July 30, 2009

Promoting your Business on Facebook


9 Rules of Facebook Promotion Every Small Business Should Know

You’re the owner of a local small business and you are trying to figure out the best steps to get on to Facebook to drive new customers. It can be a daunting task and with little extra time in the day, how can you be expected to spend time promoting your business on Facebook? I completely understand the challenges of running a small business and after speaking with lawyers, florists, dentists, and many other small businesses, I’ve compiled the following list of strategies that should help ease the process.

1. Go Slow And Steady, Don’t Overdo It

-Compound Interest Piggy Banks-Any form of promotion is like compound interest. It takes time to build up the residual returns but if you stick with it, the pay off can be substantial. Many people hear that Facebook is a great way to promote their business but after trying it out for a few days or even a couple weeks, they don’t see significant effects so they give up and decide to keep paying for Yellow page advertisements. Who knows how well Yellow Page ads pay off but that monthly check must be going towards something, right?

The difference between Facebook and more traditional promotional channels is that the small business owner needs to invest a little bit of their time. The extra effort can go a long way and can even provide a rewarding experience as customers begin to provide feedback and communicate directly with you. So how much time do you need to be spending? Not hours a day! While promoting via Facebook can become an addictive process, you can allocate little more than an hour a week to your promotional activities.

While it’s never bad to start off enthusiastically, you don’t want to waste all of your efforts in the first few days. Build up your fan base steadily and you’ll begin to see the benefits.

2. Contact Your Fans Directly

While digital media companies and large brands may have thousands upon thousands of fans, most small businesses don’t end up with as many fans, especially if they are local. When you first start growing, it’s a good idea to interact with each new fan on an individual basis. Send users a message after they’ve become a fan of your Facebook page. Build a relationship with each fan and they’ll become a fan and a customer forever.

Once you build a connection there’s a good chance the user will tell their friends. I’ll be discussing that strategy further in an upcoming guide. The main point here is that each new fan can be considered a new lead for a small business. Selling on Facebook though is subtle and should not be done in an overly aggressive way. Just because someone became a fan does not mean you should send them a message saying “Buy my stuff today!!!”

Instead, reach out to each new fan individually to welcome them to your Facebook Page and begin a dialogue. In many times these initial conversations will lead to lasting business relationships.

3. Don’t Spam

I’ve written about this before and it never gets old: don’t spam your users. As the owner of a blog, I get countless people who try to spam the comments and I’ve seen the same thing take place on Facebook. Spamming your users with too many links or trying “black hat” tactics to rapidly drive up your Facebook Page fan base is not worth it. Facebook is aggressive at stopping spam and there is a good chance that they’ll stop you somewhere along the way, and it can potentially cost a lot.

4. Consider It An Educational Experience

-Bookshelf Screenshot-Rather than looking for an instantaneous return, look at it as a long-term educational experience. As you improve your strategy, you’ll attract more fans. It takes time to master Facebook promotion and time to reap the rewards but the payoff can be significant. The main point of this rule is clear: stick with it for the long haul. As I outlined in last week’s Facebook advertising guide for marketers, it’s important to plan for the long-term.

If you blow out your budget in the first few days and expect to have a massive response, you will be seriously disappointed. Learn from the experience, take notes, and improve your strategy over time. It may sound like a lot of time but you can do much of this in as little as 15 minutes a day. One other benefit of considering it an educational experience is that the whole process is deductible in your taxes.

You can write off the expenditure ad advertising or as education (you need to speak to your accountant to determine the best way to file an entry for this).

5. Limit Your Advertising Budget

As I just mentioned, more dollars on advertising does not always mean more revenue. Start off with a few dollars a day to test out Facebook’s advertising system. You can create your first ad here to test out all of Facebook’s targeting capabilities. Make sure that if you are spending money that you’re investing in some long-term goal, otherwise you’ll end up spending a lot of money aimlessly. Trust me, I know from experience! As your performance improves and you figure out which ads work most effectively you can begin to steadily increase your ad spend.

Figure that you’d spend a few hundred dollars on a Yellow Pages advertisement so be willing to test out a similar budget on Facebook. If all goes well and your business starts to increase, you can always invest in more advertising as necessary. As I mentioned earlier, this is an educational process and with so many resources on the internet, learning has never been cheaper. Don’t spend all your money when you don’t have to!

To most effectively manage your budget, start off with one Facebook advertising campaign which has a limited budget (as pictured below). For all of the initial ads use that same campaign rather than creating separate campaigns for each advertisements.

