How should I set up my business Facebook page?

Facebook can prove to be valuable marketing tool for your business. You have different choices when setting up your Facebook page, you can choose to set it up like a business page or a personal account. The easiest way to know how someone is set up? Well do you "like" the business or are you there "friend?" If your there friend there business profile has been set up like a personal account and a "like" is for a business page. So what is the difference?

First  Facebook specifically states personal profiles should not represent a business and they can shut down your page down if you do so. So you should not sell or promote your company from a personal page. Having said that, I know many profiles set up this way, let’s talk about the other differences.

With a business page people can't add app's like, “please vote” or send you “hugs.” This keeps the page more professional. A personal page is open to any application just like your personal profile.

You can assign admins to a Facebook business page and have multiple admins make edits and create posts. With a personal page it's one username and password. I have heard of three specific incidents where a employee was managing the page, leaves the company along with the password. Good luck getting in to that page again.

A business page allows you to post a description about your company with hours and location information. A personal page lets you add employer information.

A business page will not notify if you if people respond to post, imagine 25 comment alerts? A personal page will.

You can't promote your personal page with a Facebook ad to grow the page influence.

Unlimited "likes" opposed to only 5,000 friends.

You can build custom landing pages promoting your companies current focus.

Lastly you can have multiple pages with one Facebook log in.

I have seen many personal accounts set up to promote a business and it does sometimes work. You can grow you personal page by simply sending friend request. I'm thinking of one restaurant who uses his Facebook personal page very successfully. I believe that when done correctly, the business page route is the way to go. The pros definitely out weigh cons and allow you to promote in a positive professional manner.

***NMSMALLBIZ is currently offering a free 15 min phone consultation. For more info see the contact us tab. ***

How to get customers in your business today using CRM.

We have began to look at how your small business can use CRM. As you may recall the CRM is a great way to manage existing contacts. I gave a few items on how to use CRM to grow your business. Now we grow on one specific item. We start with this example:

You have an auto shop that does auto repair. You place a sticker on the windshield as reminder for your customer to come back when it's time for an oil change about every three months. Works great, your customer see's it every day.

Now you have that sticker serving as a retention piece and promoter; but how do you get them back sooner? What other needs do they have that you could serve that the customer might not realize? Enter our wonderful CRM.

Instead of paying money to send reminders via mail of promotions we take full advantage of our CRM software. While the customer is serviced at your store you collect thier information for your database...with integrity and protect it with all you got.  

Now you send emails maybe weekly or monthly. You still run the proven promotions like, "Free tire rotation and Inspection" or  "Get your vehicle ready for winter." But now your sending the promotion in real time and you add a call to action. "For your appointment and no waiting call 505..." You can also send promotions about new services you offer or different services.

 And how much does it cost to send email? How quick does an email arrive instead of snail mail? Win and win...baby thats a win!!!

CRM in all it's glory just got business in your door, reminded your clients your in business and costed nothing for printing and mailing!

Please contact me if you have any other ideas about how you can use CRM and share if you found helpful.

How You can Use Customer Relationship Manager

Customer Relationship Manager maybe one of the sharpest tools you have in the shed. CRM is database software that helps manage client's information. It has many useful purposes in today’s technology driven market.

CRM can be used in your business in many different areas. The first one that most people use it for is contacts. Contact management is huge. Most people spend a career shaking hands and making partners. They lose their phone and have no back up done. Cell phones have cause us all not to commit numbers to memory.

Many sales professionals use some sort of CRM to help them grow their customer base, so should the small business owner. As we meet possible clients we need to know where we are with them in the sales process. CRM allows you to enter the contact, track all your meetings with them, and set follow thorough’s, don’t believe in the term follow-up. On top of that you can set important dates like a birthday or anniversary to help develop that relationship.

You can also use CRM to help run special promotions. You have an existing database of contacts and ready to run. You simply create your document, select your mailing list you created in the software and send.

Next we will began looking at how you can use CRM to market your business.

Are you placing too much focus on your NEXT customer?

Any small business needs new customers to keep growing. The problem is most small business's put so much money in getting new customer's they forget about their existing clients. So here are some good ways to keep a small business growing using your existing customer base and minimize the cost.

First thing is to gather a database. Collect your clients info in a responsible, safe and non-violating manner. Always keep the security of this info on high alert!

Now try a customer loyalty club. This club will receive updates via email with any specials you may be running for existing customers. For example an automotive shop might announce a free inspection and tire rotation to existing customers. Or give the customer an small discount when it's time to get the oil change. I'll be writing more on this idea in the coming weeks. 

Another major way to grow sales through your existing client base is...referrals. This is certainly no new concept.  Here is one easy and simple way to start today. Go to an existing customer and help them. I mean show them how to take full advantage of your services. Find an existing customer with a need for better or more efficient use of your services. You probably have more than enough. After you have showed them the value you provide simply say, "Can I have the names of your favorite suppliers so I may help them like I have helped you?" It seems to work every time, but remember we are looking to help before  we recieve no matter the outcome.*

And lastly a monthly enewsletter. Your up to date on your industry, right? So draw up a monthly newsletter explaining any changes in your field of business. At the bottom include promotional items and coupons. This reminds customers your in business and you send out via email so that means no postage.

We will began looking at a tool we use to help us manage these three activities called CRM...

*More on Referrals try Bob Burg's Endless Referrals or his Go-Giver's. 

Fran Tarkenton's Quick 3 keys to success

This past week I got to share a confrence call with business partner and NFL Hall of Fame Quaterback Fran Tarkenton. When we asked the small business expert what are some keys to success in business? He responded with three quick bullet points:

-You have to have a great product. If your product isn't something people want or need you can't sustain growth or even maintain your current base.

-Customer experience is key. You have to treat your customer so good and create enough value that your customer want's to continue to buy from you or send you business.

-And finally you have to like to work. Fran mentioned the following names: Sam Walton, Harland Stonecipher, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. While mentioning these names he said they all have one thing in common...they liked to work. And they work hard simply because they enjoyed and believed what they we're doing.

Great and simple advice.  If you have a goal, you might as well be running!

3 Simple Way's To Make Your Website Search Engine Optimized

If I'm a small business owner why do I care about Search Engine Optimization? And what is Search Engine Optimization? All small business's should have a website not because your neighbor does, but to help market your business. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is simply the process of making your website more visible to search engines like Google and Yahoo...did I mention it's free?

Each website has HTML tag lines used to build the site. Most people don't realize these can help a search engine find you. So when building a title try something like this "Garcia Tinting Best Tinting in Albuquerque" instead of "Garcia Tinting." This can help by the way people normally search the Internet for a local service. I would never search "tire repair," but I would search "tire repair in Albuquerque." 

With the second title in on your website do the same thing on a little more broad basis. Ignore the norm like the "Welcome to such site" or  "About Our Company" and use "Best Handy Man Service in NM." Now we opened your site to a larger customer base. Put the other stuff somewhere else.

Drop flash. I mean it and I did say it. If your website has a flash presentation where the first two HTML tags go I say good luck driving traffic to your site. Search engines can't read your fancy video and graphic. As nice as it looks if you plan on using your site as an extension of your marketing plan to drive traffic your way, you can't do it.

Now any small business can use these simple tips to help market their business more effectively online. If you don't have a website let me know and I would love to share my thoughts.