Do small business suck at Facebook?

Often I have to say that my answer is yes, small business do Facebook badly because:

• They don’t understand it is a way to market themselves.
• They think just setting up a Facebook page equals an increase in sales.
• It’s a great place to tell people about specials, ie. sell to them.
• Once the page is up they do nothing.
• It starts out well for the first few weeks then is forgotten.
• The page is never promoted.
• Comments are never replied to.
• The page doesn’t look good.
• They just don’t get it.

But for every 10 bad pages, there is at least one good one (note, this is not a scientifically proven fact, just a guestimate).

You may be sitting there thinking my page sucks, but how can I improve it? Here are some tips.

1. First work out why you actually have a page, what is it's purpose if you can't think of one then maybe you don't need it!
2. Decide what people get from liking your page, what's in it for them – there has to be something if you can't think of anything then it probably means you are going to spam them with info on your products!
3. Work out what you page needs to improve it and find out how to do that, here are some places to go for info – when you get there you need to search for the info if you want it for FREE:
a. Social Rabbit
b. Inside Facebook
c. Social Media Examiner
4. Alternatively if you don't have time to find the information and do it yourself then hire someone (note this costs money, think up to $1,000 for a page overhaul). You might think "what the"? Well okay, you go and research – did it take you five hours? Is your hourly rate $200/hr? Ta-da that's the $1,000. Just because Facebook is free, your time or someone else's isn't.

Small businesses have such a huge advantage in the world of social media versus large companies. Okay, so you don't have a budget to promote your page on TV or have your brand name on everyone's lips, but you are quick, nimble, real, authentic and open to embracing new technology with a high care factor. Take advantage of what Facebook and other social media have to offer, as the benefits outweigh the costs if you do it right!

Lara Solomon is the founder of Mocks mobile phone socks, Chief Rabbit at Social Rabbit – your guide in the world of social media, founder of Steps – the online Facebook and LinkedIn training course and author of 'Brand New Day – the Highs & Lows of Starting a Small Business'. Lara's business LaRoo was the winner of the NSW Telstra Micro-Business Award in 2008.