How to Leverage the Power of Facebook

Facebook is the king of social media outlets. 500 million people and counting flock to it to connect, share, learn, inform, and unwind. Whatever your electronic cup of social media tea may be, Facebook has something to satiate you. Live chat, lifestreaming, photos, interactive games, etc, etc. Its diversity and easy platform make it a medium that users young and old 'like' (a little Facebook pun there).And if you pay very close attention to sports teams, news media, as well as small and major corporations, they're promoting their Facebook and Twitter accounts just as much, if not more, than their actual website. This is an incredibly smart strategy. Think about it: If 400 million people were at a party, wouldn't you want to attend as well?Despite some deeming Facebook a waste of time, the majority of the world remains faithful and continues to cultivate those virtual farms like they did in days of old (only, it was real, not virtual). And thinking about this phenomenon made me comb through my own Facebook News Feed, where I made a bold observation: There certainly are a lot of messages about lonely, lost brown cows, aren't there?Yes, I'm aware you can block the messages out. But go with me on this...One of the many reasons some companies have deemed Facebook 'counterproductive' is because of the countless hours spent tending to crops, giving people cakes, and attempting to virtually live vicariously through Tony Soprano. Many companies have blocked the site completely...thus dismissing a major opportunity to build their brand on the world's most popular platform.Facebook is a connectivity tool and continues to be so. But that purpose can get blurred amidst the sponsored games that keep their company running like a locomotive. In an effort to use Facebook as a productive tool, it's important to look past your friends asking you for wood and nails so they can have a barn-raising next week and focus on the other great applications that can benefit you and your business's branding efforts.Facebook's built-in instant messaging feature is a fantastic way to connect and network with clients, customers, partners, and industry leaders. You can share and gain insight on a variety of topics. In addition, great content can be found and posted in Status Updates. One of your connections may be working on a new business idea and you may be in need of what they're planning to offer. Strike up a conversation with them and they'll be more than willing to point you in the right direction.The ability to generate a lead and, more importantly, a sale, with virtually no money spent or time wasted is a very real possibility with Facebook. Position yourself correctly and provide remarkable value to the Facebook community and you'll be pleasantly surprised how well-received your message becomes.Facebook has also become a very popular site for Pay-Per-Click (PPC) advertising, much like Google. The Facebook ads appear in the right-hand column and are targeted towards a user's profile information, thus putting information in their line of sight that closely relates to their interests. It doesn't get much more focused than that.You also have the capability of embedding landing pages and opt-in forms to your profile, which is a tremendous way to provide valuable information to a potential customer or client in exchange for their name and email address.Finally, the need for Fan Pages, Business Pages, and Community Pages cannot be overlooked for any business, regardless of size. These pages create excellent ways to keep the public up-to-date on news and happenings within your organization, as well as interact with your fans and followers. With the number of users on Facebook continuing to rise and the potential for your message to reach huge audiences, a business cannot afford to be without one, or all, of these pages.

Businesses 'in the know' already have a leg-up in the social media game. If you haven't started utilizing Facebook to your advantage, chances are tremendous your competitors are stealing business from you this very moment! Learn more about the importance of the social media phenomenon and how you can get your social media presence built for you.