferably ones that have a huge fan base. Pay those pages a compliment by recommending something on the page to your own fan. Use the @ symbol before the pages’ name and you will put your message in front of that pages’ fans bringing some of them over to your own page.

Build relationships with like businesses that are not your competitors. If you do a favor and post something for someone, they may do the same for you. Share their coupon and they might share yours. Promote their contest, etc.

Facebook can be a great tool when you respect it for what it is and don’t abuse it.