How to Create a Facebook Page for your Business

In case you were stuck in a well for a long period of time, Facebook is the hottest thing to hit the world since the invention of jean shorts. Unlike jean shorts, Facebook is a social trend that is here to stay and Facebook pages look good on anyone. In case you don’t believe me, picture a 50 year old guy wearing jean shorts with a t-shirt that reads "My ex-wives thought I looked sexy". It seems everyone has a Facebook page in 2012, and if you were to admit to a group of friends that you do not have a Facebook page, you would get many raised eyebrows.

At this point, we are going to assume you understand the power of Facebook as a tool to build awareness for products or services. At this point, you also need to understand that an individual Facebook page is different than a business page on Facebook. If you are confused of whether you have an individual account or business account remember this; individual accounts allow you to add people as friends and business accounts only allow people to "Like" your Facebook page.

                        Facebook Business Page                                              Personal Facebook Page

Step 1. Navigate to Facebook.com . Before you login, make sure your screen looks similar to this. 

Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the hyperlink: Create a Page.

Step 3: Select the type of account you would like to create on Facebook. 

The screen that follows will ask you to fill out a form if you do not already have a Facebook account. If you already have a personal Facebook account, Facebook allows you to log in using the same login credentials as your personal account. Facebook will allow you to become the administrator of the business page you are creating. As an administrator, you are allowed to manage the content on the Facebook page. However, you cannot add people as friends as an administrator.

It is also worthwhile to note that Facebook administrators can add people from their friends list as administrators. Keep in mind that anyone that is added as an administrator can alter your Facebook business page. If you accidentally add an user as an administrator on your account, you might end up with pictures of naked men on your Facebook news feed. 

Next, simply click on the "Sign Up Now" button and you have the basics of your Facebook page set up. Your Facebook business page should look like this:

Now, the fun can really begin. Upload your dazzling business logos and or banners. Update your business information such as your contact  and location information. Start writing some content that will engage viewers to like your page. Do not focus solely on how many likes you have. Concentrate more on writing good content that makes your viewers think. The likes will eventually come. In addition, stay tuned for our article all about Social Media Page Optimization.

Creating a Facebook page for your business is crucial to achieve success. Hi Octane Solutions offers customized Facebook page designs that will make your Facebook business page stand out from the rest of the crowd.

If you are comfortable wearing jean shorts, I wish you all the luck. However, your competition is already thinking outside the box and is actively engaging with their customers like never before. Facebook is a marketing trend that is never going to fade.

*Hi Octane Solutions is not associated with any jean shorts company. Are you a jean shorts fan? Like them on Facebook. 

• continually use simple passwords
• neglect to rotate your passwords every 30 days (at a minimum)
• allow internet browsers to save passwords
• leave desktop/laptop unlocked when walking away
• leave WiFi networks unprotected
• use simple unlock instead of a password for Smartphones/tablets
• leave Smartphones/tablets unattended with apps still running such as email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
• leave Bluetooth discovery enabled
• you are completely and utterly naive!

With the employment rate hovering around 8.5 percent in Ohio and 9.3% in Michigan, chances are you or someone you know is unemployed. Facebook can be so much fun and time always seems to fly by, especially if you have no job. You can stalk old friends, harass friends and family (not recommended) and scream in anger when your 10 year old brother beats you in Words with Friends 522 to 43. However, did you know that your Facebook page and online social activity may help you get your next job. That’s right. Some of the conversations you have with other professionals on Facebook could be your job interview! Before you say "OMG", read on to learn how to make sure you are following the Facebook Recruiting rules.

The Facebook Recruiting Rules for Job Seekers in Ohio & Michigan

Rule #1. Never post strange, sexual or offensive pictures on Facebook. That includes drunken fairy pictures, even if it is Halloween.

If job recruiting companies in Toledo or Michigan are searching for big time talent on Facebook, do you think they would hire this guy? Not likely. Make sure you’re presenting your personality and talent on Facebook, but make sure your page is professional looking!

Rule #2. Protect Yourself! Don’t let your friends ruin your reputation.

