3 Tips for Promoting Yourself on Facebook

The more I talk to business owners and professionals, the more I realize that promoting yourself and your services on Facebook might not be as easy as it first appears. In my discussions, I constantly reference topics such as the “culture” of Facebook.

The point I try to make is that there are subtle nuances of Facebook that we should be aware of. And, consequently, we should make sure our actions reconcile with those nuances. Otherwise, we run the risk of coming across as a spammer or jerk.

And, of course, there’s the ultimate kick in the pants: getting banned from Facebook. Now, I don’t want to promote the idea that there is a certain and set way to go about promoting on Facebook.

However, there are a few tips which, I believe, will help pretty much anyone who decides to employ them. I’ll explore a few of them in the following paragraphs.

1. Emphasize building relationships with your target market

In every interview I’ve given and every discussion I’ve been a part of, one point remains salient: Facebook is about building relationships.

End of story.

If you start to look at ways to “game” the system or begin to view the social network as a numbers game, eventually, that sentiment will begin to erode your efforts to benefit from it.

If there’s anything social media has done, it’s been about placing an emphasis — and, I’d go as far as to say an expectation — on relationships, on being personal. Your customers and clients are being more savvy.

They can smell fake a mile away. Be sincere in your efforts to know your market. The results will more than justify your initial investment.

2. Keep everything in its proper context

Recently, I received a Facebook invitation to a party and networking event that was being sponsored by a regional magazine. If you’ve ever been invited to something on Facebook before, you’re probably familiar with how they’re designed.

Of course, there are event details such as location, time, contact information, etc. And, there are also areas where admins and/or guests can post photos, links, and leave comments.

Well, in the invitation I received, those areas were filled with photos, links, and comments that had little, if anything, to do with the event. They were out of context and, quite simply, it was spammy.

I’m sure the culprit didn’t mean any harm, but he’s doing serious damage to his reputation. And, what’s worse, he might get booted from the site if he keeps that up. Remember to keep things in context, and keep them relevant.

3. Be natural

On Facebook, I’m friends with a very popular dating coach. We’ve exchanged emails a couple of times and I can say that he’s a very genuine and charismatic guy.

On his profile, he does a great job of letting those traits shine through. He constantly engages his fans, friends, and readers by asking questions and soliciting feedback related to dating. It’s not just a one-way conversation.

He doesn’t come across as a know-it-all, and that goes a long way. When he’s discussion issues like love and dating, he’s not promoting his book or pushing his blog. He’s being natural, he’s being himself.

If you’re passionate about something, don’t hide it. Talk like you would to someone you weren’t trying to sell to. They’ll pick up on you sincerity and appreciate you even more.

And, at the end of the day, that’s what will guarantee your success.

About The Author

Carol Hansen, a Twitter specialist focusing on building and monetizing your network. You can connect with Carol on Twitter or Facebook and follow her latest projects, blog posts and cool tips on building and monetizing your Twitter following.

About The Author

Dali Burgado, also known as "The Dali Blogger" teaches creative entrepreneurs how to carve a web presence that connects with their Inner Guru and their target audience. Her first online marketing love is SEO. She's an avid connector on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. When she's not coaching or teaching, she's tweaking sites for Search Engine Visibility, working on her PHP and Javascript coding skills, Singing Opera, or learning about gardening. Circle Dali on Google+