Hey kids, everybody's doing it!

Just because you can Facebook, doesn't mean you should. I had conversation with a retailer this morning. We had a winding talk that made its way to Facebook. In most cases I think banking on success with a business Facebook page is putting the cart before the horse, I actually think it might be a good idea for this business, and maybe for yours.

But first a couple of points to consider. Nothing is free. Yes, you can set up a Facebook page for FREE! But actually creating a network of meaningful friends, fans and followers requires true diligence. You must put in the time to understand the medium and then consider what would move someone to WANT to be your friend. If you just start screaming sale, then that will become tiresome. No, you need to concentrate on a mix of personality, information that matters, and perhaps a means for other customers to connect through your page.

Back to the FREE! Things are often a trade-off of time and money. Which is more important (or available)? You could change your own oil and save $12, but should you? Is that the best use of your time? You have to decide if it is worth your time and effort to concentrate on creating something sustainable through your Facebook page. Now our retailer in up-state NY is one of those rare examples of a company that should do it. Like many other businesses they are owner operated, have been in business for a while and are small (and personal). So in this case I think it would be a perfect way to leverage the technology to help them build customer loyalty and trust.

I actually think in most cases the smaller the business, the easier it is to create a genuine online personality. The key is to see how the technology can help you improve your business. A couple of ideas I floated past her this morning were:

Post notices when you are looking to make buying decisions. "Hey gang, what do you think of this?" A quick pic with your iPhone (she has one) and upload it to your Facebook page.

Ask for feedback on things like hours, product mix, etc.

In this case (the retailer was a garden center) you could even have people post pictures of flowers (or bugs) that you could identify for them (and thus using Facebook to have your response go out to the entire network).

Yes, you could post sales, or make it more personal with a Facebook Fans invitation only event.

You see, you need to establish the value in your friendship. I will stop preaching, but keep those things in mind when you are looking to launch your business page.