-Create Campaign Screenshot-

6. Create A Facebook Page, Not New Profiles

A quick way to get banned from Facebook is to set up multiple accounts and multiple profiles. I have multiple friend requests in my inbox currently from people who’ve set up separate accounts to promote their business. Don’t do this! You can go here to set up your own Facebook Page while keeping your existing profile. Under no circumstance should you be creating separate accounts. Not only is it against Facebook’s terms, but it provides no additional value.

I could spend more time explaining why this is flat out a bad idea but I won’t. It’s much better to spend the time focused on the activities you should be doing!

7. Use Coupons And Other Incentives

-Rubbermaid Coupon-So now that you’ve got a Facebook Page, some ads running, and a few fans of your Facebook Page, what should you be doing? In addition to engaging users on Facebook, you also want to get them making purchases. Keep in mind, which incentives you use depend on the type of business you are running. For example, a florist may have price sensitive customers, and special deals may be an incentive to make a purchase.

A florist may want to post something like “There’s never a better time to show that special someone that you care. Today only we’re providing a bouquet of _______________, ______________, and _______________ for only $9.99, and we’ll deliver them to your work for free!” However if a dentist posted “50 percent off cavity fillings”, I have a feeling that they wouldn’t get the same response.

There are plenty of other creative incentives to drive people back to your page and to your business so test out different strategies and see which work best.

8. Emphasize Mobile Subscriptions

-Mobile Icon-One of the best components of Facebook Pages is the ability to receive updates via your mobile device. Once updates come to your phone you can also reply to the updates, making it possible for instant two-way communication. It’s a model that’s similar to Twitter except that on Pages you get more features for engaging users. The mobile component adds an additional layer of interaction which can be used to build relationships with your new and existing customers.

As I outlined in the 5 phases of the Facebook sales funnel, Facebook is a relationship marketing platform, not a direct sales channel. That’s why it’s important to build your relationship with others through Facebook. Configure your Facebook Page to function with your current mobile device and communicate with users while on the go. This can make for some great, instantaneous dialogue.

Ultimately most internet based promotions are going the way of mobile, and it is in every business’s best interest to take advantage of that trend including on Facebook.

9. Post Occasional Entertaining Statuses

When was the last time you saw an update from your dentist in your news feed? You probably never have and you may even be weirded out to see one, unless of course it was a funny joke. For example if the dentist posted occasion updates about eating candy and junk food in general, you may get a quick smile and possibly even post a status update. Whatever the response, at least you are getting one, which is one additional level of interaction that you never previously had with your customers.

Keeping your fans engaged is an important component of any good Facebook strategy. How much time does it really take to come up with a clever status update? If you’re like me then catchy ideas occasionally pop into your head (or at least ones that you think are clever) when you are on the go. If you’ve properly configured your Facebook Page to work with your mobile device, you can instantly update your Page’s status while on the go.

It takes very little extra effort to bring a smile to your fans and it’s something that they’ll remember.

Conclusion

Every small business can take advantage of the promotional opportunities that Facebook presents. By using some of the tips listed in this articles, small businesses can get a great start on promoting their company on the site. While there are many other strategies to increasing the number of fans you have on the site as well as driving new business, much of that can be learned through experimentation. The best thing to do is to get started and figure it out from there!


Resource:

All Facebook~

http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/07/facebook-small-business/#

July 26, 2009

Sunday Stills ~ Toys

When it comes to Toys, Kaitie is all over it!!




She knows exactly where to find the best toys.....




These shots were taken at her FAVORITE local park............



And the only thing that makes having all these toys to play with so great is.....


Sharing them with your Best Friend! (also at another local park)

July 24, 2009

What does Satisfy Your Senses, have to offer you?

I would like to tell you a little bit about what Satisfy Your Senses has to offer!

At Satisfy Your Senses, we are all about bringing you quality products that are Eco-Friendly, Natural Botanicals and/or Handmade. They make great gift items and for pure self indulgence.

The first company is SoyLicious.com. We have 100%Soy candles, scent products and accessories.

We blend two types of American grown soy bean wax. The wax we use is actually a food grade product right up until we make a candle out of it. We use a 100% natural botanical oil that allows us to get our vibrant colors and gives our candles a creamy texture. Our fragrance oils are of the highest quality, and of course dye.



The second company is Pink Papaya! We have created a spa collection with three wonderful product lines: aromatherapy, using 100% pure essential oils; body & bath, made with luxurious scents and botanical extracts; and skincare, fusing science with nature.