Even if your Facebook page is professional, make sure you are not allowing your friends to post rude and offensive comments. That can destroy your chances of getting a job from Facebook recruiters.

Rule #3: Facebook is a great networking tool for job seekers and job recruiters.

If there is a company or job recruiter that is sparking your interest, try to get to know them. Connect with them on LinkedIn and if you feel comfortable enough, add them as a friend on Facebook. Don’t be too pushy, share unique and useful information with them and show them that you have the skills necessary to succeed at the position you are seeking.

Rule #4. Be active on Facebook.

Answer questions and comment on posts. Don’t let Facebook recruiters forget how valuable you really are!

Facebook Recruiting Rules for Job Recruiters in Ohio & Michigan:

Rule #1: Sit back and observe.

As you network with potential hires for your clients, monitor the Facebook activity of the job seeker. Is this person hire-worthy?

Rule #2: Design creative and clean Facebook pages.

Make it easy for job seekers to find the information they are looking for in regards to jobs and other information.

Rule #3: Share unique and useful information.

Depending on how job seekers respond to your posts, the interaction at this point is important to determine the skills, work ethics and personality of the individual.

Rule #4: Listen to job seekers and respond.

Don’t just post comments on Facebook, let job seekers do the talking.

Rule #5: Create polls, quizzes and contests. 

This will get your job seekers engaged. Facebook recruiters can learn a lot from these interactions. 

According to HireRabbit.com, 48% of job seekers use social media job hunting. If you are getting frustrated in your job search, make sure your Facebook page represents you well. You might be in the spotlight and not even know it. Take advantage of Facebook for job recruiting in the year 2012. With a little time and effort on your part, you will eventually find success! 

The other day I was at a local retail store in Toledo, Ohio waiting for my wife to pick out a dress. As I tried to avoid using body language to express my boredom, I noticed a woman scratching her head and staring at a promotional display. As I tried to focus in on the display I realized the woman was looking at a QR code marketing display. The directions read "scan the QR code and you will be automatically entered into a contest". The woman was extremely excited about entering the contest. I am not sure what the prize was, but I feel that if the prize was a sock she would of still jumped up and down. Just when I started to lose my attention, the woman tried using her cell phone to scan the QR code. The only problem was the phone she was trying to scan it with was not exactly new technology. In fact, I think I had the same cell phone in 2005. Holding in any trace of laughter, I watched the woman continue to frantically wave her cell phone over the QR code as if her phone could perform magic. The woman then walked away with embarrassment. While the woman was never able to enter the contest for a pair of socks, it started me to get some ideas to write about on QR codes. It also made time go by faster as my wife tried on half of the store.

What are QR codes and How can They Help Market your Business

QR codes are similar to bar codes. Both can be used by retailers and distributors to track inventory and various product information. However, QR codes are two-dimensional, therefore they can store much more information. To be precise, thousands of alphanumeric characters of information. The ability to hold more information and the ease of use makes them practical for small businesses to use as marketing tools.

When you scan a QR code with your iPhone, Android or other camera-enabled Smartphone, you can link to content on the world wide web. Next, you may have the choice of activating email, instant messaging and connect to the internet and social media pages.

While QR codes may be somewhat new to the U.S, Japan has been using them for over a decade. Most important to you as a business owner is QR code marketing. As an example look at the image on the left.

As with this example, an user can simply like a Facebook page by simply scanning the QR code. That is what QR code marketing is all about. It is an new and easy way to build relationships with your customers. Like the retail store example I used in the beginning of this blog, businesses can put promotional displays with QR codes that allows customers to easily enter contests or simply learn more information about the company.

Other uses of QR code marketing:

• Marketing brochures.
• Sides of vehicles.
• Product tags.
• Online Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
• Restaurant menus
• Ticket stubs
• Sales receipts
• Business cards

QR Codes could also link to:

• Directions to your business using sites such as Google Maps
• Allow customers to fill out application forms
• Coupons, discounts, sales and any other promotion.
• Customer feedback forms
• Online contests

That is only a short list of ways to use QR codes for marketing purposes. With the constant improvement in technology, there could be many other ways to market your business using QR codes. There are programs that generate QR codes with integrated analytics that can be found online. In conclusion, make sure you find the right QR code company to manage your QR code campaign. Look for a company that is experienced and is able to listen to the needs of your business.

