Using Facebook Effectively in Small Business
| Using Facebook Effectively in Small Business | | | 10/2/2012 |
USING FACEBOOK EFFECTIVELY IN SMALL BUSINESS
PURPOSE
This report explains how Facebook can be used effectively in the small business world. This report will answer the following questions: * Why should Facebook be used to reach new customers versus other forms of social media? * How does a small business owner create a small business Facebook profile? * How does a small business effectively reach customers and build relationships via Facebook?
BACKGROUND
The consulting firm of the Sam Houston State University Small Business Development Center commissioned this report at the request of Insurance. This report takes an in depth look at the use and benefits of Facebook for a small business. An agent at a small independently owned insurance agency wanted to determine whether the use of social media would be beneficial to their small business.
Data for this report came from Business Source Complete, a business database provided by the Newton Gresham Library at Sam Houston State University.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
This report discusses the benefits of using Facebook to reaching customers through the use of social media. It shows the small business owner the benefits to using Facebook as an avenue for marketing and advertisement. The research presented is divided into three sections: why should a small business use Facebook, how to “Facebook”, and reaching customers via Facebook.
WHY SHOULD A SMALL BUSINESS USE FACEBOOK?
While choosing a social media for a small business there are many of things to consider, but the most important thing is to reach as many people as possible. As seen in the figure 1, Facebook is the clear leader of social media.
Figure 1: Total time spent on all social-media sites
Data Source: The Power of “Like” (2012)
Not only is Facebook where people spend most of their time, but the site has 160 million
USING FACEBOOK EFFECTIVELY IN SMALL BUSINESS
PURPOSE
This report explains how Facebook can be used effectively in the small business world. This report will answer the following questions: * Why should Facebook be used to reach new customers versus other forms of social media? * How does a small business owner create a small business Facebook profile? * How does a small business effectively reach customers and build relationships via Facebook?
BACKGROUND
The consulting firm of the Sam Houston State University Small Business Development Center commissioned this report at the request of Insurance. This report takes an in depth look at the use and benefits of Facebook for a small business. An agent at a small independently owned insurance agency wanted to determine whether the use of social media would be beneficial to their small business.
Data for this report came from Business Source Complete, a business database provided by the Newton Gresham Library at Sam Houston State University.
DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
This report discusses the benefits of using Facebook to reaching customers through the use of social media. It shows the small business owner the benefits to using Facebook as an avenue for marketing and advertisement. The research presented is divided into three sections: why should a small business use Facebook, how to “Facebook”, and reaching customers via Facebook.
WHY SHOULD A SMALL BUSINESS USE FACEBOOK?
While choosing a social media for a small business there are many of things to consider, but the most important thing is to reach as many people as possible. As seen in the figure 1, Facebook is the clear leader of social media.
Figure 1: Total time spent on all social-media sites
Data Source: The Power of “Like” (2012)
Not only is Facebook where people spend most of their time, but the site has 160 million
References: Ankeny, Jason. (2011). Face lift. Entrepreneur., (39) 6, 56-59. Giamanco, B; Gregoire, K. (2012, July-August). Tweet me, friend me, make me buy. Harvard Business Review, 90, (7/8), 88-93. Lacho, K J.; Marinello, C. (2010). How small business owners can use social networking to promote their business. The Entrepreneurial Executive, 15, 127-133. Lipsman, A.; Mudd, G.; Rich, M.;& Bruich, S.. (2012, March). The power of “like”. Journal of Advertising Research, 40-52. doi: 10.2501/jar-52-1-040-052.