The third company is Hillside Soaps. Handmade soaps and more!
Hillside Soaps is Handmade glycerin soap, everything from creating to packaging is done by hand, with you in mind! Custom orders are welcome!



Hillside also offers Handmade Drawstring bags. These bags are so cute! Who doesnt love receiving a gift knowing that it was made for them and they can keep reusing it!


There are so many wonderful things to choose from, you are sure to find something to Satisfy Your Senses!

If you have something special in mind please email me at satisfyyoursenses@yahoo.com, I would love to help you indulge yourself today!

~ Mary

July 20, 2009

Blog Giveaway ~ Featuring SoyLicious.com

(THIS CONSTEST IS NOW CLOSED. FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG TO LEARN OF NEW GIVEAWAYS)

I am hosting my first ever Blog Giveaway!

I am so excited to introduce to you SoyLicious.com a Go Green company!

SoyLicious.com is not your "normal" candle company.
Our premium soy candles are made with two types of American grown soybean wax, with natural botanical oils added to give them a creamy texture and vibrant color! When you purchase a soy candle you are supporting American Farmers. Soy is also a renewable resource.

Our candles and scent products, in my opinion, are the best on the market! When you use a SoyLicious.com candle you will experience an amazing scent throw and long burn times! We also have wickless items such as Room Sprays and Tart Chunks. And our Warmers are Amazing as well as UL Listed.

Today I am giving you the chance to Try before you buy! Thats right! One lucky winner of this blog giveaway will receive:

30 Tart chunk samples!!



(Basket not included, sorry)

Thats right YOU could be the lucky winner that receives 30 different Tart chunk samples!


You now have 30 reasons to try our products! Place one in a warmer and experience these wonderful fragrances. SoyLicious.com offers over 50 different Scents!

Our Affiliate program is absolutely the best!!! If you are interested in learning more about becoming a consultant with SoyLicious.com or hosting a Home Event please contact me at satisfyyoursenses@yahoo.com. I would love to tell you why this is the best company to work with and how you can earn your favorite products for FREE!

Okay, so now you are wondering what you have to do to be entered into the drawing for this fabulous prize RIGHT!

There are several ways to get entries.


  1. *Go to my Online Candle Shop, check out what we have to offer, then come back here and leave a comment.
  2. *Tweet about this give away, then come back and leave a comment with the link.
  3. *Plurk about this give away, then come back and leave a comment with the link.
  4. *Post it on Face Book, then come back and leave a comment with the link.
  5. *Post it to MySpace, then come back and leave a comment with the link.
  6. *Follow or Subscribe to my Blog and leave a comment
(**example: you can tweet it, plurk it etc., everyday and come back everyday leaving a comment with the link and gain an extra entry for each one!**)

There are other ways to get even more Entries:

  1. *Blog about this give away and receive 2 Entries. Come Back and leave a comment with the link.
  2. *Make a purchase and receive 3 Entries. Come back and leave a comment on what you purchased!

Remember as you are leaving your comments, others are reading them and this is added exposure for YOU!

***Each action you do must be posted in separate comments to get that entry.***

Now this Giveaway is running from NOW through August 31st! To give everyone a chance to get as many entries as they can. The winner will be choosen by using the randomiser at Random.com. The winner will be announced and posted here on Sept 1st. So go for it!

With so many wonderful scents to choose from and absolutely wonderful products you are sure to find something to Satisfy Your Senses!

I'm looking forward to all your comments!
~ Mary




July 19, 2009

Sunday Stills ~ Nuts~

First of all I want to thank Andrea and Carrol Baker for introducing Sunday Stills to me! Now I felt that this was truly an interesting photo topic , for being my first one.

So, I tried to keep it somewhat "clean" considering the topic!

These are photos of my wonderful, crazy Brother. The collective thought in our family, when we think of him is "Are You Nuts?!?" So, when I saw what this weeks challenge was, my thoughts went immediately to him, and I knew that these were the perfect photos.

Brad is and has always been the "funny" one in our family. He is always trying to get a laugh out of you, no matter what is going on or what he has to do. And I must say, he's pretty good at it.

Here you see him at the Out House that is still on our Nanny and Granddad's land. (and as you can see behind him that it is boarded up and no longer in use, thankfully,lol)



These were taken this past Christmas at the big family get together.



Can't you just see the gleam in his eye!

He was recently Medically Discharged from the Army, after doing 2 tours in Irac. Bless his heart for having such wonderful Humor!

