Top 10 key differences between Pages and Profiles

A small-business owner recently asked me why they should consider creating a Page for their business instead of simply using their personal Profile.

This is an interesting topic because I see not a few small business owners using their personal profile to promote their business. This is a huge mistake. But before we talk about the pros and cons, let's define what each is.

When people first start a Facebook account, they are typically creating a personal account which has a Profile. Normally, they use it for personal reasons like keeping connected to Friends and family. They must make "friend requests" with other people who also have personal accounts on Facebook, and they have to wait till the other person approves their friend request. In addition, they themselves must respond to friend requests.

Anyone who has a personal account or Profile can create a separate Page (also called a Fan Page) that is related to their profile. This is not a separate account ... you use your regular login to access any Page you create. You can create as many Pages as you wish. And those pages could be for anything in which you feel you have an interest or would enjoy promoting; such as your business.

So what are the Top 10 key differences between a Profile and a Page especially as it relates to your business or cause? Here is the list:

Facebook is just for teens ... NOT!

First they were babbling on cellphones and then they were texting. Then came the phase when they were listening to music on iPods and then iPhones. Even taking photos of their uncool parents. Now your kids spend their every waking hour on Facebook ... sharing pictures, music, making new friends. Not to mention, electronically torturing each other.

That doesn't mean that your kids and their friends are the only ones using Social Media. It only happens appears that way because children are the most receptive to new technologies. Thy are the early adopters. They do kiddie type things with technology.

Look deeper imagine the serious things you can do with Social Media ... as well as the not so serious. Social Media is simply a vehicle. The old round-dial telephone was Social Media, if you think about how it was used, wasn't it? It just so happens that that era of technology doesn't seem as cool now as it probably did then.

The serious applications you can use with Social Media help you to leverage your business if it's done right and a manner consistent with your business strategy. The not-so-serious applications help you to put a human face on the people behind the page. This is a lesson in engagement. Don't build your Facebook page like a child, but use it like one!

And if you were curious about who uses Social Media and for what, check out the graphic by Community 102.

How do you feel about the potential for Social Media in your business? Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

Five easy steps to increasing your Facebook fan base

Every business needs customers ... and it takes lots of satisfied ones to successfully grow your business. As a business owner, your number one goal is to grow your business. That's a lot easier said than done.

There are many ways to grow your customer base and they all involve some form of Marketing (reaching the right prospects with your story, building a relationship with them and directing them to do business with you). The cost of each marketing approach varies and may be constrained by your financial resources or ability to invest in marketing.

So the key marketing question for any business, especially small businesses, is which are the approaches that can give you maximum bang for the buck?

One answer is Social Media. In this article, we reveal five easy steps to increase the number of prospects who will listen to your story so that you can find more customers to do business with you.

1. Create a Facebook "Fan Page".
2. Integrate your fan page with other social media channels.
3. Develop your marketing message and Amplify it to bring in fans.
4. Engage your fans so that they bring more fans.
5. Convert fans into paying customers.

The formula is truly that simple.

Fan Page+Integrate+Amplify+Engage+Convert = 100 x Current Customers!

While the formula is simple, executing it is challenging unless you know how to do each part well. So here are a few tips about each component of the formula. If you don't have time to read all the details, just read the highlights in bold and italics below.