Want to learn more about QR code marketing? Feel free to ask us questions below in the comment section.

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Attention all restaurant owners in Toledo, Ohio. Are you craving to improve the overall customer experience and improve your sales? Have you considered using Facebook as a marketing tool to help grow your restaurant business? If not, have no fear because the power of social media is still new to many people. While there are nearly one million registered users on Facebook, many restaurant owners do not know or understand the benefits of using Facebook to market their restaurant online. 

The benefits of using social media platforms such as Facebook to market your restaurant online are improved customer satisfaction, improved customer service, improved customer relationships and the ability to use traditional forms of advertising to create awareness of special discounts or rebates.  

Example of the Benefit of Facebook Marketing for Restaurants

Many years ago, it would take time to research the exact cause of the decline in customers. It could be poor customer service, bad location and of course; bad food. 

Starting a few years ago, technology and human nature has been combined to create a monster. To be more specific, it is our human instinct to be social. With the invention of Facebook, it has made it even easier to be social with friends, family and other businesses, or in this case; restaurants. 

For example, let’s say Bob just opened up a new Italian restaurant in Toledo, Ohio. Bob is an experienced business man and has some great recipes to share with everyone in the Toledo area. Bob had some respectable results in his first week of operation. However, after three months he notices a drop in customers. 

Bob then decides that his next marketing strategy will be to find out what his customers actually think about his restaurant. He hired an professional Facebook marketing company and began to see some gradual increase in sales. 

Customers were able to check into their Facebook page use their mobile phone and comment on their experience. No matter if the restaurant reviews were negative or positive, the comments on Bob’s restaurant Facebook page were extremely useful. In addition, customers shared their experience with their other friends on Facebook. Considering, most Facebook users have at least fifty friends, the amount of exposure of Bob’s restaurant tripled. If Bob did not implement some type of Facebook marketing strategy for his Toledo based restaurant, it would have failed. Why did his Facebook Marketing strategy work so well for his restaurant? The direct answer is customer engagement. 

Tips to Market your Restaurant on Facebook

1. Respond to comments or questions on your business Facebook page. Never let a comment on your page go unnoticed. It will not solve anything by ignoring negative comments. Always try to resolve the customers problem.
2. Honesty is a virtue. Treat people online the same way as if you just shook their hand. Never try to hide negative reviews or lie about your restaurant. Most customers understand that people make mistakes and they just want someone to listen to them. If proactive action is taken to resolve the problem, that customer will visit your restaurant again. 
3. Avoid overly promotional messages on Facebook. While it is acceptable to post promotional messages on your Facebook page once a week, marketing on Facebook is not the place to constantly overwhelm your followers with advertisements. Facebook business pages should only be used to educate and engage the public! Remember, all someone has to do to stop following your restaurant news feed is click on "Unfriend". 
4. Images sometimes speak louder than words. The general public loves images. In today’s busy lifestyle, many Facebook followers would rather look at pictures of some of your restaurants appetizers or meals. Make sure the images you post on your Facebook page are professional looking as it will represent your business. If you think your steak is truly mouth watering, prove it on Facebook. 
5. Share other news too. Even if it slightly unrelated. Don’t be afraid to post local events and news. Facebook can be a great networking tool too. Therefore, it is important to remember to follow a "give and take" philosophy. 
6. Be the life of the party. Don’t just add generic content to your Restaurant Facebook page. Allow your restaurant to shine by showcasing your personality and overall culture of your restaurant. Add creative and insightful content that encourages your customers to join the conversation. 

In conclusion, Facebook can be used to market any restaurant in Toledo, Ohio if the correct steps are taken. The entire staff at Hi Octane Solutions hopes you found these quick list of tips for Facebook marketing for restaurants helpful. Managing a Facebook marketing campaign for restaurants can be time consuming, so make sure you find the best Facebook Marketing Company for the job. We would love to hear from our readers. Feel free to comment below!