Thank you for letting me share my "Nutty" brother with you! Can't wait for next weeks challenge!
~ Mary

July 17, 2009

Product Review ~ Karen Terry ~ JMJ Creations



There are times when you just have to get something for yourself. That is the conclusion I have come to. I am like most, I will buy for someone else before I do for myself. and any purchase I make for myself must be a justified one, like for my business or the whole in my shoe isn't going to fix itself, lol.

Recently I had the pleasure of making and honest to goodness "for me" purchase! I wanted something that wasn't business related that I could classify as a pure indulgence . I decided that my purchase would be jewelry. I know that later if I started feeling guilty about it, I can pass it off as a business purchase. I mean, you have to look your best when your in my line of work. And Everyone knows that the right jewelry to compliment your wardrobe is essential!

I purchased Earrings and a Necklace from Karen Terry ~ Owner of JMJ Creations


Just look at these!


Karen worked with me, making sure that I had exactly what I was looking for. For those that don't know, I am partial to Butterflies. The Necklace is the same butterfly as the earrings. She even gave me different choices on the Chain!

My Jewelry arrived in these adorable pouches! I was and AM very pleased with the customer service that Karen provided. I cant wait to order again. I recommend that you check out what Karen has to offer. You will be a very satisfied customer!

She has over 50 different creations in her Etsy shop, Just waiting for YOU!
If you are looking for Quality Handmade Jewelry, you have found it with JMJ Creations!
Here are a few other items that she has to offer:




Check out what she has to offer! Please leave a comment and tell me what you think!

~ Mary

This is not a paid review. I purchased this item for personal/business use and am so satisfied with it that I just had to share it with you!

Treat yourself to something wonderful and Satisfy Your Senses!

July 11, 2009

Hillside Soaps ~ Featuring a New Item!

Hillside Soaps has added a NEW ITEM!

Not only can you get a FREE Handmade Drawstring bag with each purchase of a Soap Sampler pack, but you can now get them in a variety pack!


Hillside Soaps has a great offer for this months Special! Check it out!



5 Soap Bars and get FREE shipping





(Drawstring bags shown are approx 5X7)

Are you looking for something that would give your product or gift that personal touch? Then these bags are for you!

They are great for Consultants to use at Home Parties to put prizes in and your customers will not only have won a prize but would also have a great handmade drawstring bag as well!

They are also great for placing customer orders in as well! Wouldn't it be great to know your order was delivered in a Handmade Drawstring bag that you can reuse! These bags are much more Eco-Friendly than the plastic and paper bags orders are usually delivered in!

Tired of giving gifts in the same ol' box and wrapping paper? These are great for giving gifts as well! The person receiving the gift will know that you put the extra effort into giving the gift! And know that you are being Eco-Friendly by using a bag that wont end up in your local Landfill!

There is no limit or minimum on the amount of Drawstring Variety Packs you can purchase. Order as you need them! Special orders and sizes are welcome too!

You can order these bags by emailing me at satisfyyoursenses@yahoo.com!

So do something good today and Go Green! Order your Handmade Drawstring Bags Today!

~ Mary

July 6, 2009

Product Purchase Review ~ Andrea Baker

THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE!

As part of my business, I do Home Candle and Spa Parties. This is the best part of the job, meeting new people and catching up with friends! When doing these parties I must have a way to "tote" around my business materials and products.
I know I could get a tote from a local store, but I wanted something that would stand out and make a statement. Something that also said I am proud of what I do and I want you to notice.
I am a business woman, but I want to have fun and show it too!
I found exactly what I was looking for. CHECK IT OUT!

Handmade by Andrea Baker

The one pictured is the one she made for me! Andrea's customer service is beyond that of what you would ever expect! She kept in constant contact with me to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. She has an exception talent! I knew I was getting a Quality Handmade Product, and the best part is I got to make my own choices. She brought them together beautifully! I use my tote everywhere I go and get MANY compliments. This bag has brought me business, really, it has!! People stop me to ask me where I got it and I tell them about the bag and introduce them to my business. If you are a consultant for ANY company this is a must have. The Best part, no one will have one like yours!!

Its not only for Consultants. This Tote has many uses:

Trips to the Library
For Teachers
As a Diaper Bag
Afternoon in the park
Trips to Grandma's House
Carry Toys
Carry Yarn and Knitting materials
Business Materials and products
Carry on bag when traveling
Trips to the Beach
A One of a Kind Gift

There are so many more reasons to have one made for YOU!

I was prepared to pay a lot for a Custom Handmade item. What I wasnt prepared for was the VERY reasonable price she charges.
Her bags are washable to boot. They have a very sturdy inner lining as well. I carry in one bag all the products i show at a Home Spa Party (thats a lot!)

Andrea has many different items other than the Totes, in her Etsy shop. Stop by and see what she has to offer you.

If you are not 100% Satisfied with your Custom Consultant Tote, then it didnt come from Andrea Baker.

Please Check out her shop and come back and leave a comment! I would love to hear what you have to say about all her wonderful products.

~ Mary

This is not a paid review. I purchased this item for personal/business use and am so satisfied with it that I just had to share it with you!

Treat yourself to something wonderful and Satisfy Your Senses!


July 4, 2009

Weekend Purchase Review - Debbi Anderson

On two different occasions I had the opportunity to make use of Debbi's awesome specials at The Knead to Relax.


The first sale I took advantage of was a collection of teas from Let's Do Tea. I was very impressed with the quality of the tea. It arrived in these great tins along with the stainless steel infusers.





The second purchase I made was for several charms and 2 key chain starters. Debbi assembled them for me making 2 keepsake key chains. One for me and the other as a gift. Absolutely beautiful and fun charms!!






Debbi has wonderful customer service. She made sure I was satisfied with my purchases. I am very happy with my purchases and will definitely shop from her again! This time I have my eye on one of her awesome simmer pots.

If You are looking for new, fun, or creative gift ideas, I recommend stopping by Debs shop and check out what she has to offer!

July 1, 2009

UPDATED... ALL MUST GO SALE ( I added a few things too!)

An updated ALL MUST GO SALE******

Sale for both RHC & TBSaH items

All items are on hand and ready to ship out! Need to reduce inventory
to make room for new items. Most items are at or close to cost. Help take these off my hands today! Get them before they are gone!
You can email me with the items that you want at satisfyyoursenses@yahoo.com

(as items sale I will be taking them off the list so be sure to check back to see if what you want is still here)

RANCH HOUSE CANDLES ~ 100% Soy Candles and Scent Products!


SALE ~ $2.50
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tart Chunks (reg. $4.00)
- Cinnamon Buns
- Leather
- Cowboy Blues
- Choc. Chip Cookie Dough

2pk Votives (reg. $4.00)
- Juniper Breeze



SALE $8.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10oz Mason Candles (reg $10.00)
- French Roast
- Tuscan Current
- Lime Basil
- Dreamsicle

SALE $10.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
16oz Victorian Candle - Cafe Latte (reg $16.00)
16oz Mason Candle - Moon Petals (reg $16.00)
12oz Wickless candle - Leather ( $12.00)
11oz Spa candle - Lavender Mint ($14.00)

SALE $12.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
14oz Spa Candle - Eucalyptus Mint ($16.00)

SALE $15.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reed Diffuser - English Ivy ($20.00)



The Body Shop at Home - spa products


$3.00

4 - Dual Mirrors
4 - Headbands



$5.00
Bath Glove
Lip and cheek stain - Rose Pink (reg. $14.00)


$8.00

Facial Gift Sets, (cleanser, toner, moisturizer)

1 - Tea Tree Oil - oily or blemished skin
1 - Sea Weed - combination to oily skin




$10.00

- Spa Wisdom On High Hydrating Puree (reg. $20.00)
- Spa Wisdom Soothing Retreat Candle Gift Set
- Happy Feet (peppermint) Gift set (reg. $18.00)
- Head to Toe Gift Set (reg. $25.00)

SALE $ 15.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Large Color Palette (reg. $30.00)

Just email me with what you want ( never know what might be thrown in with your order)!!!
satisfyyoursenses@yahoo.com
This sale cant be used with any other specials or sales.

PINK PAPAYA ~ JULY SPECIAL!!!!

These specials are hot!! You dont want to miss them!

Pretty Feet~
Pamper your tootsies by applying our amazing Sweet Almond Oil Foot Creme, then use the included pink booties to place on feet after foot creme application for the softest feet ever!!! $21.00

Sensual Nights~
Our massage oil is amazing! Non greasy, and wont stain clothing. Use it as a superb moisturizer for a wonderful experience, or apply a capful in a warm bath and moisturize while you soak! Use the included Green Jade Roller to ease tension and massage away stress! THe jade roller is also nice chilled in the fridge, and rolled on temples for migraines. $21.50

Silky and Shimmery Legs~
Exfoliate away dead skin cells with our creamy, fluffy tangerine body smoothing scrub. This scrub can be used shoulders down in the shower. Place a small amount of our Sun GLitz leg Glitz for a nice bronzed shimmer effect! $21.00

CLICK HERE to view the online catalog of all products and specials!

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